Royal Hawaiian was the single most beautiful course I’ve ever played on. I felt like I was on another planet , the jungle was lush and the forest sounds amazing. The path between every hole felt like I was in the Jungle Book.
But it was 18 holes of misery.
I will never play it again. It was just too much and way too hard for me. Lost way too many balls, greens were so difficult and poorly maintained. If I wasn’t trying to hit a ball off a sloped fairway in the front 9, I was battling gale force winds on back 9. I’m simply not good enough to make a run at this course.
Glad I got this off my bucket list but gonna stick to Kapolei and Ko ‘Olina for the rest of my trip!
by jhwyung
19 Comments
Fuck me, mosquitos have to absolutely eat you alive there in the summer time.
This course was tough as hell, and honestly had the worst time golfing there, but it still was breathtaking. For starters, the group in front of us clearly had never golfed and we’re just there to take selfies during the entire round. We passed after two holes, no big deal. Then we catch the next group. Same shit. Not playing, just dicking around so we pass them too.
The hole after we pass them is a par 3, we hit, drive up to the green, park and as I get out of the cart a ball from the group behind lands no more than 3 feet away from me. Didn’t call fore, nothing. Whatever, keep playing.
Get to hole 8 and the guy I was golfing with reveals that he hasn’t written his wedding vows yet and the wedding is tomorrow so he says we will have to cut the round short so he can get back. He was also miserable all day. Between one hole being closed, all the shit from the groups we passed, the groomsmen being insufferable, and being forced to end early, we only played 11 holes.
Between rentals, balls, and the round, I paid $450 USD to play 11 terribly unenjoyable holes of golf. I’ve had some terrible rounds in my life, but this one will never be topped.
Still, the views were unforgettable.
I played there last year. 19 holes, so one is always getting maintained. Felt like we were the only ones there. We had to start on 2 and I overcooked the first two into the water. Third wide right. Up and down for a 7. Blamed the 12 hour flight and then moved on.
I’ll never not upvote Royal Hawaiian. Such an amazing course
Almost need an app to keep track of how many balls you lose here….
Did they have fun and games?
North Berwick, Old course, Bethpage Black, Royal Hawaiian. In that order.
Recommend Ewa Beach 360 as well. Best course on the island for $90. I alternate between koolina and kapolei frequently as well, give it a go!
Great time here
Looks like a course I’d play at 5500 yards and carry nothing longer than a 5 iron. Keep it in play while enjoying the scenery/landscape.
It was in worse shape when I played it a few years ago than these pics show it is now. Fairways had major bare spots. The rough was like 6″-8″ deep velcro and required a wedge to get out of with all your strength, if you were lucky enough to find your ball in it. Back nine greens had just been aerated with big tines and sanded. Even though there was no wind, it was a ridiculously difficult round. Fortunately I was first off the tee early morning solo and didn’t have to wait on anyone.
Incredible one-of-a-kind setting that I am extremely glad I tried once, but I don’t think I’d do it again.
Every time I play it i bring an entire box of ball’s (I’m a 7 HDCP)
Nice to see one of my local courses get some love. This course and Ko’Olau a couple of miles away have a really fascinating history. They were both built in the early 90s with Japanese investment money. Then when the Japanese economy went stale and the dollar significantly rose against the Japanese Yen, both of these jungle courses are sort of stuck in a land of what could’ve been, but never was.
Royal Hawaiian has two distinctly different nines because it was originally envisioned as a 36 hole course and the front line was built by one architect and the back nine by another, hence the distinctly different layout on either side.
I got married there in 2005, overlooking the 9th green. Always a special place.
This is a pretty cool video about the Neighbor course, ko’olau
https://youtu.be/r-GSTZ238B0?si=hv0uM4jgbYiXIPce
Concur. Absolutely beautiful course and so glad I got to play it. I went to Hawaii during Christmas over Covid and had a blast. Everyone was thankful we were there spending money. This course included. I got some pretty great treatment by staff and we’ll take care of. My wife doesn’t golf but was along for the ride. I got to play solo and had no one in front of me for 2 holes and no one behind me for 2 holes. Was an incredible experience. Despite how terrible I played.
Looks like you had some fun and games
What’s your hdcp? I always wonder how good you have to be to have a good time
https://preview.redd.it/f2v7v10d0zig1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=602f6d12b30d4fd1d26e3a40abf86de31f1c49b4
Love it! I am finally good enough to not hate this course. I certainly lose some balls like everyone and I am yet to hit the green on the Par 3 #12 with the no water island green. But overall I survived by giving accuracy a priority over distance and letting the wedges save me. Fewer penalty strokes and lost balls if I traded a 5i approach for a 8i & 56°.
The holes themselves are obviously incredible but when you find yourself taking videos of the drives from green to tee box you know it’s somewhere truly special