Koolau Golf Club---W/PICS!

[TM golf guy]

That is one of the most beautiful courses Ive ever seen. Im so jealous. Im going to go there and play one day. Whats the total yardage out there?

[pitbull808]

That is one of the most beautiful courses Ive ever seen. Im so jealous. Im going to go there and play one day. Whats the total yardage out there?

20752[/snapback]

 

 

Tees/ Yardage/ Rating/Slope

Black/7,310/76.4/162

Gold/6.797/74.4/158

Blue/6,406/71.0/132

White/5/102/72.9/134

 

Here's their Website

 

Koolau Golf Club

[Kazt]

Hey Pitbull,

 

My first post, but I've been lurking this and other forums for a while now, and have seen you around.

Anyway, I live in Tokyo and get to HI about twice a year for R&R. I have played some of the resort courses on the Islands (Princeville, Poipu Bay, Ko Olina, Kapolei, all the Kapalua courses, Wailea, Makena, both courses on Lanai, Hualalai, Waikoloa, Mauna Kea, Mauna Lani, Hapuna, amongst others) but have never made it to Koolau. One reason is that going in winter just makes it tough to play right by the Koolau Mountains as you you stated earlier in this thread. You need rain for rainbows, as I have often been told. If you're up for it, I'd love to hook up for a game next time I am on Oahu.

[Golfdr]

Pitbull,

I have played the course twice and it is a great layout. I have never broke 80 there. The first time we played from the tips with some friends - biggest mistake that I have ever made. I shot 88 and felt honored. Hawaii golf is some of the finest around.

[Golfdog]

I've heard about that course--thanks for all the great pics. I may have to put that on the itinerary for my Hawaii visit.

[JHR]

per request.

[Teetogreen86]

:clapping:

 

Great job with the pics and thanks for sharing. That course looks amazing! :cheesy:

[NikeProto]

Easy dat course............

[Bombn]

Unreal Pics! How much are the Green Fee$?

[pitbull808]

Unreal Pics!  How much are the Green Fee$?

49912[/snapback]

 

 

Right now for "locals" they have a $29 till the end of the mont. For out of State people.....the rates are probably $100+

[jarro]

nice ...... very nice

[freddiec]

these are absolutely great photos. I"m really into golf photography myself and love hawaii golf. I feel the same way about solo golf, it is the best. I once played 9 holes at the Grand Walieu Gold course in Maui about 3 hours before sunset and that totally rocked. Thanks for sharing those, that course looks stunning. Talk about a walk in paradise.

[ziggynotonmauianymore]

when I lived on Maui, I played Koolau quite a few times.

 

I heard that the course record was 64 ....... lost balls :drinks: I think they have a newspaper page in the proshop with the article about a tourist who had to drive back to the proshop to buy some balls THREE times.... :clapping:

 

Luana Hills right next to Koolau is also very nice, but not as challenging and remarkable as this place.

 

Just saw this thread for the first time, and I´m getting "homesick" and want to return soooo badly.....

[arjanthebear]

I played the course 3 times when I visited Oahu last February. I too took exactly the same pictures... For some urban legend stuff: drive up to the back tees on the 15th (where the picture of the sea was taken). You'll see a vague path into running into the bushes, in the direction of the sea. Follow that and you'll come up to a dented rock. Look past this rock to the Koolau mountain range above it and see the similarity..

 

Concerning your supply of golfballs: Have a look in the ditch running in front of the green (2nd picture). I found some kind of a gopher's nest. The little creature had a nice collection of about 50 high quality golfballs hidden away in the bank!

 

For those of you who want know the cary you need to take the shortcut on the 18th, look at the picture...

[arjanthebear]

I played the course 3 times when I visited Oahu last February. I too took exactly the same pictures... For some urban legend stuff: drive up to the back tees on the 15th (where the picture of the sea was taken). You'll see a vague path into running into the bushes, in the direction of the sea. Follow that and you'll come up to a dented rock. Look past this rock to the Koolau mountain range above it and see the similarity..

 

Concerning your supply of golfballs: Have a look in the ditch running in front of the green (2nd picture). I found some kind of a gopher's nest. The little creature had a nice collection of about 50 high quality golfballs hidden away in the bank!

 

For those of you who want know the cary you need to take the shortcut on the 18th, look at the picture...

71709[/snapback]

 

Teebox is all the way right, on the other side of the jungle valley...

To make the shortcut: Unleash the Fury!!! :tongue:

[Mriddick00]

Nice pics Reid! I wish I had views like that around me that were in driving distance! Gorgeous!

[ScottWS33]

:tongue: Lovely course. You're so lucky to get to play there. Looks really tough from the pics.

[kingstingy]

While I agree with you all that this is probably the most beautiful layout on all of Oahu, I'm going to stick my head out and say this is one of the worst conditioned courses in the state. Absolutely horrendous.

 

I was born and raised in Hawaii for 18 years so I somewhat know what Im talking about. I now live in the mainland but I come back home every 6 months or so...I hadnt played here in over 10 years but reading this thread made me curious again and I decided to check it out. So last month, I played Koolau and the conditions were just horrid. Mud everywhere, soggy fairways, plugged balls in fairways, crap greens, and destroyed bunkers (Im talking not even remotely playable). Certain bunkers were just dry, and others looked like lakes. And worst of all, according to my gf, were the damn mosquitoes! :tongue: She walked away with about 20 bites on both legs.

 

But seriously after playing it, I remembered exactly why I was avoiding it every time I came home. The conditions remain crappy, and it's just not worth the money. