Ala Wai Golf Course — Attraction in Honolulu

the Ala Wai Golf Course is a public golf course located in Honolulu, Hawaii, near the famous Waikiki Beach. It’s one of the busiest golf courses in the world, given its location and accessibility. Due to its urban setting and proximity to popular tourist destinations, it attracts a mix of local golfers and visitors. However, please note that details might have changed since then, so consult the most current information for the latest updates.

Features:

Course Layout:The Ala Wai Golf Course typically features an 18-hole, par-70 layout. While it is not known for being overly difficult, the course does offer a variety of challenges, including narrow fairways and water hazards.

Scenery:Given its location, you can expect some scenic views of Honolulu, the mountains, and occasionally the ocean. The course is relatively flat but is surrounded by a variety of tropical trees and plant life.

Accessibility:One of the biggest selling points of Ala Wai is its accessibility. It’s easy to reach from most parts of Honolulu and is particularly convenient for those staying in the Waikiki area.

Facilities:The course generally has basic facilities including a clubhouse, pro shop, and driving range. Lessons are usually available for those looking to improve their game.

Pricing:Being a public course, Ala Wai is generally more affordable than some of the private or resort courses in Hawaii. However, rates can vary, and it may be more expensive for non-residents.

Experience:

Crowds:Because of its popularity and location, the course can be quite busy, especially on weekends and holidays. It’s advisable to book your tee times in advance.

Condition:The course condition can vary. While it’s generally well-maintained, don’t expect the pristine conditions you might find at a high-end resort course.

Pace of Play:Given its busy nature, the pace of play can sometimes be slow, especially during peak hours.

Overall:

The Ala Wai Golf Course offers a convenient and relatively affordable golfing option in Honolulu. While it may not offer the luxury or difficulty of some other courses, its accessibility and the sheer volume of play make it a unique experience, especially for those looking to squeeze in a round while...

The bad:

Ala Wai Golf Course has seen better days. Most of the tee boxes are being re-done, so they are mostly dirt. The fairways are bare in a lot of places, so you may be hitting off hard packed down dirt or mud if it rains. Same th8ng for the rough, a lot of dirt patches and when it raines, may flood or e very muddy.

Greens on the front 9 have a lot of bald spots. These spots are pretty big, and putting through them will throw your line off a lot. Due to the aeration, the bald spots have a lot of sand in them and make them like bunkers on the green. The greens in the back 9 are a little better, they have changed the grass, but some of the greens have two different types of grass and not fully healed.

A lot of the sand traps have sand, but there still are a lot of them that the sand is packed down and very hard.

Be prepared to wait on the Par 3's, we had to wait for 2-3 groups in front of us before we could start the Par 3's.

I play the municipal courses a lot, and this one is in bad shape.

The practice putting green grass is pretty dead, and the surface is very sandy. The speed or consistency of the practice green is not the same as on the course.

The good:

It's a flat course, so walking this is not hard. A lot of people walk and, for the most part, keep up with pace of play.

There is a driving range connected to the course, but it is managed by another organization. Currently, it looks like it is closed for renovations.

There is a local restaurant at the club house called L&L. The food is good and there is inside seating available. They serve local favorite foods, soft drinks, and adult beverages. There are a few TVs to watch sports with...

Great Golf Course right in Waikiki. Surrounded by views of the City and Diamond Head.

Plays pretty short and straight - great for any levels of skill.

Beer is reasonably priced, but not the best food options.

The phone tee time booking system is very annoying to use but it is the only option... they will not take tee times over the phone. You can walk on but its a very busy course so you may wait a while.

I rented clubs from the pro shop, weren't the best quality but they were only $25USD which is reasonable.

The check in process at the course was not good. You had to rent clubs and buy golf balls in the pro shop, then if you wanted to hit golf balls you had to walk over to a separate building and purchase the balls there (the range just had turf mats which had no attachment for tees, so I couldn't warm up with the driver), the you had to go to a separate office to check in and pay for the round and golf cart.

But overall, can't beat the price and location of this course - there are not many options...