1 Hotel Hanalei Bay (Kauai)

I purchased the 3-day package which provided great value and played 6/15, 6/17,&6/18. The greens had recently been aerated(barely noticeable) which is the only reason for the 4/5. The staff was awesome and super accommodating from the pro shop staff to the starters. They really went out of their way to ensure that my group was having the best time possible. The pictures on the site are great but do no justice to seeing it person, absolutely breathtaking. From breathtaking views, to great imaginative golf holes, to all types of birds throughout the course, to finishing off the round with a cool cucumber water soaked towel everything was top notch. Bottom line is if you are in Kauai and are looking to play golf go see Dave at Makai you won't regret it.

This is my favorite course that I have played in Hawaii, and ranks among my most favorite rounds played anywhere.

I was sent out on the back nine first to avoid an outing that was taking place, so the course unfolded differently for me.

The spectacular scenic value of the ocean holes at Makai will give you pause. As will the shot value on these holes. To me, these holes are a poor man’s Cypress Point. The view you get playing the approach into the par-4 12th hole sets the stage. The par-3 13th hole played 223 yards into the wind toward the ocean. The par-4 14th is one of the finest designed short 4s you will find, playing around the barranca and ocean cliffs to a fairway littered with bunkers.

My back nine, or the course’s front, is marked by the par-3 third that plays 2-3 clubs downhill and downwind across a hazard. The view from the tee box with Hanalei Bay and the mist-shrouded mountains in the background was fantastic. The short par-4 fourth that plays up the hill offers another breathtaking view from behind its’ green. The sixth and seventh holes offer similar postcard-worthy views to the three-hole stretch on the inward nine.

The course plays a bit wet just because of its proximity on the island. The north shore gets a lot of rain, so mud balls were prevalent, although the fairways were not soggy.

The greens were still recovering from recent aeration, so the pro shop took $25 off the rate to accommodate for this. I found the greens to be excellent, with only 2 or 3 showing the signs of the aeration.

This course isn’t necessarily that exacting off the tee, but it demands that you hit precise iron shots. Often times there is no margin for error, particularly to the approaches on the short 4s, where pins were tucked behind bunkers. The par 3s require deft clubbing.

The staff was very helpful and accommodating.

In summary, Makai, is big on scenic and shot value and you will be sorry if you don’t include it on any trip to Kaua’i. It is one of the course’s where it is hard to narrow down the six pictures you want to include on the GA review because there are so many good ones to choose from.

Beautiful course with breathtaking views. We got rained out after 16 holes but worth it anyway. I would play again in better weather. Hard course but keeps your interest.

This is one of the most beautiful settings for golf you will see. Kauai and Hanalei Bay are stunning. The course makes great use of the setting, with holes at the bay with the mountains in the background and right at the ocean cliffs. The course is fun to play- great condition, tricky greens that can punish bad shots, nice variety and fairway movement. Many holes can be played multiple ways. The course is not walkable due to long treks between greens to tees, but otherwise the layout varies nicely through different parts of the property. Just a great experience.

This course had a great layout, great views, great playability but challenging

The pro, Tom and rest of staff were extremely accommodating to my schedule and helpful

I would recommend playing if in the area

With The Prince closed, this is the best course on Kaua'i. The paspalum greens and fairways are in perfect shape. Layout lots of fun. Several dramatic mountain and ocean views.

Only negative was they only had three motor boards in operation , so none was available for us.

The knowledgeable Expedia concierge at the Courtyard Kauai Resort made our tee times. The sense of arrival at Makai Golf Club is exceptional. The course has holes surrounding the road and they give a hint of what to expect. Checking in, the pro shop staff was professional, kind, and enthusiastic. Doug serves a special mention. The starter was very thorough in giving us tips for the greens and the wind. Practice areas are top notch. The course plays shorter than you would think it would. We had wind but no clouds. 12 great holes, 5 almost great, and only one short par 4 that was kind of quirky. This is a Robert Trent Jones Jr course, so that means bunkers. A lot of them. The course is currently ranked #3 in Hawaii. Should be #1. Golf Digest ranks it as Top 100 you can play. Do it.

It's too bad this golf course is thousands of miles from me. Otherwise, I'd play it with regularity. It's that good, and I'd never get bored. Every hole is unique and memorable, and the ocean comes into view on half the holes. Outstanding conditions don't hurt either. I love the ocean holes, but also in the inward holes. In fact, 17 and 18 are one of the best finishing holes in all of golf. Easily, the Makai is in the top 20 golf courses I've ever played, and I've played around a thousand courses.

