Wailua Golf Course - Review
Wailua is the best municipal course in Hawaii — a beachfront layout with championship pedigree, ocean holes that rival courses three times the price, and a $48 green fee that makes it the steal of any Kauai golf trip.
One of many ocean fronting holes: 17th Hole, Par 3 - 173 yards
Wailua Golf Course Review: An 8.1 and the Best $48 You'll Spend on Kauai
Every island has a course that the locals guard like a secret. On Kauai, that course is Wailua.
It's a municipal course run by the County of Kauai. The carts don't have GPS. There's no beverage cart. The clubhouse restaurant is closed. You might get paired with a barefoot local who plays here every weekend and will beat you by ten strokes. And the green fee is $48.
For that $48, you get beachfront holes along the Pacific, a layout that has hosted three USGA Amateur Public Links Championships, nearly 7,000 yards of legitimate championship golf, and the most authentic Hawaiian golf experience on the island. Wailua doesn't try to impress you with resort amenities. It impresses you by being a genuinely excellent golf course at a price that makes the $250 resort courses feel a little embarrassed.
I gave it an 8.1 out of 10. Here's how I got there.
The course: two nines, two personalities
Wailua originally opened as a 9-hole layout designed by Toyo Shirai in the 1930s. The front nine was added in the 1960s to bring it to a full 18. Ironically, the original back nine — the one built nearly a century ago — is the more interesting and challenging half.
The front nine is flat, open, and runs through a coconut palm-lined coastal plain. It starts with a bang: the 1st hole is a par 5 that doglegs right along the beach, with the Pacific Ocean running the entire right side. You can hear the waves crashing from the tee box, and on a big day, you'll feel the salt spray on your face. The 2nd is a long par 4 that continues along the coast, with the green sitting at the water's edge. These opening two holes set a tone that most resort courses would kill for — and you haven't spent more than $48 to be here.
The rest of the front nine settles into a pleasant but less dramatic rhythm. Wide fairways, scattered palms, a few water hazards, and greens that are well-protected by deep, high-lipped bunkers. The front nine plays shorter and easier than the back, and it serves as a solid warm-up for what's coming.
The back nine is where Wailua earns its reputation. The routing climbs into wooded, hilly terrain with real elevation changes, tighter corridors, and more demanding shot-making. The trees close in, the wind drops slightly, and the character of the course shifts from beachside links to inland parkland. The green complexes become more interesting — more undulation, more contour, more ways to three-putt if you're not reading the grain correctly.
The 10th through 14th is a strong run of holes that will test every part of your game. Then the course saves one more ocean moment for the 17th.
The 17th: the hole that makes Wailua famous
The 17th is a par 3 with the Pacific Ocean as its backdrop. The green is wide and open, but pins tucked to the right are protected by bunkers with the beach just beyond them. The trade winds usually push from left to right, which means anything that misses right is on the beach or worse. It's not the most dramatic par 3 on Kauai — that belongs to the 7th at Princeville Makai or the 14th at Hokuala — but it's the most photogenic hole at this price point anywhere in Hawaii.
Standing on the 17th tee at Wailua, ocean breeze in your face, waves breaking behind the green, and realizing you paid $48 for this — that's the moment you understand why locals love this course.
Championship pedigree at municipal prices
Here's what separates Wailua from being "just a muni": this course has hosted three USGA Amateur Public Links Championships. That's a national championship on a county-run golf course. The USGA doesn't bring their events to courses that aren't up to the standard, which tells you everything about the quality of the layout and the bones of the design.
At nearly 7,000 yards from the back tees, Wailua plays long — and it plays even longer than the yardage suggests because of the constant trade winds and the elevated, well-protected greens. The front nine's high-lipped bunkers reject anything that rolls in short, forcing you to carry the ball to the putting surface. The back nine's elevation changes add another layer of difficulty. This is not an easy course, especially when the wind is up.
For low handicappers, Wailua is a genuine test. For mid and high handicappers, the forward tees make it playable and fun. For everyone, it's a reminder that great golf doesn't have to cost $250.
The local experience
Playing Wailua is the closest you'll get to experiencing Kauai golf the way locals experience it. This is where the island's golfers play their weekend rounds, their Tuesday morning leagues, and their casual after-work nine. You'll see retirees who've played here for 40 years, young kids learning the game, and visitors who stumbled onto the best deal on the island.
The vibe is welcoming but no-frills. The staff is friendly and helpful once you get there, though good luck trying to get them to pick up the phone. Don't expect a greeter at your car or a cold towel at check-in.
The driving range faces the ocean, which is a nice touch for a warmup. Show up early and hit balls with the Pacific as your backdrop — it's one of the small pleasures of playing here.
