Golf in Hawaii: Maui

Three resort areas, each with courses close to the beach hotels.

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Golf in Hawaii, Maui Style: Three Resort Areas

For golf in Hawaii, Maui is the island of resort courses. Its golf is concentrated in three resort areas, each with its own courses, hotels and beaches: Kapalua at the northwest tip, Kaanapali just north of Lahaina, and Wailea on the south shore. Stay in one and you can play several rounds with short drives.

Aerial view of a tropical golf course in a green valley below mountains

Kapalua

Home of the Plantation Course, which has hosted the PGA Tour, and the Bay Course nearer the shoreline. It is the wettest and windiest of the three areas, with big mountain and ocean views.

Sunlit fairway framed by spreading trees with hazy mountains behind

Kaanapali

Two courses run between the beach hotels and the West Maui Mountains. Lahaina, next door, is still rebuilding after the 2023 fire; visit its reopened areas with care and respect.

Palm-lined fairways above the sea in Hawaii

Wailea

Wailea Golf Club lists three courses, the Gold, Emerald and Blue, on the sunny, dry slopes above the south shore beaches. Wailea is often the easiest choice for winter sun.

A Maui Golf Day, Done Well

A typical good day on Maui starts with an early tee time while the air is still, lunch at the clubhouse, and an afternoon at the beach or pool when the wind picks up. Keep sightseeing for non-golf days: the Haleakala summit and the Road to Hana each take most of a day, and both reward an early start. Pack a light layer for the summit, where it is far colder than at the coast.

Choosing Where to Play on Maui

Think about weather first. Maui’s south and west shores sit in the lee of the mountains and are usually sunnier than the windward north coast. Wailea tends to be the driest; Kapalua catches more wind and passing showers, especially in winter.

Then think about your group. Wailea’s beaches are calm and swimmable for much of the year, which suits non-golfers. Kaanapali has a long beach walk and plenty of restaurants. Kapalua is quieter and more secluded.

Driving between Wailea and Kapalua takes a good part of an hour or more, so many golfers split a longer stay between two bases rather than commuting.

Maui is also busy. Kahului Airport is the main arrival point, and the roads from it to both resort areas carry commuter traffic at peak hours, so an early-morning tee time on arrival day is rarely realistic. Plan your first round for the morning after you land, when you are rested and adjusted to the time change.

Low evening sun over a coastal golf course with the ocean beside it — Leeward coasts like Maui’s south shore stay sunny most afternoons.

For the rest of the island — Haleakala sunrise reservations, the Road to Hana, Upcountry farms — use Maui Planner. Snorkel trips and other activities are on Discount Shore Activities.

Maui Golf Questions

Which part of Maui is best for golf?

Wailea suits golfers who want the most sun and calm beaches for the rest of the group. Kapalua suits golfers who want dramatic scenery and do not mind wind. Kaanapali sits in between and has the most restaurants within walking distance.

Is it respectful to visit Lahaina on a golf trip?

Areas of Lahaina have reopened, but the town is still recovering from the 2023 fire. Follow posted closures, support businesses that are open, and avoid treating damaged areas as a sight.

Plan Golf on Maui

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