Kauai is the most scenically dramatic of Hawaii's golf islands, and the Princeville Makai Golf Club is the reason to book it. Golf Digest's top 73 public course in the US, it sits on bluffs overlooking Hanalei Bay with six oceanfront holes, the par-3 seventh playing from a cliff edge above crashing waves, and the kind of views that make players back off their pre-shot routines. Poipu Bay on the south shore matches it for PGA pedigree: the RTJ Jr. design hosted the Grand Slam for 13 years, and the par-4 16th playing along the cliffs above Shipwreck Beach is one of Hawaii's best two-shot holes. At $295 (Poipu Bay) and $375 (Makai), both are priced below Maui's comparable courses.
Courses included
The trip experience
Kauai is the most scenically extreme of Hawaii's golf islands, which is both its selling point and its constraint. The course list is short — five courses worth playing — but two of them are among the best resort rounds in the Pacific: Princeville Makai on the north shore and Poipu Bay on the south. The trip works because the island is small enough to drive between them in 50 minutes on the Kuhio Highway, and the variation between north shore (lush, dramatic, sometimes rainy) and south shore (drier, sunnier, consistently playable) gives a five-day trip genuine contrast.
Princeville Makai Golf Club is the marquee round. Designed by Robert Trent Jones Jr. and renovated by his firm in 2010, it sits on bluffs above Hanalei Bay with six oceanfront holes and green sites that require a plan before you commit to a shot. The par-3 7th plays from a cliff edge above crashing waves to a green more than a hundred feet below. The 14th and 15th have unobstructed Hanalei Bay views on approach. Golf Digest ranks it the 73rd greatest public course in the US, which puts it in company that goes well beyond regional Hawaii rankings.
"The par-3 seventh at Princeville Makai plays from a cliff edge above crashing waves — Golf Digest's 73rd greatest public course in America."
Poipu Bay, the Robert Trent Jones Jr. design on the south shore, has a different character: drier, more open, and carrying the PGA Grand Slam pedigree of 13 consecutive years as host. The par-4 16th along the cliffs above Shipwreck Beach is one of Hawaii's best two-shot holes. Tiger Woods won seven of those Grand Slams at Poipu Bay. At $163–$295 depending on tee time and season, it is meaningfully less expensive than Makai and provides a strong second anchor.
The Ocean Course at Hokuala, Jack Nicklaus's design on the south shore, rounds out the main courses. Built through lava fields along the Nawiliwili coast, it offers a more inland and technical character than the two principal courses and adds genuine variety to a five-day trip.
"Tiger Woods won seven PGA Grand Slams at Poipu Bay — and the par-4 16th along Shipwreck Beach is one of Hawaii's best two-shot holes."
The drive between north and south shore takes 50 minutes and passes through the heart of the island on the Kuhio Highway. Groups who anchor entirely on one shore lose the best course on the other. A five-night trip with two nights in Princeville and three in Poipu (or vice versa) covers both without rushing. Fly into Lihue (LIH) on the south shore; a rental car is mandatory.
Rest days have real options. The Na Pali Coast by boat or helicopter is one of the most dramatic coastlines in the Pacific and best experienced from the water. Waimea Canyon, a 90-minute drive from the north shore, earns its reputation. Hanalei Bay itself — the crescent beach, the pier, the old-town feel of the village — is reason enough to spend an afternoon doing nothing in particular. Book Makai at least 30 days out for resort guests.
Side trips & bonus golf
Kauai's non-golf activity list is the strongest of any Hawaiian island for groups who mix golf with adventure. The Kalalau Trail on the Na Pali Coast (11 miles each way from the Haena State Park trailhead) is one of the most dramatic hiking trails in the US. You do not need to complete it to see the Na Pali: even the first two miles to Hanakapiai Beach delivers the cliffs and ocean scenery that makes the trail famous. Start at 7am before the permit-required crowds arrive.
Helicopter tours over the Na Pali and the Waimea Canyon fly from both Lihue and Princeville and cover ground that is inaccessible by road. Blue Hawaiian and Safari Helicopters both run 45-60 minute tours that cover the full island. Worth doing once, particularly for groups who want the aerial view of the golf courses they played from the ground.
