Aerial view of a tropical golf course with palm trees and the sea at sunrise

Golf in Hawaii: Oahu

The island with the most courses and the shortest drives.

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Golf in Hawaii, Oahu Style: More Courses, Shorter Drives

If you want golf in Hawaii without building the whole trip around it, Oahu is the easy answer. For golf in Hawaii, Oahu also has the most hotel choice near the tees. The island has more courses than any other, from busy city-run layouts minutes from Waikiki to resort courses on the west side and the North Shore. You can play in the morning and be at a museum, a beach or Pearl Harbor by the afternoon.

The trade-off is traffic. Honolulu’s rush hours can turn a short drive into a long one, so match tee times to where you are sleeping. A Waikiki base works well for the city courses; a Ko Olina or North Shore base puts resort golf at your door and Honolulu an hour or more away.

Golf in Hawaii, Oahu: fairways, palms and bunkers along the south shore next to a hotel — Oahu’s south shore, where golf, beaches and the city sit side by side.

Notable Oahu Courses by Area

West side: Ko Olina

Ko Olina Golf Club sits in the resort area of the same name, with lagoons and hotels nearby. The west side is sunnier and drier than the windward coast, which helps on a rainy-season trip.

North Shore: Turtle Bay

The Turtle Bay resort area has two courses, the Arnold Palmer Course and the Fazio Course. Expect wind off the ocean and a slower, country pace around you.

Honolulu: city courses

The City and County of Honolulu runs several municipal courses, including Ala Wai Golf Course next to Waikiki. They are popular with residents, so tee times can be hard to get at busy hours.

Private clubs

Waialae Country Club in Kahala hosts the PGA Tour’s January stop in Hawaii but is a private club. Note it for the scenery and the tournament, not as a tee time.

Oahu also has other public and resort courses in Kapolei, Ewa and the central plain; a specialist can match one to your hotel and schedule. We name courses so you can research them, but we do not link to or rank them.

Fitting Golf Into an Oahu Trip

Play early. Morning tee times beat the afternoon wind and heat, and leave the rest of the day free.
Avoid crossing town at rush hour. Book golf on the side of the island where you are staying, or plan the drive outside commuting times.
Pair a round with a nearby sight: a west-side round with a Ko Olina lagoon swim, a North Shore round with Haleiwa town, a Waikiki-area round with a Diamond Head morning.
Mix one resort round with a city course if you want variety without long drives.

For Oahu beaches, food and sights beyond golf, see Oahu Planner and Best of Honolulu. Golfers coming by ship can find Honolulu port logistics on Cruise Honolulu.

Oahu Golf Questions

Is golf in Hawaii, Oahu style, good for a first trip?

Yes. Oahu is the simplest island for a first Hawaii golf trip because there are many courses, plenty of hotels at every level and a lot to do on non-golf days. Use morning tee times and stay close to the courses you plan to play.

Can visitors play the Honolulu municipal courses?

The city courses are open to the public, but they are busy with local players. Check the city’s current rules for reservations before you count on a specific time, or ask your travel specialist to plan around them.

Plan Golf on Oahu

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