Royal Hawaiian GC
A view from Royal Hawaiian Golf Club.
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Rating Index Rating
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3.9
691 Reviews (691)
5 Stars
324
4 Stars
188
3 Stars
90
2 Stars
53
1 Stars
36
Conditions
3.3
Value
3.5
Layout
4.4
Friendliness
4.4
Pace
4.0
Amenities
3.2
72.7%
Recommend this course
558 out of 691 reviews
Read Reviews
Average Rating
Avg Rating
3.5
21 Reviews (21)
5 Stars
5
4 Stars
8
3 Stars
3
2 Stars
2
1 Stars
3
Conditions
2.8
Value
2.8
Layout
4.0
Pace
3.7
Amenities
3.1
StaffFriendliness
4.5
61.9%
Recommend this course
13 out of 21 reviews
Read Reviews
Average Rating
Avg Rating
4.0
50 Reviews (50)
5 Stars
25
4 Stars
12
3 Stars
6
2 Stars
2
1 Stars
5
Conditions
3.4
Value
3.6
Layout
4.4
Pace
4.1
Amenities
3.4
StaffFriendliness
4.7
76.0%
Recommend this course
38 out of 50 reviews
Read Reviews
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AI summaries based on real golfer reviews
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Course Highlights
Royal Hawaiian delivers jaw-dropping jungle and mountain views on every hole, with a wildly creative layout that belongs on any golfer's bucket list. The exceptionally friendly staff and solid value make this challenging, scenic round well worth the trip.

About

Holes 18
Type Semi-Private
Style Links
Par 72
Length 6609 yards
Slope 138
Rating 73.1

Nestled at the base of the Ko'olau Mountains in Oahu, Royal Hawaiian Golf Club enjoys a stunning tropical setting framed by ancient jungle trees that climb to more than 100 feet tall. The father-and-son team of Pete and Perry Dye designed the course. There are many telltale signs that this is a Dye course, from the many elevation changes to the varied bunker styles that are utilized throughout. The round begins with stunning views as you plunge downhill into the Maunawili Valley. There are more trees and narrower fairways on the front nine, contrasting nicely with the wide-open back nine. Royal Hawaiian Golf Club's back plays towards the mouth of the valley, offering a view of the mountains and sparkling blue Pacific waters in the distance. It's not an overly punishing golf course but locals and visitors alike have called it the toughest and most scenic course you'll find on Oahu.

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Royal Hawaiian Golf Club
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Course Details

Year Built 1993
Fairways Bermuda Grass
Greens Platinum Paspalum Grass
Golf Season Year round
Architect Pete Dye (1993) Perry Dye (1993)

Rentals/Services

Carts Yes
Clubs Yes

Practice/Instruction

Driving Range Yes
Teaching Pro Yes
Pitching/Chipping Area Yes
Putting Green Yes

Policies

Credit Cards Accepted VISA, MasterCard, Amex, Discover Welcomed
Metal Spikes Allowed No

Food & Beverage

Bar, Restaurant

Available Facilities

Clubhouse

Accolades

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Reviews

3.9
691 Reviews (691)

What Golfers Are Saying

Course Challenges Include:
Elevation Changes 27
Forced Carries 23
Narrow Fairways 16
This course/club is great for:
Wildlife/ Scenic Views 24
Advanced Golfers 18
A Bucket list/Top 100 Pick 14
This Course's Location is:
Worth the Drive 22
Convenient to the City 10

Numbers based on reviews tagged with attribute.

Reviewer Photos

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Overall Rating
Recommended
Handicap
Age
Type of Golfer
Gender
Played On
Reviews 4
Handicap 10-14
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Perfect weather
Used cart

Gorgeous Course!

A beautiful course that was a joy to play! So much to see and enjoy. The course was great and a little challenging requiring some accuracy to hit areas over the jungle or water. A few of the greens were a little rough and needed some work, but overall a great course. The staff was great! Very friendly. The pro shop is well stocked. Most of the other amenities were closed or unavailable, but that did not detract from the course and would have only added to the pleasure.

Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Fair
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 9
Handicap 20-24
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
First Time Playing

Tough but fun

Great course if you enjoy a challenge. Beautiful views and friendly staff

Conditions Average
Value Average
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Poor
Played On
Reviews 3
Handicap 15-19
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a month
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Perfect weather
Used cart

Jurassic Park setting

Likely the most scenic and beautiful jungle golf course one will ever play. Very challenging. Not long, but course places a premium on hitting specific spots on the course. Greens look like they had some disease, so that was disappointing after plunking down $150 to play it. Would've been nice to have been notified of that before booking. Bring extra balls for sure. Most people will play the course well over their normal index. Have the right mindset before you play it. If you get easily frustrated, don't play it; instead just enjoy the views and be thankful that you get to play a course as beautiful as this one.

Conditions Average
Value Average
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Good
Pace Good
Amenities Average
Difficulty Extremely Challenging
Played On
Reviews 5
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
2.0
First Time Playing

Three dressed up as a nine

The views are a 10 and you drive through the forest and it makes you feel like you’re in another world. Then there’s the course. The driving range wasn’t open and we were not told about it. No snack beverage cart or even snack shack, rather a small cooler in the Pro-Shop. Pro shop attendee was not the warmest inviting individual. Starter was great, took the time to explain everything and even offered to take a picture of us. The greens were the most shocking thing. So much damage especially on the front nine. Although the carts have GPS, you could use a explanation on the holes and where to hit it and not hit it. Par 5 was approximately 560 yet you couldn’t driver as it ran out at 270. Million dollar views but no where near worth over $100.

Conditions Poor
Value Fair
Layout Poor
Friendliness Good
Pace Excellent
Amenities Poor
Played On
Reviews 1
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
2.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Tired and run down

Run down, no facilities, and all greens damaged by incorrect treatment by grounds staff

Conditions Fair
Value Poor
Layout Good
Friendliness Good
Pace Good
Amenities Poor
Played On
Reviews 2
I Recommend This Course
5.0
First Time Playing
Perfect weather
Used cart
Conditions Excellent
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Good
Pace Good
Amenities Good
Difficulty Moderate
Played On
Reviews 3
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Hot weather

Excellent but challenging golf course!

Had the opportunity to play this course twice during a trip to Oahu. An incredibly beautiful but insanely difficult golf course. Bring extra golf balls!

The greens could use a little more love, especially on the front-9.

Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Good
Difficulty Extremely Challenging
Played On
Reviews 1
Handicap 20-24
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
1.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Hot weather
Used cart

course is in awful condition

greens, esp front nine are worse than my local muni. fairways are OK but the fringe is brutal on your wallet bc unless you step on it, the balls are gone.

i guess you come for the scenery bc there isnt much else here. also no snack shops/bev carts.

Conditions Poor
Value Poor
Layout Average
Friendliness Average
Pace Average
Amenities Poor
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 10
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

Amazing views, challenging layout

Some of the best mountain views on the island. The pro shop had the essentials. Staff very friendly all around. Rental clubs were taylormade stealth in well used state. Front 9 was harder, back 9 had some drivable par 4s. The fairways were mostly in great condition, the greens were not. The old divots were sandfilled at least but just didn't roll true.

Conditions Average
Value Average
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 26
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
2.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

Mixed bag

Staff was super friendly, but the pro shop was the only thing open on the property, and it had very limited supplies of refreshments (food/snacks, maybe because it was mid week?) and also limited golf accessories (gloves, balls, hats). One of the on-course bathrooms is currently out of service. Front 9 is just a ball donation to the jungle gods, with greens in terrible shape. These front nine greens have multiple un-repaired ball marks on every green, and what I am guessing is some sort of disease on several of them that leave gaping zig-zag cracks with no grass, making even a short putt impossible to make. The back 9 is much more open, with fairly good greens. Given a choice, playing the back 9 twice would have been much more enjoyable than suffering through the front nine. The majority of the course has a broad-leafed “grass” for the rough that flat out swallows balls. The pro shop had a small selection of incredibly overpriced balls for sale, but spending a few minutes off of the fairway yields several “new” balls per hole if you run short.