Nice course. Good condiontions. Just wish you saw the ocean more.

Played with wife, son (6 handicap), and his wife. Course conditions excellent, great course for our range of expertise, as advertised, some killer views. No one behind us so we spent 1/2 hour watching the whales about 3/4 miles offshore.

Have to mention the level of service. Way over the top. Clubhouse staff, cart guys, starter, all with exuberant personalities, fell all over themselves to make us feel welcome and appreciated.

Marshall Rick cannot be topped. As often as I have played golf, from muni's to 5 star resorts, never met a more concerned, accomodating, human beaing of a Marshall than Rick. Hats off, the bar has been raised.

The Makai Course, especially after a facelift four years ago, remains one of my all-time favorites. With ocean views on more than half the holes, great turf conditions and inland holes that rival some of the ocean holes, this is an enjoyable experience from start to finish. Truly, this is a course that Robert Trent Jones did right more than 40 years ago and had the chance to make his own improvements on it after designed scores of other courses in between. If you get to Kauai, this is a must-play, even moreso than the Prince Course, which is shutting down and turning private.

Makai has great warm up facilities. We went on a day that was looking to be OK but the north shore of Kauai had decided that Makai needed a bath, of course this meant we had no traffic! The first nine it rained hard and sideways, second nine it cleared up but there was still a fair bit of water around. Having said that still managed to post an OK score. Fairways and greens were in good shape. The course is great and some holes with amazing views of the ocean. Carts have tablets with hole details and GPS which is great as you can set them up for yards or metres. Pro shop was fine and club service was top notch.

Nice golf course. Some spectacular views. Pace of play was slow. Course permitted a guy wearing swim trunks and a camp shirt to play in front of us. Then, did nothing to move them along.

I don't dole out five stars for an overall course rating easily, but the Makai Golf Club at Princeville deserves it.
Since a multi-million dollar renovation finished in 2010, this Robert Trent Jones Jr. course no longer lives in the shadow of the Prince course at Princeville, long considered Kauai's top course.
Makai, ranked no. 80 on Golf Digest's list of "America's 100 Greatest Public Courses" in 2013-14, has a crisp, clean look thanks to new grass and new white Silica sand in all the bunkers. It's resort-friendly, yet still stocked with some challenging holes.
The beautiful new Seashore paspalum that now covers the fairways, greens and tees is well groomed by Troon Golf, which manages the club.
Makai translates in Hawaiian to "ocean." Five superb holes (nos. 6, 7, 12, 13 and 14) dance along the clifftops near the Pacific Ocean. You might end up replaying them over and over again in your dreams.

When I think Hawaii golf, my mind first turns to the Makai. Though minutes from the Prince, Makai is a little more resort-friendly but delivers some of the best oceanfront holes in Hawaii. What's also cool is that each nine has oceanfront holes. The recent renovation gives the course some of the best playing conditions on Kauai too. Coupled with a stay at the St. Regis Princeville, it doesn't get much better on the islands.

Place is awesome. Great rate on Golf Now, $125 at 11am. $35 extra for the wife to ride along. Well worth the money. The ocean views are fantastic. Hard to focus on your shots at times. Had a rough start but tore up the back for a 77! Greens rolled nice, not too fast but not slow like other tracks on Kauai. (Puakea, pass on this one) Both tracks at Princeville are a must play! To save some cash, try the Muni near the Airport. Aloha!

Diverse course layout. Difficult par 3s from the black tees. Fairly wide fairways, but tighter areas near most greens. A few 'all or nothing' shots at about half of the par threes and one third of the par fours (either over ponds at the front edge of the green or over cliffs that are 100 feet deep or more!) Easy, of course, when you know where and how far your ball is going!

I got a great deal from golf now to play this course and I must say I was in golf heaven. The course was pristine, the views were amazing, and the staff was extremely friendly. The overall feel was relaxed and low pressure... making it well worth the green fee. I liked it so much that I booked another round for 3 days later.

We enjoyed the course and felt the staff were extremely friendly and accomodating. The trade winds made this a very challenging course from the blue tees!

This course totally lived up to the hype. Through golfnow we got an extremely reasonable rate, which always influences your experience positively, and got a tee time around 11am. Aesthetically, the course is great and the conditions are the same. As we played in to the afternoon the greens really slowed down which I found challenging, mainly because I have so little experience putting on greens with so much grain. I preferred the front nine design. Besides holes 14 and 18, the back nine just mirrors the front. Just less impressive. Don't bother looking for your ball if its near a residence on the course, we were prematurely warned not to get anywhere near their property. Great course and even better staff.