Princeville Makai - Review
Princeville Makai is a visually stunning course on Kauai — six oceanfront holes, dramatic cliffside par 3s, and a Robert Trent Jones Jr. renovation that turned a good course into a great one.
Hole #3 - one of the best mountain-view tee shots in Hawaii
Princeville Makai Golf Course Review: A 9.2 and a Beautiful Round on Kauai
If Poipu Bay is the course with the best finishing stretch on Kauai, Princeville Makai is the course that spreads its beauty across the entire round. Six holes sit right on the ocean. The mountain views behind you are the kind that make the North Shore famous. And the par 3s — specifically the 3rd and the 7th — are two of the most photogenic holes in all of Hawaii.
I gave Princeville Makai a 9.2 out of 10. It's the second-best course on Kauai.
The course: a renovation that changed everything
The original Princeville Makai was designed by Robert Trent Jones Jr. in 1971 — his very first solo design. It was good, but it lived in the shadow of the Prince Course next door, which was the more famous and more difficult layout. For years, Makai was treated as the "second" course at Princeville.
Then in 2009, Jones came back and spent 16 months renovating the entire thing. He combined the old Ocean and Lakes nines into a single 18-hole championship course, introduced seashore paspalum turf on all fairways and greens, reconfigured the green complexes, and completely reshaped every bunker on the property. The result was a course that shed the "ugly step sister" label entirely and now stands on its own as one of the finest tracks in Hawaii.
The course plays to par 72 at 7,223 yards from the tips, with six different tee boxes making it accessible to every skill level. The routing is what makes it special — Jones takes you to the ocean cliffs twice, once in the middle of each nine, creating this rhythm of anticipation as you build toward each coastal stretch and then retreat inland before heading back out again.
The front nine: ocean views from the start
Unlike Poipu Bay, which makes you wait until the back nine for the dramatic stuff, Makai gets going early.
The opening two holes are solid warmups — well-bunkered and pleasant — and then the 3rd hole hits you. It's a short, downhill par 3 with views of Hanalei Bay and Bali Hai rising in the background. The green is tucked between a lake on the right and bunkers and jungle everywhere else. It's visually breathtaking and strategically demanding at the same time. You'll stand on that tee box for an extra minute, just taking it in.
The 4th is a tight uphill par 4 that gets your attention — heavy jungle on both sides means your drive has to be precise. Then you head toward the ocean for the stretch from the 6th through the 8th.
The 6th is a 431-yard par 4 that plays directly toward the rocky North Shore cliff edges with the ocean as a backdrop. The green feels like it drops off into the Pacific. The 7th is the signature hole — a 213-yard par 3 that plays over an actual ocean cove to a green surrounded by brilliant white bunkers. The walls of the cove are covered in thick tropical foliage all the way down to the lava rock below. When the trade winds are blowing into you, this hole is as difficult as it is beautiful. It's the kind of hole that makes you grateful you brought a camera and nervous you only brought one sleeve of balls.
Together, the 3rd and 7th are as pretty a pair of par 3s as you'll find on any front nine anywhere.
The back nine: cliffs, strategy, and a finish that demands respect
The back nine starts inland with a few parkland-style holes that feature hidden water hazards and tight driving corridors. The 10th has a lake on the left that you can't see from the tee — local knowledge helps here. The 11th is a reachable par 5 with bunkers that punish anything offline.
Then you head back to the ocean for the 12th through 14th.
The 12th is a sweeping 450-yard dogleg left that flows downhill toward the sea. The approach shot is one of the best on the course — you're lining up with green grass and white bunkers in the foreground and the Pacific in the background. The 13th is a long par 3 with ocean views and trade winds that make club selection an exercise in faith.
The 14th is the hole I think about when I'm not on Kauai. It's only 338 yards — drivable for big hitters — but the green is perched on the ocean cliff with bunkers angling across the fairway. You can lay up safely to the left and hit a wedge in, or you can take a rip at the green and carry a jungle ravine with the ocean below you. It's the kind of risk-reward hole that makes great courses great. When you pull it off, there's no better feeling in golf.
The closing stretch from 15 through 18 brings you back inland, but it doesn't let up. The 17th is a tough par 4 with a narrow green guarded by water. The 18th is a proper finishing par 5 — your drive has to clear a lake, and the green is completely fronted by water. It forces you to decide whether to go for it or play safe, and it's a satisfying end to a round that never lets you coast.
How I got to a 9.2
Course design and layout: 9.5 out of 10. The routing is exceptional. Jones takes you to the ocean twice on each nine, the variety of hole lengths and shapes keeps you engaged throughout, and the par 3s are world-class. The 2009 renovation elevated this course from good to great. The front nine might actually be better than the front nine at Poipu Bay.
