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Rating Index Rating
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3.7
736 Reviews (736)
5 Stars
177
4 Stars
333
3 Stars
135
2 Stars
56
1 Stars
35
Conditions
3.1
Value
3.9
Layout
4.1
Friendliness
4.6
Pace
4.0
Amenities
2.3
80.9%
Recommend this course
615 out of 736 reviews
Read Reviews
Average Rating
Avg Rating
3.2
12 Reviews (12)
5 Stars
2
4 Stars
2
3 Stars
4
2 Stars
4
1 Stars
0
Conditions
2.6
Value
3.1
Layout
3.8
Pace
4.1
Amenities
1.7
StaffFriendliness
4.5
66.7%
Recommend this course
8 out of 12 reviews
Read Reviews
Average Rating
Avg Rating
3.6
56 Reviews (56)
5 Stars
10
4 Stars
24
3 Stars
15
2 Stars
4
1 Stars
3
Conditions
3.1
Value
3.9
Layout
4.2
Pace
4.0
Amenities
2.2
StaffFriendliness
4.6
80.4%
Recommend this course
45 out of 56 reviews
Read Reviews

About

Holes 18
Type Public
Style Woodland
Par 72
Length 7091 yards
Slope 144
Rating 74.3

Malakei Golf Club wanders through a colorful landscape of indigenous flora and fauna, providing a home to a variety of wildlife including peacocks, pheasants, and wild turkey. Situated in the Kona region of Hawaii, which is widely renowned for its coffee farms, the course offers dramatic elevation changes that range from 1,800 to 2,850 feet. The golf course plays through lush forests accented with lava tubes, cinder cones, and an ancient stone wall that dates back over a century. The fast bentgrass greens, rolling fairways, and cooler climate are reminiscent of a course in northern California but the stunning panoramic views will definitely remind you that you are in Hawaii. Malakei Golf Club's 15h hole is a signature hole thanks to its memorable scenery. It not only offers an incredible view of Maui's 10,000-foot Mount Haleakala, it is also your best chance for a hole in one.

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Makalei Golf Club
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Course Details

Year Built 1992
Fairways Bermuda Grass
Greens Bent Grass
Golf Season Year round
Architect Dick Nugent (1992)

Rentals/Services

Carts Yes - included in green fees
Clubs Yes

Practice/Instruction

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

Policies

Credit Cards Accepted VISA, MasterCard, Amex Welcomed
Metal Spikes Allowed No
Fivesomes Allowed No. Only with permission.
Dress code Proper attire is required.

Food & Beverage

Restaurant, Beverage Carts

Accolades

  • Golf Advisor: Top Courses in Hawaii (2016 #18)
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Reviews

3.7
736 Reviews (736)

Reviewer Photos

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Recommended
Handicap
Age
Type of Golfer
Gender
Played On
Reviews 1
I Recommend This Course
5.0
First Time Playing

Awesome experience

Rained all the way to the course. Five minute cart right up the mountain to the first hole. First 3 holes in the clouds. Rained so hard on some holes had to stop to wait it out. Played last 4 holes in 1 under. Loved every minute.

Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
75df96cc-197d-5c34-8688-9bf14233e232
Commented on 06/06/2016

Thank you Mjperks for the review and 5-Stars. We are so happy you had a great time even though the rain was ever present. Come back and see us again on your next visit to the area!

Played On
Reviews 2
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Loveit

Great course to test your accuracy and stamina!!! Peacocks are the only noise as course is very quiet. Very friendly workers.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Average
75df96cc-197d-5c34-8688-9bf14233e232
Commented on 06/06/2016

Thank you for the review and feedback. We are so happy you had a great time on the course and please come back and see us again!

Played On
Reviews 6
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

Makalei Golf Club - Great track !!!

Makalei GC, great track, wonderful layout with a variety of elevation changes and wonderful views. Very challenging and a true test of you skills. Makalei - "I'll be back!"

Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Good
75df96cc-197d-5c34-8688-9bf14233e232
Commented on 05/18/2016

Thank you WBHOGAN54 for your review and feedback. We are so thrilled you had a great time and we hope you will continue to golf with us on your next trip to the BIG ISLAND!

Played On
Reviews 12
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Great price for course

Course layout is great. Golf carts could use some updating, but overall a playable course if you hit it straight.

Very friendly staff. Played on Mother's Day so we had the course to ourselves. Will play again next time I'm in Kona.

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

Great course; terrific price!

Great bang for the buck. Challenging layout. Greens in good shape but a little slow and erratic.

Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Fair
75df96cc-197d-5c34-8688-9bf14233e232
Commented on 05/09/2016

Thank you kylesgampi1 for your review and feedback. We appreciate you taking the time and we hope you will continue to golf with us throughout the season. Please let us know if you ever need anything while you are here and we hope to see you again soon!

Played On
Reviews 4
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Great time again

Second time playing this course and we love it. It is sheltered from the wind nicely. It was nice and cool while Kona was hot and muggy. The peacocks were a lot of fun, there was at least 2 on every hole. We will come back again because we know this course is a guaranteed good time.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Average
75df96cc-197d-5c34-8688-9bf14233e232
Commented on 04/11/2016

Thank you for your review and feedback of Makalei Golf Club. We are so happy you enjoyed the course and the wildlife. Please come back and see us again very soon!

Played On
Reviews 5
Handicap 0-4
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

Golfing with Aloha

A fun day. Cooler than I expected but a fun day nonetheless. Pace of play was slow at first but sped up on the back. The greens were in great shape. The fairways were good. The staff was super friendly and helpful. It was worth the trip up the hill.

