West Maui Golf Locations
When it comes to outdoor activities, golfing is a popular attraction for its many golf courses. There are golf courses that are revered over others, especially when the course is challenging to play, both in skill and strength. In addition, they are set in front of an epic backdrop of beautiful blue sky, breezy trade winds over crystal blue waters of the Pacific Ocean, or beautifully manicured landscapes. It is not surprising if you take into consideration that Maui has the perfect weather, impeccably landscaped grounds, the best instructions you can get, and the most magnificent views. These descriptions may also apply to many of the golf courses around the island, but if you are on the west side of Maui, here are a few golf courses you will not want to miss playing. Be sure to check out the Kāʻanapali Golf Courses and the Kapalua Golf Courses. All of these are accessible from Napili Surf Beach Resort, our Napili Bay resort. Condo options can be found here!
Kāʻanapali Golf
Address: 2290 Kaanapali Pkwy, Lahaina, HI 96761
If you have seen pictures of the Kāʻanapali Golf Courses, you will start to understand the sentiment when they say it is an opportunity to immerse yourself in the spirit of Aloha. The warm glow of the sun as it brightens up the sky and the waters below, as a backdrop to the courses. It gets even better once you enter the property, the experience is even more grand as you get swept away with the place that envelopes you. You can choose between the Royal Kāʻanapali Course or the Kāʻanapali Kai.
The Royal Kāʻanapali is one of two golf courses that were designed by Robert Trent Jones Sr. His ingenuity in turning the rolling landscape into a gentle slope to the fairways and creating large contoured greens to challenge the golfers as they approached the holes. This course is a par 71 that hones in on your ability to select the perfect club for your skills and also challenges your skills in putting. Enjoy the shoreline views on this course that will eventually take you to the foothills of the West Maui Mountains. In addition to the course and the overall environment, if you are interested in the history of the place, you will also notice historical plaques on the trees along this course that share the history and the stories that make Ka’anapali so special.
The Kāʻanapali Kai course also shares beautiful views of the Pacific and the West Maui mountains. This is a versatile course that can be enjoyed by seasoned golfers and golfers who want to enjoy a shorter course experience. This course was redesigned by golf architect Robin Nelson and, in 1976, redesigned by architect Arthur Jack Snyder. This course challenges your strategic skills over strength and distance. Along the way, enjoy the natural beauty of the canals, gulches, lava rock edges, and native flowers such as bougainvillea and hibiscus. This course is a 70-par course that is a little more forgiving with its undulating greens.
Kapalua Golf
It is home to two majestic golf courses in the world, The Plantation Course and the Bay Course, both are located in West Maui at the Kapalua Resort along with the Tennis and Pickleball Garden.
Plantation Course
Address: 2000 Plantation Club Dr, Lahaina, HI 96761
Ben Crenshaw and Bill Coore designed the course. It consistently ranks as the number one most popular golf course in Hawaii, which is why it is where the PGA’s Sentry Tournament of Champions is held every year in January. The design of the course creatively utilizes the slopes of the mountains on West Maui and makes the most of the dramatic views of the ocean, from almost every hole on the course. The 18th hole is probably the most challenging. Its aggressive slopes make it feel like the longest drive. If you golf here, you will immediately realize that this is a golfer’s dream course to play. Like most high-end golf courses in Hawaii, you can expect awe-inspiring Pacific Ocean and mountain views. It offers a 7,411-yard, par-73 layout that challenges, along with a spectacular setting, wide fairways, and vast greens.
The Bay Course
Address: 2000 Village Rd, Lahaina, HI 96761
Over the years, the Bay Course, which opened in 1975, has hosted over twenty professional golf tournaments, the most major tournaments in comparison to any of the neighboring island courses. It is where Greg Norman had his first win on American soil! You will find towering palms and hibiscus among the uninterrupted views of the ocean. The course is one that both novice golfers as well as pro golfers would love to play, with its 72-par over the 6,600 yards. This course is also home to the Kapalua Golf Academy, so if you need some help with your golf game, this is the place to go.