Course conditioning: 9 out of 10. The paspalum greens and fairways are excellent. The bunkers are bright white and well maintained. The renovation brought everything up to a premium standard. It's a touch below Poipu Bay's conditioning, but only barely.
Scenery and setting: 10 out of 10. Six oceanfront holes, dramatic cliff edges, views of Hanalei Bay and Bali Hai, lush jungle and mountain backdrops. This is arguably the most beautiful golf course in Hawaii. The North Shore landscape is different from the South Shore — more dramatic, greener, wilder — and the course takes full advantage of it.
Service and amenities: 9 out of 10. The pro shop staff gets consistently excellent reviews for warmth and helpfulness. The carts come equipped with coolers, satellite radio, and bluetooth speakers. The driving range has waterfall views, which is a nice touch. The Makai Grill serves good food after your round. Not quite the full white-glove resort treatment of Poipu Bay, but very solid.
Value: 8.5 out of 10. Green fees run $375 rack rate, with best available rates online and resort discounts potentially lowering it, which is a significant investment. But for a top-ranked course with six ocean holes, immaculate conditioning, and one of the best routings in Hawaii, it delivers on the price. Afternoon rates bring it down. The course also offers a 9-hole Woods Course if you want a more casual (and cheaper) round.
Overall: 9.2 out of 10.
The cons
The biggest knock on Princeville Makai isn't the course — it's the location.
If you're staying in Poipu (which you should be, for weather consistency and access to multiple courses), Makai is a 60-minute drive each way. That's two hours of driving on top of a five-hour round. It's absolutely worth doing once during a trip, but it's not the kind of course you'll pop over to for a casual afternoon round. Plan it as a full-day excursion.
The North Shore also gets more rain than the South Shore. Kauai's north side is greener for a reason — more moisture. You might get lucky with clear skies, or you might play through a passing shower. The course handles rain well (good drainage), but it's a roll of the dice compared to the nearly guaranteed sunshine in Poipu.
The green fees are high, and the course doesn't offer quite the same level of resort-style pampering as Poipu Bay. No chilled towels, no GPS showing pin placements. It's more of a "great golf course with good service" than a "luxury resort experience." However, they do serve you sliced pineapple on the course - a uniquely Hawaii experience.
And while the closing four holes are good, they don't match the drama of Poipu Bay's clifftop finish. Makai's strongest stretch is in the middle of each nine (holes 3-7 and 12-14), whereas the finish is solid but less climactic.
Why it's #2 and not #1
This is a genuine debate, and I'll be transparent about my reasoning.
Poipu Bay gets the top spot because of three things: the PGA Grand Slam history adds a layer of prestige and context that Makai can't match, the finishing stretch at Poipu Bay (15-18) is the single best four-hole run on the island, and the resort experience at Poipu Bay is a notch above.
But Makai's strengths are real. The ocean holes are spread more evenly throughout the round instead of being back-loaded. The par 3s are better. The variety of hole shapes and strategies is arguably superior. And the North Shore setting is more dramatic and wild than the manicured South Shore.
The bottom line
Princeville Makai is a visually stunning golf course on Kauai. The 2009 renovation transformed it from a solid resort course into an elite layout that belongs in any conversation about the best public golf in Hawaii. The ocean holes are jaw-dropping, the par 3s are unforgettable, and the overall routing is masterful.
It's a 60-minute drive from Poipu, but it's a drive you should make at least once during your trip. Book a morning tee time, play 18, grab lunch at the Makai Grill, and then explore the North Shore for the rest of the afternoon. It's worth the full day.
Practical details
Green fees: $375 rack rate, with best available rates online and resort discounts potentially lowering it, for 18 holes depending on season (cart included). Afternoon rates available. A 9-hole Woods Course is also available at a lower rate.
Par / Yardage: Par 72, 7,223 yards from the tips. Six sets of tees for all skill levels.
Course type: Resort, championship, public.
Designer: Robert Trent Jones Jr. (1971, renovated 2009)
Tee times: Book well in advance, especially during winter. Book directly through makaigolf.com or call the pro shop.
Club rentals: Available at the pro shop.
Getting there: 4080 Lei O Papa Road, Princeville. About 60 minutes from Poipu, 45 minutes from the airport. The drive along the North Shore is scenic, so factor in the enjoyment of the trip.
Don't miss: The 7th hole over the ocean cove and the drivable par 4 14th on the cliff edge. Also, show up 30-60 minutes early — the driving range with waterfall views is worth the extra time.
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