You’ll Be Reaching For Your Camera As Often As Your Putter!
THE BIG ISLAND, HAWAII — Designed by Robert Trent Jones Jr., the Beach Course at Waikoloa winds its way along historic lava flows near Anaehoomalu Bay. Emerald fairways and immaculate greens are well-guarded by the uniquely contrasting combination of white sand bunkers, simmering blue lakes and the every present black lava flows. It’s an enjoyable sensory experience you simply won’t find anywhere else in the world.
While the sights please your eyes and the trade winds tickle your senses, the strategic layout will challenge your skills and your mind. Generous from the tee, with large greens and low-lipped bunkers this is a course that can truly be enjoyed by the occasional player while providing all the challenged need for the most avid or skilled player from the back tees.
While you’ll find it tough to choose a favorite hole here’s a few of the highlights:
After a gentle start the 2nd gets right down to business with a long par 3, over water to a green protected on the other three sides by bunkers. The 5th hole is a spectacular par four, dogleg right around a 20-foot high lava flow. A solid drive to the generous fairway leaves a mid to short iron in to a green framed by palms trees and black lava rock.
The seventh is one of the most photographed holes in the entire Hawaiian islands and a classic risk reward hole in every sense of the word. While just 502 yards the trade winds are usually at your back.This dogleg left has tons of room right but the bold player will opt to keep his drive as far left as possible. To do so, though, presents a challenge as both fairway bunkers and and a lava field runs left for most of the length of the hole.. The trouble with that is you never know what kind of bounce the lava is going to give you. It may come straight back at you, it may go further into the lava, or it might get ricocheted back to the fairway. One thing is guaranteed: It’ll be scarred for life!
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From the fairway the player is treated to the most stunning views of any course in the world. The green sits on a lava peninsula surrounded by swaying coconut palms. A carpet of emerald green contrasting against the stunning blues of the pacific crashing on the black lava sending spray cascading in the air. When you have put your camera away it’s time to decide whether you are going for the green with your fairway metal or bumping a mid iron in position for your third. Once on the green par, birdie or bogey seems irrelevant as you enjoy spectacular views of Maui in the distance and perhaps even a Humpback whale or two basking offshore.
After the 7th, there are a couple of holes to catch your breath before the long par five, 10th which is not only the longest but one of the tighter holes on the course. From the longest we head to the 13th, which is definitely one of the toughest holes on the course. You tee off over a field of lava to a gently up sloping fairway that turns slightly left at its’ crest leaving a long iron or wood in to a closely guarded green. Take par and run form this one!
15-17 offers the player three delightful holes coming home. 15 is a gentle dogleg left with a second over a large lake to a large green. 16 is a short but picturesque par four, to a narrow green while 17 a stunning par three over water surrounded by an amphitheater of black lava.
Call Now for Tee times (808) 886-7888 or Click Here for Tee Times!
The Beach course truly has it all, a great mix of challenging holes with birdie opportunities, spectacular scenery and a layout strategic enough to challenge the pro’s while gentle enough to allow even the casual player an enjoyable day on the course. If you are in Hawaii this is a must play course, don’t forget to bring your camera! (For more information, please visit www.waikoloabeachgolf.com)