Wailea Golf Club

Wailea Golf Club – Where to Put Your Golf Skills to the Test While Enjoying Views of Paradise
Local Expert's Rating:
4 / 5
The Bottom Line:

If you adore playing golf while enjoying truly phenomenal views, book your spot at the Wailea Golf Club. Home to three championship courses, this popular venue sends plenty of challenges your way while keeping the fun going all day long. Plus, you can improve your game even more with a visit to their driving range or lessons through the academy.  

- The HawaiianIslands.com Local Expert Team

There’s perhaps nothing more refreshing than spending the day playing golf in paradise at the Wailea Golf Club. Across the three championship courses, elevation changes and other technical challenges abound, letting you improve your golf game in every way possible. On top of that, the picturesque ocean views delight the senses and serve as a wonderful backdrop for all your photos.

Their three distinct courses stretch along the coast from Makena Landing Park to Mokapu Beach, giving you all the space you need to perfect your swings. Each course gets well-maintained on the regular, so you always have the best golfing experience possible. Their courses have two clubhouses right onsite plus their 19th Hole restaurant serving up appetizers, entrees, and drinks to remember. Within the clubhouses, you’ll find locker rooms, pro shops, and gear rental services.

For a chance to enjoy the pure magic of playing on their courses, you’ll need to book your spot well ahead of time. Thankfully, they allow you to reserve a tee time up to 45 days in advance. You just have to go on their website to get signed up. Reservations come with a power cart, making it easy to zip between the holes without getting worn out.

After that, you just have to pack comfortable clothing to wear on the course and show up on time. Although their courses are pure class, they only ask that their guests maintain a neat and tidy appearance. So, while you don’t need collared shirts and the like, it’s important to skip the swimwear and other super casual clothing.

If you need gear, set your sights on the pro shops at the two onsite clubhouses. They have all the best apparel, footwear, and equipment you might need to have a blast on the course. Their handbags, wallets, and other accessories are an excellent souvenir of your time as well. Prefer to just try out the whole golfing thing? Ask about their club and shoe rental services.

Their three courses are:

Gold
Known as the most challenging of the three courses, Wailea Gold features a truly thoughtful design created by master architect Robert Trend Jones II. You’ll need to roll out a bold strategy to make it down each fairway and into the cup well under par. It was the Championship Skins Game’s former home, after all, so go big to follow in the footsteps of Arnold Palmer and other legendary pros.

Emerald
The Wailea Emerald course is a lot softer around the edges than the other two, plus offers some of the greatest views around. Blossoms from the many bougainvillea, plumeria, and other incredible plants beautifully frame the ocean beyond, creating a stunning display year-round. The course design comes with a lack of forced carries, which demands immense skill in setting the ball down in all the right places.

Blue
A classic Arthur Jack Snyder production, the Wailea Blue course pairs gently sloping fairways with ample coral sand bunkers. Its meandering design slowly unveils all the greatest sights around, too, including Mt. Haleakala. As you strategize on how to set up each swing, the mesmerizing views will keep you wholly enamored, inspiring you to come back again and again for another round.

If you’d like to brush up on your skills or learn new tricks of the trade, consider signing up for their one- to three-hour coaching packages. They also have workshops available that focus on a particular set of skills, like driving, putting, and chipping. You’re also welcome to come over to the driving range near the Wailea Gold & Emerald Clubhouse for even more practice. They keep the range open all throughout the week, although it closes early on Tuesdays.

Insider Tips:
-When signing up as a single or twosome, the staff could ask you to join another party to create a foursome.
-To get a full refund, give them at least 24 hours’ notice of your tee time cancellation.
-The majority of their golf carts only have two seats. If you want one of their limited four-seat carts, ask when you book your tee time.