Every January, Hawai'i hosts the first two tournaments of the PGA Tour: the SBS Championship, limited to golfers who won a tournament on the Tour during the previous season; and the Sony Open, the first full-field event on the Tour schedule. While the SBS Championship is held on Maui, the Sony Open takes place at the Waialae Country Club in Honolulu. These two Tour events exemplify the year-round golfing climate in the state of Hawai'i: 80-degree weather, emerald green fairways, and cool trade winds.
An area where sunshine and fair weather are typical yields an exceptional golfing destination, and O'ahu has no shortage of courses that cater to visitors—American, Japanese, and otherwise—who come seeking recreation as well as relaxation. Although the Waialae Country Club is a private course, there is a public course only a few minutes' walk from famous Waikīkī. Gazing across the meandering Ala Wai Canal, you can perceive a constant stream of golfers enjoying the Ala Wai Golf Course, an 18-hole, par 70 course in close proximity to the hotels, restaurants, and sparkling beaches for which Waikīkī is renowned.
If you wish to travel further afield, more than 20 public or semi-private courses are available on O'ahu.
Golf Resources
- Public and Semi-Private Courses:
- • Coral Creek Golf Course: www.coralcreekgolfhawaii.com
- • Hawai'i Kai Golf Course: www.hawaiikaigolf.com
- • Ko'olau Golf Course: www.koolaugolfclub.com
- • Royal Kunia Country Club: www.royalkuniacc.com
- • Turtle Bay Golf: www.golffusion.com/turtlebaygolf
- • Waikele Country Club: www.golfwaikele.com
- Municipal Golf Courses:
- • Ala Wai Golf Course: www.co.honolulu.hi.us/des/golf/alawai.htm
- • Ewa Villages Golf Course: www.co.honolulu.hi.us/des/golf/ewa.htm
- • Pali Golf Course: www.co.honolulu.hi.us/des/golf/pali.htm
- • Ted Makalena Golf Course: www.co.honolulu.hi.us/des/golf/makalena.htm
- • West Loch Golf Course: www.co.honolulu.hi.us/des/golf/westloch.htm
- Golfing Organizations:
- • Aloha Section PGA Foundation, which is affiliated with the PGA and counts among its members teachers, professionals, business managers, and players: www.aloha.pga.com
- • City and County of Honolulu Department of Parks and Recreation, Golf Course Division, which provides information relating to the municipal golf courses and a tee time reservation service: www.co.honolulu.hi.us/des/golf/index.htm
- • Hawai'i State Golf Association, which organizes various tournaments in the state and seeks to provide accurate handicapping scores for golfers in Hawai'i: www.hawaiistategolf.org
- Golfing Events:
- • Sony Open: www.sonyopeninhawaii.com