Conditions Fair
Value Fair
Layout Average
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Average
Amenities Poor
Played On
Reviews 1
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
First Time Playing

Stunning Views

An absolute beautiful course with stunning scenery. The front 9 greens are in rough shape but the views more than make up for it. The greens on the back 9 are in much better shape. Would 100% recommend this course to anyone looking for a special course to play in Hawaii.

Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 3
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

Great scenery. Very good golf. Great staff. First few holes have bad greens

First few holes have bad greens. But the rest is great. Infrastructure needs a bit of maintenance.

Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Fair
Played On
Reviews 1
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
2.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Conditions Fair
Value Poor
Layout Fair
Friendliness Fair
Pace Average
Amenities Poor
Played On
Reviews 1
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
2.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

Grass

The turf on the greens is bad and the grass on the fairways is yellow and needs maintenance. The turf around the entire pitch needs clearing and the branches need clearing.

Conditions Poor
Value Fair
Layout Good
Friendliness Good
Pace Fair
Amenities Poor
Played On
Reviews 2
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

THE VIEWS!!!

The VIEWS were spectacular, the layout EXTREMELY challenging and even more so when the wind picked up on the back 9. I must say the greens on the front 9 were less than ideal but got better as we got to the 8th hole and beyond. I guess it’s really tough to grow the greens on the front 9 with all the shade, but the VIEWS!!! There wasn’t much in regards to amenities but the VIEWS. You’re there to enjoy the VIEWS and your playing partners and the golf comes last. Enjoy it for what it’s worth.

Conditions Average
Value Good
Layout Average
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Poor
Played On
Reviews 4
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

Great course

Was trying to find a course to play and seen the time of golf now. Called the course to see how busy they were. Man who answered the phone was great. Booked the time got there and was a few groups in the front. I received an escort to the 10th tee to show me where to start and played. Course was in good shape. Ocean and Mountain View’s. Staff was great. Would love to go back

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 1
Skill Advanced
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
First Time Playing

Overall course is great, the greens were not in the best condition on the front 9 however the scenery and layout more than made up for it. Back 9 is great as well greens were rolling well. Beautiful course and great staff made my experience one to remember.

Also, if you are here on vacation with someone who is not a golfer they would still have a great time riding along in the cart to see this amazing course!

Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 4
Handicap 10-14
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a month
I Recommend This Course
3.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Perfect weather
Used cart

Don't judge a book by it's cover...

Chose this course based on the photos and the fact that it's on the "Jurassic" side of the island. The surroundings and scenery were nothing short of amazing...and the main reason I would recommend this course, I just wish I could say the same for the course and facilities. The greens on the front 9 were barely playable (the back 9 was better, but not by much), fairways and bunkers were not very well maintained, restaurant and driving range were not available and the exterior around the clubhouse area was a bit rundown. The clubhouse itself and the staff were great...but we finished our round at 4 and everything was closed already. The saving grace for the day was my local playing partners Matt and Amber and Matt's visiting father Terry Morgan, truly wonderful people whom I would enjoy being around anytime. Terry is an Australian golf course architect (I looked him up...legit!) and getting his insights about the course (layout, design, etc) from a different point of view was great. All agreed there is so much potential for Royal Hawaiin that isn't being reached...it could truly be the gem of the island.

Conditions Fair
Value Average
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Fair
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 22
Handicap 15-19
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Hot weather
Used cart

Jurassic Park course

The scenery was beautiful like entering Jurassic Park and the staff was friendly, but the greens on the course were in very bad condition. I just hope the greens are managed well. I will go again when I have a chance.

Conditions Poor
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Average
Difficulty Extremely Challenging
Played On
Reviews 2
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once every three months
1.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Golf Course Condition

The golf course has a beautiful view, but the course itself is not well maintained. The grass and fairways lack landscaping, and all the greens were aerated. Additionally, the staff failed to mention this. If you're solely interested in the view, it can be a nice course to visit

Conditions Poor
Value Fair
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Fair
Amenities Fair
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