Makalei Golf Club

This place has great possibilities but they have let it go as far as maintanence and the storage containers and trailer for a club house is oretty bad.

There are some spectacular views and some really fun holes but a lot of the greens were infested with other than grass stuff growing. Other greens were nice nut inconsistent. It is a large piece of property with miles of cart path that wonder from hole to tee for hundreds of yards with some really steep hills.

If I get back to this island I will look elsewhere to play

The tee boxes were temporary and not in good shape. and fairways were at hes of grass and dirt.

The people working here made our experience very enjoyable.

They even brought extra balls out to us ——

Couldn’t ask for nicer treatment at a golf course.

Played this course several years ago and enjoyed it so wanted to play again on this trip. Carts were old, in bad shape and barely ran. Fairways were in terrible shape without any grass just weeds that weren’t mowed. The rough was so long that it was unplayable and was a lost ball. And the back nine was even worse! Traversing the course was a maze! It was a 10 minute cart ride from the parking lot to the 1st tee with minimal signage to get you there. Getting between holes was even worse with cart paths that crisscrossed each other and finding your way back to your car was an adventure! The only positive was the greens were in fairly good condition. Overall: Rate to play was not worth the Deal Time cost that we paid. I understand that this course recently reopened but in its present condition it should have stayed closed until it was in playable shape!

You have to experience it to appreciate it…wonderful course, amazing flora and fauna —and super nice, helpful staff! My favorite in Kona. Godspeed

The course boasts stunning views, but it's clear that some maintenance is overdue. While the greens were decent, the fairways and tee boxes left much to be desired. Having played here twice before, we're hesitant to return just yet. However, there's hope on the horizon, as improvements are underway. If they can elevate the course conditions, it could be worth a revisit. The layout is fun and challenging, and with better upkeep, it could be a great experience.

This is a one-of-a-kind experience. Playing golf in a rainforest setting is sensational. Do not expect manicured fairways or fast greens like in a resort course. Considering that, the course is a hilly rainforest course, and the conditions were excellent. Stunning views, great environment interesting layout. The fairways are relatively well-kept; the first cut was short and maintained. The greens were very soft as a result of the tons of moisture that the course receives. As a backside of that, greens are slower than usual but very well maintained. The only negative was that on some of the tee boxes, the grass was long, and one needed a longer-than-usual tee for a drive shot. Amenities are basic right now, but they are building a new clubhouse. It will add a great deal to the experience. Highly recommended for the experience.

The best thing about this course was to pace of play. Unfortunately, everything else about the course was not that great. The course was in i Terrible condition to say it mildly. If your ball wasn’t on the fairway, it’ near impossible to find.

Unless there’s some amazing deal, I probably will not play the course again

Front 9 was in terrible condition. Once off the fairway good luck in finding your ball. Would not play this course again.

This is a mountainside course in the jungle super beautiful with peacocks everywhere and they were calling out most of the day which was really cool. Everything is lush and green and you travel over 8 miles by cart throughout the course. The first hole is about 10 minutes away or so along with the driving range up mountain. The driving range is very rough and not ideal. The practice balls were all dirty, but it was fine to get a couple of warm-up swings. You drive downhill so most of your drives seem very far. Several straight up fairways can make it difficult lots of Undulations and off camber fairways. If you don’t hit your ball on the fairway 85 to 90% of the time it’s gonna be lost as the first cut is still very deep, even balls that were hit super well even a foot off of the fairway you may not find it. that was the only frustrating part, I had great shots that should’ve been really easy to find my ball, but I found myself hunting around a lot. Wild pigs have rutted up the sides of the fairways on many holes and the greens were OK but many people don’t fix their ball marks. You get all weather on this course I had sun, humidity, and heavy rainy mist, so it adds to the challenge, but I was OK with it and just adjusted. Bringing extra balls is a must for this course unless you are super accurate every time. I think if they widened the second cut and trimmed that down by 6 to 8 feet on each side, it would be a much better course to play. Regardless, I am glad I played the course. I got it on a hot deal for $60 but not sure I would come back and play again due to how difficult it is to find your ball even a foot or two off the fairway. The bunkers need a lot of work as well. It is a very laid-back course and I had it all to myself, which was really cool.

Makalei is a very steep mountain course. If you miss the fairway your ball is most likely lost, because the rough is quite long and shaggy. There are plenty of peacocks pheasants and other birds to see along with some beautiful mountain and ocean views.

Hope this course remains hidden so that I can continue to play 31/2 hour golf!