Waimea Canyon, 45 minutes west of Poipu, is nicknamed the Grand Canyon of the Pacific with some legitimacy: the 14-mile canyon drops 3,600 feet and the lookout points are genuinely impressive. Pair it with the Kokee State Park trails above the canyon for a full day trip from the south shore.
Hanalei Bay on the north shore is the closest thing to a town center that Kauai's north shore offers: a crescent of beach backed by waterfall-draped mountains, with a cluster of shops and restaurants at the Hanalei end. The drive from Princeville is five minutes. Eating House 1849 in Koloa (south shore) and Merriman's Kauai in Poipu both have strong local reputations and reservation windows that should be booked well in advance.
Is this trip right for your group?
- ✓Book this trip if Princeville Makai Golf Club (Golf Digest top 73 public, cliffside par-3 seventh above Hanalei Bay) is a course you have been planning to play
- ✓Book this trip if Poipu Bay's PGA Grand Slam history and the par-4 16th above Shipwreck Beach is the kind of tournament-pedigree golf you are drawn to
- ✓Book this trip if a 5-7 day trip covering both the north shore and south shore of the same island sounds like the right format
- ✓Book this trip if your group wants a Hawaii golf trip that feels less crowded and more remote than Maui or the Big Island's Kohala Coast
- ✓Book this trip if you want the Na Pali Coast, Waimea Canyon, and Hanalei Bay as your non-golf days rather than standard resort pool time
- ✓Book this trip if the $295 (Poipu Bay) and $375 (Makai) price point appeals as a step down from Maui's Plantation Course fees without sacrificing scenery
- ✗Skip this trip if you need more than five distinct courses; Kauai has exactly five worth playing and little runway beyond them
- ✗Skip this trip if North Shore weather (Princeville averages 80-plus inches of rain per year) is a concern for your group; the south shore averages 30 inches, but Princeville plays in genuine jungle conditions that can affect a round
- ✗Skip this trip if you are expecting lush, perfectly manicured resort golf on every hole; Kauai's natural rain and drainage challenges mean some courses carry more wet-weather wear than Maui or the Big Island
- ✗Skip this trip if you need easy access to nightlife or an urban dining scene; Kauai is deliberately underdeveloped compared to Maui or Oahu
- ✗Skip this trip if nonstop flight access is a priority from most US cities; Lihue Airport (LIH) serves fewer nonstop routes than Honolulu or Kahului
When to go
- December through March: ideal south shore conditions at Poipu Bay; full resort operations at the Grand Hyatt; Princeville weather more variable but manageable
- Princeville Makai in best conditioning after its annual renovation period; peak season sees the firmest, fastest greens of the year
- Lihue Airport nonstop flights fill fast for the Christmas and New Year's window; book flights 6 months ahead if traveling December 20 through January 5
- Ocean swells on the north shore in winter create spectacular scenery from Makai's cliff holes; wind can add 15-20 yards of club effect on the par-3 seventh
- April, May, October, and November offer the best balance of weather reliability and softer resort pricing
- Spring shoulder (April-May) is particularly strong: Princeville dries out slightly, Poipu stays reliable, and resort crowds thin considerably after spring break
- Fall shoulder (October-November) sees occasional north shore rain systems but nothing that consistently disrupts a week of golf
- Resort rates at the Grand Hyatt and 1 Hotel drop 20-30% in shoulder compared to peak, making the north-south split strategy more budget-friendly
- June through August: Poipu Bay's south shore is at its driest and sunniest; Princeville summer mornings can be clearer than winter
- Poipu Bay green fees remain at $295 (before 12pm) year-round; summer offers the most consistent south shore weather to maximize those rates
- Lihue Airport rental car inventory is still tight in summer family travel season; book as far ahead as possible
- North shore summer trade winds can be gusty in the afternoon; morning Makai rounds (7-9am) are the right call for conditions and scenery
What a Kauai trip costs
| Item | Peak | Shoulder | Off-Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tee fees (3-4 rounds) | $900–$1,200 | $650–$950 | $500–$750 |
| Lodging (5 nights) | $1,500–$2,500 | $1,000–$1,800 | $750–$1,400 |
| Food & drink | $500–$750 | $400–$600 | $300–$500 |
| Rental car (5 days) | $400–$600 | $300–$500 | $200–$400 |
| Total (est.) | $3,300–$5,050 | $2,350–$3,850 | $1,750–$3,050 |
| Item | Peak |
|---|---|
| Tee fees (3-4 rounds) | $900–$1,200 |
| Lodging (5 nights) | $1,500–$2,500 |
| Food & drink | $500–$750 |
| Rental car (5 days) | $400–$600 |
| Total (est.) | $3,300–$5,050 |
Per-person estimates for a 3-4 round, 5-night trip split between north and south shore. Excludes flights. Rental car is essential; no public transit connects the corridors. All-in: $3,200–$4,950 peak, $2,050–$3,850 shoulder.