One important note: weekend mornings fill up fast with locals, so weekday mornings are your best bet as a visitor.
How I got to an 8.1
Course design and layout: 8 out of 10. The back nine is genuinely well-designed, with interesting elevation changes, varied hole shapes, and smart green complexes. The front nine is more straightforward but the beachfront opening holes are memorable. The USGA championship pedigree validates the quality of the routing. It loses points because some of the middle holes on the front nine (4 through 7) don't have the character of the rest.
Course conditioning: 7 out of 10. This is a municipal course that gets heavy daily play. Conditioning is good for a muni — the fairways are playable, the greens roll true (if you can read the grain), and the course handles the constant salt spray impressively. But it's not resort-level. Bunkers can be inconsistent, divots don't always get repaired, and wet conditions after rain can slow things down. You're paying $48 — calibrate your expectations accordingly.
Scenery and setting: 9 out of 10. The beachfront holes are stunning. The mountain views on the back nine are lovely. The coconut palm-lined fairways feel authentically Hawaiian. The 17th with the ocean backdrop is postcard-worthy. For a municipal course, the scenery punches way above its weight.
Service and amenities: 6.5 out of 10. This is where the muni reality shows. The clubhouse restaurant is currently closed. There's no beverage cart. The carts are basic — no GPS, no cooler, no frills. The pro shop is modest. The staff is nice but this isn't a resort experience. Bring your own water, snacks, and sunscreen. Walk-ons are no longer allowed, so book your tee time in advance.
Value: 10 out of 10. At $48 for non-residents, Wailua is the single best value in Hawaii golf. Full stop. You're getting beachfront holes, championship-caliber design, nearly 7,000 yards of real golf, and mountain-to-ocean views for less than the price of a nice dinner in Poipu. If they charged $150, it would still be competitive with the resort courses. At $48, it's absurd. Every golfer visiting Kauai should play here at least once.
Overall: 8.1 out of 10.
The cons
Pace of play can be brutal. Wailua is the most popular course on Kauai for locals, and it gets crowded — especially on weekends. Five-hour rounds are not uncommon. Book a weekday morning tee time to avoid the worst of it.
The amenities are minimal. No restaurant, no beverage cart, basic carts. If you're coming from a resort course experience, the contrast is jarring. Bring everything you need with you.
It's 35 minutes from Poipu. Not a deal-breaker, but it's not a quick trip. Plan it as a morning excursion and explore the east shore afterward — Kapaa town has good lunch spots.
Conditioning isn't consistent. Heavy play plus salt air plus limited county maintenance budgets means the course has its rough days. The greens are usually fine, but fairways and bunkers can be hit or miss.
The grain on the greens will fool you. Bermuda grass greens in Hawaii have strong grain that runs toward the ocean. If you don't account for it, you'll three-putt all day. Ask in the pro shop about the grain direction before you go out.
Why every golfer should play Wailua once
Even if you're staying in Poipu and have Poipu Bay and Kiahuna in your backyard, make the 35-minute drive to Wailua at least once during your trip. It's a different experience from every other course on the island — more authentic, more local, more connected to the real Kauai. The beachfront holes are genuinely special, the back nine has real teeth, and the price makes it possible to play 18 holes of great golf without thinking twice about your vacation budget.
Book a weekday morning tee time, bring your own water and snacks, and embrace the muni vibe. You'll come back talking about the 17th hole and the $48 green fee for years.
Practical details
Green fees: $48 for non-residents, $18 for residents. Cart rental is additional (approximately $20). Walking is free and the course is very walkable.
Par / Yardage: Par 72, 6,981 yards from the tips. Multiple tee boxes available.
Course type: Municipal, public, walkable.
Designer: Toyo Shirai (1930s, expanded to 18 holes in 1961)
Tee times: Reservations are required — no walk-ons. Book through the Kauai County website at kauai.gov or call the pro shop. Weekday mornings are best for visitors.
Club rentals: Available at the pro shop, though selection is limited. Bring your own if possible.
Getting there: 3-5350 Kuhio Highway, Kapaa. On Kauai's east shore, about 35 minutes from Poipu, 15 minutes from the airport.
Don't miss: The opening two holes along the beach, the par 3 17th with the ocean backdrop, and the driving range facing the Pacific. Also, ask the pro shop about grain direction on the greens before you tee off — it'll save you at least three strokes.
Planning a Kauai golf trip? Our 2-bedroom condo at Pili Mai sits on the Kiahuna Golf Course fairway in Poipu — the best home base for playing every course on the island. Wailua is a 35-minute morning drive up the east shore. Check availability →
