Makalei Golf Club

Makalei is an interesting course in excess of 2,000 feet above sea level. Interesting elevation changes, good conditions and cooler temperatures. Nice break from the heat. I would recommend playing this course

Excellent value at a unique course.

Working directly through the course, you can get three rounds for less than $200.

DEFINITELY need a golf cart since Makalei is on the side of a mountain. However, its design makes excellent use of its unique topography.

Lots of birds around, especially peacocks.

We played Makalei three times this January and every round was enjoyable.

After playing here for 15 years, I still look forward to the next tee time. Challenging, beautiful, affordable and a new experience on every hole.

Course was in good shape, including the greens! Some awesome views and changes in elevation!

The course was in decent condition, and exactly what I expected for the $54 rate that we paid. The scenery was beautiful and the layout was really fun. Where I really had an issue was for the fact that a marshall came out and ended our round on the 16th tee. It was 5:30 and the sun doesn't set until 6:00!! I get that they don't want carts on those steep cart paths in the dark and I heard the pro tell us that they'd like to have us in by 5:30, but what I was angry about was a marshal telling us we had to go in when we had more than enough time to finish. The 16th hole is a par 3. We are on the tee about to hit and we are told not to play. I asked if we could at least finish this last hole and he says no.

The lack of consideration that we are clearly tourists on vacation looking to get in a full round was frustrating. It was almost as frustrating as the fact that we sat behind a foresome of beginning golfers with no help from that marshall the whole round. If we would have done his job throughout the round we should have been able to finish. I think the kicker was watching the whole staff roll out of the parking lot as we were waiting for our ride and there was still tons of light. Where I come from the staff is always willing to stay until dark in an effort to give the players a chance to finish. Maybe these guys should think about sticking around for an extra 30-45 minutes and letting people get what they paid for.

The course and views were amazing but the pro shop guy needs a reality check. Golf is a luxury these days and consumers have a choice. If you're vacationing and want an amazing experience from the time you step foot out of your vehicle, you may want to try a different course. This guy totally didn't appreciate the fact that I was patronizing his course which set the tone for my round. To my amazement when I was done, the pro shop guy walked right past me and didn't say one word. Golfers deserve better treatment especially when visiting courses for the first time.

My son and I played the course. He is 11, and so we played the forward, green tees, which are a challenge enough. This is beautiful course, with every hole unique. There are spectacular views, and rain forest drives between holes. Cool, misty day with some rain but no downpours. I suggest you purchase the course guide before your round as there lots of shots that are tough to figure yardage. Hands down the best course we played in Hawaii.

After playing three great courses on the Kohala coast we were in for a big turnaround.

Mike in the golf shop was friendly and helpful as was Nathan the starter,

Then our odyssey began; They have completely rearranged the sequence of holes

since we last played here. The GPS doesn't work anymore. Hole #9 used to be #16.

They said the holes were changed because under the previous routing the first four were

too difficult so that the players were taking too much time and it was backing up the course.

Riding to the first tee is like a ten minute tour of an ancient Hawaiian forest. Flocks of peacocks, turkeys, and Nene marauded the landscape with the peacocks acting like aggressive panhandlers, You will make a steep climb to near the top of the course.

The course itself is in deplorable shape. There are no real tee boxes, just patches of mown weeds that are tough to tee up. The fairways are the most convoluted meandering patches of mown weeds. Flat lies are a non-event here. The greens were tricky but nice and smooth.

Makalai is weird golf Hawaiian style and it does not come cheap. Their Kama'aina rate

is more expensive than Hapuna a much better conditioned and beautiful golf course.

The course is built into the side of the mountain and is set up pretty well for the landscape. However, there sems to be a need for some maintenance to the course. The fairways weren't nearly as nice as when we first played the course 2 years ago on our honeymoon. Our first cart had some issues, but overall the carts weren't all that clean. And the thing is is that you have to take a cart to play this course. The main thing though was that the course just wasn't in as good of shape as the first time we played. Fairways weren't mown, and just didn't look very good.

Playing at Makalei is a real treat!

The Pro Shop Staff are friendly, knowledgable and efficient. The Starters are all friendly informative and efficiently keep players on the course rather than waiting.

Once at the First Tee you get a glimpse of Hawaii as you believe it should be. From then thru the 18th you will only glimpse other players on the course. What you will see is a myriad of animal life. Including of course the abundant Peacocks that are the course logo.

This course is truly a hidden gem.

A beautiful course, meandering through a lush rain forest as you approach the tee. Picturesque tee boxes and walls built of lava. Fairways And greens in excellent condition. Colorful peacocks are scattered throughout the course, feeding and sometimes even approaching you curiously. The Hawaiian state bird, Nene, and multiple other birds abound. Enjoy a great panoramic views of the shoreline below. Really like driving through a rain forest while enjoying a wonderful round of golf.

Staff very friendly, and pro shop has some nice clothing selections.

This was the first course we played in any of our visits to Hawaii. Normally they jacked the price up so high you can't afford to play Anywhere. On an off chance we decided to look at golf now and see if anywhere on Kona we could play. To our surprise we found a wonderful course with wonderful people running it at an affordable price the rental clubs were Top Notch restaurant and pro Shop we're small but first-rate. This course alone is enough that when we return to the islands Kona will be one of our stops.

This course is considered more like a muni course. This place is very crowded. Play is extremely slow, groups do not let faster players play through. Course marshals really do not help speed up play. Also beware when you make tee times, they sometimes quote you one price but when you get there you are given another price. Next time I'm on the Big Island I would never consider playing here again. Nice view but the frustration and waiting isn't worth the view or price.

Played Makalei in 2011-2012, total of 4x.

was such a good value....back then!!

Today, September 7, 2016. not so much. Visitor rate 3x that of local resident rate; $60 versus resident $19.50. For a course in poor condition, not a maintenance person in sight on the course. This is very unusual for a Hawaii course.

For a course where ONLY the greens are being maintained. Probably due to the course is up for sale, now reduced 1/2 after a year on the market.

Tees not well kept, fairways have 6" tall crab type grass sporadically growing, even down the middle. Rough 1st cut is 6" tall, rough around greens 6" and ragged.

Disappointed in value, will not return until new ownership comes aboard.

sad, this may not happen and what could happen is the loss of this once great, non resort type Big Island golf course.

I liked this course. I'm from CA and it plays like a hilly course from that state. Still its a fair golf course that makes you think how to hit your shot. The complementary yardage book was a must. I'm a 12 and played from the whites and shot an 88 with only a few penalties. Keep it in play and it is fun. The staff is very friendly and the prices on the course and at the restaurant are reasonable. Solid value for a Hawaii course and pace of play on a Sunday morning was 4:15...not too shabby.

This where the locals play. It's different than most courses on the island since it's quite hilly. They say it's 9 up and 9 down.

Really fun to play with challenging and signature holes. I'm not fond of shooting uphill but alas, it's one of golf's challenges, especially here. Afternoons are the best on your pocketbook. We had the course to ourselves on the 2 weekday afternoons we played and used the $23 nine hole deal. The staff is kind enough to let you fit in as many as you can before their appointed cart return time which is very nice.

Tip: Balls can be frequently lost in the thick brush that line the fairways so bring some extras.

Great course for the money. The views and wild peacocks added to awesome experience. Would recommend to friends and family..

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.