How tee times and lodging actually work
- 1Save Princeville Makai for the last daythe highest-ranked course on the island plays best when you understand Kauai's conditions and wind patterns from earlier rounds. It is the climax round, not the warm-up.
- 2Book Makai tee times at 30 days for standard accessthe Albatross Pass (3 rounds for $725 total, or $241 per round) is the best value option for golfers staying near Princeville for multiple days.
- 3Plan for trade winds at Poipu BayRTJ Jr. designed the holes to rotate wind exposure deliberately, with six holes into the wind, six downwind, and six with crosswinds. Club selection is the skill test here; ask the starter for the day's wind forecast.
- 4Account for Kauai's rain patterns by course locationPrinceville gets 80-plus inches annually; Poipu averages 30 inches. Schedule Makai rounds early in the day before afternoon cloud buildup on the north shore.
- 5Wailua Municipal is worth playing onceat around $50, it is historically significant (hosted multiple USGA events) and rates are among Hawaii's best public-course values. Add it as a filler round between premium days.
- 6Drive time from Poipu to Princeville is about 75 minutes in light trafficplan the north shore day with a midday or late-morning tee time to avoid the early-morning drive in the dark.
Common mistakes
- !Underestimating north shore rain at PrincevilleMakai plays in legitimate jungle conditions when the weather turns. Groups who schedule three consecutive north shore days risk frustrating conditions; build in a south shore day between Makai rounds.
- !Missing the split-shore strategystaying only in Poipu means a 75-minute drive to Makai; staying only in Princeville means the same drive to Poipu Bay. The best 7-day Kauai golf trip splits 3-4 nights on the south shore and 3-4 nights on the north shore.
- !Overlooking the Albatross Pass at Makaithe three-round package at $725 versus $375 per round individual pricing is a significant saving for golfers planning multiple Makai rounds.
- !Not booking Eating House 1849 and Merriman's in advanceboth open reservations 90 days ahead and fill quickly. Walk-in availability at peak dinner times is minimal.
- !Renting a car and then discovering Kauai's one-road realitythe coastal highway (Route 56) cannot be driven end-to-end; the Na Pali Coast blocks the north shore connection to the south. All north-to-south driving goes through the interior. Account for this in day-trip planning.
What to pack
Sample itinerary
- Day 1Arrive (LIH) + Poipu BayFly into Lihue (LIH) on the south shore. Poipu Bay is 30 minutes south — the right arrival-day round while you are fresh. The par-4 16th along Shipwreck Beach is the hole you'll talk about.
- Day 2Ocean Course at HokualaSecond south-shore round through lava fields. More technical and inland than Poipu Bay, with a different character that gives the south shore two distinct rounds.
- Day 3Drive north + Princeville Makai50-minute drive on the Kuhio Highway to Princeville. The views change completely once you cross the mountain ridge. Book morning prime time for the 7th-hole cliff tee shot.
- Day 4Hanalei Bay + Na Pali CoastRest day on the north shore. Hanalei Bay beach, Hanalei town, and a Na Pali Coast boat tour — the most dramatic coastline in the Pacific.
- Day 5Depart (LIH)Drive back south to Lihue (50 minutes). Add a Puakea Golf Course morning round before a midday or afternoon LIH departure.
Where to stay & eat
Know before you book.
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