Hardest Public Golf Courses in Hawaii
The hardest public golf course in Hawaii is Kapalua Golf - Plantation Course in Lahaina, with a slope of 144 and a course rating of 77.0 from the Tournament tees (7,596 yards). It is a resort course that is open to public play. Some resorts hold the best tee times for hotel guests, so call ahead. Next are Mauna Kea Golf Course (slope 141) and Makani Golf Club (slope 140).
5 hardest public courses in Hawaii, by slope
Every course here has had its public access checked against a named source.
| Rank | Course | City | Access | Slope | Course rating | Tee | Yards | Access checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kapalua Golf - Plantation Course | Lahaina | Resort | 144 | 77.0 | Tournament | 7,596 | Nov 2026 source |
| 2 | Mauna Kea Golf Course | Kohala Coast | Resort | 141 | 76.8 | Championship | 7,370 | Nov 2026 source |
| 3 | Makani Golf Club | Kailua-Kona | Public | 140 | 74.4 | Pro | 7,116 | Nov 2026 source |
| 4 | Kona Country Club - Ocean Course | Kailua-Kona | Public | 139 | 75.9 | Black | 7,121 | Nov 2026 source |
| 5 | Dunes at Maui Lani Golf Course | Kahului | Public | 139 | 73.6 | Black | 6,841 | Nov 2026 source |
How this list is built
Each course is ranked by the highest slope rating from its men's tees. Women's ratings are used only where a course publishes no men's rating. Only regulation 18-hole courses are included; nine-hole courses are left out.
Only courses whose public access Stymie has checked against the club's own site or another named source are listed, and private clubs are left out. That is why this list differs from the hardest golf courses in Hawaii, which ranks every rated course.
Courses are checked in order from the highest slope down, and the list stops at the first course whose public access has not been checked yet, so nothing here skips over an unchecked course. Courses that were checked and could not be confirmed as open to the public are left out. 60 golf courses in Hawaii have a slope rating on file, and Stymie has checked access for 7 of them so far.
Resort courses may require a stay or hold tee times for guests. Call ahead before you plan a round.
Hawaii public course FAQ
What is the hardest public golf course in Hawaii?
Of the Hawaii courses Stymie has checked for public access, Kapalua Golf - Plantation Course in Lahaina has the highest slope rating: 144 from the Tournament tees, with a course rating of 77.0. Mauna Kea Golf Course is next at 141. Courses are checked from the highest slope down, so no unchecked course ranks above the ones listed.
Can anyone play Kapalua Golf - Plantation Course?
Yes. Kapalua Golf - Plantation Course is a resort course that is open to public play. Some resorts hold the best tee times for hotel guests, so call ahead. Stymie checked its access in Nov 2026 against golfatkapalua.com. Tee-time policies change, so confirm with the course before you go.
How is difficulty measured?
By slope rating, which measures how much harder a course plays for a bogey golfer than for a scratch golfer. It runs from 55 to 155, and 113 is standard difficulty. Each course is ranked by the highest slope from its men's tees, and only regulation 18-hole courses are included. Course rating, the score a scratch golfer is expected to shoot, is shown alongside.
More Hawaii golf
- Hardest golf courses in Hawaii, private clubs included
- Easiest public golf courses in Hawaii
- Every rated course in Hawaii
- All Hawaii golf courses