Why Kauai in Hawaii should be top of your golf bucket list

Hawaii is one of those bucket
list destinations that few people manage to tick off. Even less so as a golf
destination.

But things might be changing on that front, as the volcanic archipelago in the Central Pacific is becoming rather sought after as a very attractive and accessible golf holiday haunt.

One golf course currently gaining plaudits is Princeville Makai (above), which re-opened in 2010 after an extensive renovation. The course has been ranked by various US golf mags as one of the top 100 public courses in the USA.

It is a Robert Trent Jones Jr design and incorporates serene lakes and incredible ocean coastline – as you would expect on one of Hawaii’s six islands – plus there’s a ‘leisurely’ nine-holer, too.

Pic: Golf Course Architecture

Makai is on the island of Kaua’i, which is nicknamed the ‘Garden Isle’ due to its lush tropical foliage, waterfalls and Pacific Ocean vistas. The island is famed for its beaches, natural beauty and, as expected, superb weather.

Kaua’i has more than 50 miles of sandy white beaches – more beach per mile than any of the other Hawaii islands.

Other courses on the island worth checking out are Wailua, which is regarded as one of the ‘most beautiful municipal’ courses in the US, and the Ocean Course at Hokuala (above), the island’s only Jack Nicklaus signature design.

It features the longest continuous stretch of ocean holes in Hawaii, with over half a mile of oceanfront golf to enjoy.

Usually reserved for honeymooners and couples, the opportunity to sample Hawaii for the first time with your clubs in tow might just be one of the best decisions you ever make.

Check out the local golf scene at facebook.com/gogolfkauai.