Conditions Average
Value Excellent
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Good
75df96cc-197d-5c34-8688-9bf14233e232
Commented on 02/22/2016

Thank you Helodriver2000 for your review and feedback of Makalei Golf Club. Thank you for choosing our golf club to spend the day. Thank you for the kind words about the golf course and staff. We are so happy you enjoyed yourself while on the course and please come back and see us again when you get back to the big island.

Played On
Reviews 8
Handicap 5-9
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
3.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Excellent weather
Used cart

Peacocks!

Peacocks abound this course. Picturesque par 3s. Great value using Golfnow deal, paid $11 18 holes with cart. They rearranged some of the hole #s. GPS may not reflect the current hole designation

Conditions Average
Value Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Average
Amenities Average
Difficulty Fairly Easy
75df96cc-197d-5c34-8688-9bf14233e232
Commented on 09/18/2015

There's a reason we have a peacock in our logo! Thanks for the review!

Played On
Reviews 1
Handicap 10-14
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Good weather
Used cart

Very scenic and challenging course

Very fun course to play. If you're not used to playing holes on steep slopes both uphill and downhill this course is relatively challenging. The weather is very nice and cool being fairly high in the cloud forest area. There are lots of peacocks, turkeys, pheasants, and little yellow birds all over the course. Overall a very entertaining day of golf.

Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Friendliness Good
Pace Excellent
Difficulty Extremely Challenging
75df96cc-197d-5c34-8688-9bf14233e232
Commented on 09/18/2015

We are thrilled to hear you enjoyed yourself so much! Thanks for taking the time to fill out a review after your round.

Played On
Reviews 6
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

Vacation Golf

Great course- very challenging!
Enjoyed the natural topography
Beverage cart non- existent and no water on the course

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Friendliness Average
Pace Excellent
Amenities Good
75df96cc-197d-5c34-8688-9bf14233e232
Commented on 09/18/2015

Thank you for the great review and we appreciate the feedback on the beverage cart.

Played On
Reviews 1
Handicap 20-24
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Good weather
Used cart

Really happy I found this course

Drove by the course going to/from Mauna Kea. Loved it! Very unique. You head uphill quite a ways to get to the driving range and hole #1. Ended up going to over 3,000 ft elevation. Some incredible views down to the ocean, great holes with lava, palm trees, lots of birds, wildlife, peacocks, etc. Had a really great time. Grass was not in perfect shape but wasn't bad. I would golf this course every week if I lived here. Will definitely come again next time I am on the island.

Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Friendliness Good
Pace Excellent
Amenities Average
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
75df96cc-197d-5c34-8688-9bf14233e232
Commented on 08/14/2015

Thank you so much for the great review. We LOVE the photos you have shared!

Come back and see us again soon!

Played On
Reviews 6
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a month
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

Very wet.

Fun course if you stay on the fairway. Long grass off fairway. A lot of great holes but played in a downpour most of the round. Would play again in better weather.

Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Average
75df96cc-197d-5c34-8688-9bf14233e232
Commented on 08/14/2015

We're sorry that you got stuck in the rain - we hope you have the chance to return to play on a nice sunny day. We appreciate the review!

Played On
Reviews 2
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

Fun course

Tropical mountain course that really delivered. Every hole had amazing elevation changes that made you pick your club wisely. Wonderfully kept greens that played true. Front 9 warm and sunny, hit the back 9 and a tropical shower moved in... Got a little wet but that's what keeps this course green and lush. Overall it was a wonderful course to play when visiting the Big Island

Conditions Excellent
Value Average
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Average
Played On
Reviews 7
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

Golf with Aloha

We stayed at Kohala Coast but temperatures around 90 Fahrenheit makes it unbearable to golf. I booked thru Golf Now on a hot deal as a single, and paid for my 9 year old when we arrived. Junior rates are $30 all in. We played 18 holes in 3 hours. Skipped the 10th hole past a couple of parties but backtracked at the end of the round and played 10 on the way down.

I liked exploring the course for its landscape and local animals. The temperatures was mild being so high up above 2,500 feet. It rained on this day on and off. It's more tropical here than Kohala, and luscious. We like exploring the landscape, and why not do that on a cart golfing? It's not the most pristine golf course compared to resort courses, but we like to play where the kamaaina play and the price is right. I recommend playing this golf course for extreme Eco experience.

In Canada, I'm a member at Hamptons private golf club in Calgary and play 100+ rounds per year, 8 -10 different courses per year.

Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 5
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Great value

This mountain course is quite challenging lots of elevation changes and scenic vistas . The new layout is phenomenal good job I will be back

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

Beautiful Course w/Peacocks!

Beautiful course, with lots of elevation change. Probably a little past its glory days, but still a lovely track. Had my best round of the year (so far), and the greens were GREAT!

Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 22
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

Nice layout very scenic

Plenty of wild life to look at
only drawback was Layout of the greens very severe.
pin placements were put in some very poor locations

Conditions Average
Value Good
Friendliness Good
Pace Excellent
Amenities Average
Played On
Reviews 9
Handicap 15-19
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Nice track with great views

Good value for the money. Closest course to Kona on the Big Island.

Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Friendliness Good
Pace Excellent
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 4
Handicap 0-4
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

Fun course

Makalei is an enjoyable and challenging course with lots of variation due to elevation changes and the remote setting of the course.

Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Friendliness Good
Pace Good
Amenities Average
Played On
Reviews 1
3.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Good weather
Used cart

Be prepared to lose balls

This course has rough so long you cannot find your ball even 1 foot in. Course is not well maintained. For example weeds 6 inches high in fairway. It is tough course to play, but is much tougher with poor maintenance. Facilities don' t seem to be maintained or upgraded. It's a shame.

Conditions Average
Value Average
Friendliness Average
Pace Fair
Amenities Average
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
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Kapalua Resort Plantation Course - Hole 18

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