Makalei Golf Club

The course is in a come back mode. Fairways were hard some places and rewarded the players with extra yards and other time the ball just rolled down a steep hill. Greens were good shape and rolled a little slower than I am use to.

Overall it was an enjoyable day. The starter matched us up with two players who play the course often. They were a great help. Thanks Mel and Tony.

I just finished(?) my round of golf @ Makalei. The question mark is because I was only allowed to play 15 holes. When I made my tee time and when I arrived for golf @ 1:30 I wasn't told that I had to be done by 5:30 because they close the course. Normally, of course this wouldn't be a problem as I often play 18 in less than 3 hrs. However, even after complaining to the Marshal at least twice about the pace of play I was informed that hole 15 was the last one I would be able to play because they were closing. This is incredibly upsetting. I can put up with the poor conditions of the bunkers as I was aware of that before I made the tee time but very poor management to allow slow play and then penalize me again by not being able to finish. Beware of this course; not consumer friendly.

Great layout. Lots of birds. Don’t even think of walking. Great views. Great value for Hawaii. Unfortunately sand traps need a lot of work. Currently considered ground under repair

Maybe not the most luxurious course in Kona but very challenging. You really have to put some thought into your shot. Enjoyed it a lot and have booked there again.

I have been playing Makalei for fifteen years, and I love the new changes. The greens are in excellent shape.

all Sandtraps not in use (did not know)

Tee Boxes and fairways have not been touched in months. Greens were satisfactory.

$50. for at least 5 year old Cobra rentals.

Carts were old and almost brakeless.

Total course appearance was disgraceful.

Layout was reasonable with possibilities but course was worst maintained I have ever played in fifty years.

i was ashamed as I brought guests.

This course should be off your list as your reputation has been tarnished.

Course needs serious maintenance. Traps were all under repair. Fun course.

Played this course a few times over the years. It is built high up on the side of a mountain next to Kona. The course is very hilly, with not one flat hole. Virtually every hole has a blind shot due to the elevation gains and losses. For the money, the course is in good shape and their is lots of wild life around and ON the course, mainly peacocks and turkeys. It is also about 5 - 10 degrees cooler because of the elevation of the course and a few more clouds move in, which make the playing temperature about perfect.

I played this course 30 years ago when it was a tough beautiful track. It’s been allowed to get pretty rough

The greens had just been sanded too that would have been nice to know- in advance!!

It’s hard to justify any more than $50 for this course, in spite of a beautiful layout and just overall poor conditions. The views cannot be matched anywhere on the island.

The good news is it is obvious the new managers are working to make the course playable again.

I’ll come back The high rating speaks for itsel, a good test.

Great course layout. The hilly terrain keeps the course interesting and challenging. The only downside is that the sand traps have not been maintained, apparently for years. I understand the course is under new management, so I expect that the traps will be refurbished soon.

I have to echo previous sentiments that this course is in really bad shape.

Greens are in horrible shape. Teeboxes are a disaster (played the whites) and the bunkers (devoid of rakes for the most part) haven't been cared for by maintenance in what appears to be months?! There are actually bunkers and areas under construction with no forewarning. Glad I didn't land my fairway shot on that bulldozer!!

The good. The fairways are looking and playing well. The staff is great and very courteous. The ocean views are still present and won't let you down! Beautiful! The temps are always a relief from other lowland courses.

Don't pay more than the hot deal or you're probably better off playing a little more for Hapuna or BICC.

p.s. Curse you 12 and 13!! I'll be back for you!

I've played this course 3 times in the past when I came to the big island, and found it to be quirky fun. Now, it is clearly struggling, having just changed ownership. I understand the new owner is committed to reviving the course. It needs a lot of reviving. The greens are horrible, with disease spots all over. The bunkers haven't been raked, turned or cleaned in months. The fairways are playable, but in spite of drought conditions in South Kohala, are slightly overwatered. I hope this course can be saved, but it is not a good value now, in spite of the reasonable cost.

Mountainous couse with plenty of bird life. Staff very friendly. Play a bit earlier in the summer to get the best weather and floral conditions. Looking forward to the next trip!

You've never played such a steep course! All parts of this course are angled top challenge play. Long drives come up short and poor drives can run down hill to the green. The grass is great to play on, but the course gets a little muddy from the daily rain. I highly recommend this course to anyone coming to the big island that wants to cool down while playing golf.

Hidden Gem? This course at first seemed cool with the long drive through thick forests and beatiful peacocks. But the condition was terrible. The bunkers were unplayable and certain areas of the fairway as well. Multiple times I had to move my ball over 10 yards just to find Some grass. Some of the tee boxes looked like the rough. If the conditions were better, The course would be pretty fun to play. Definitely not worth the rate, or even a hot deal for me. If you have played hapuna or mauna lani you be extremely disappointed with this course.

Had a great time. Golf course was in good condition.

This is not a resort course.

Amenities are minimal but still good value especially if you could get discounted rate from GolfNow.com.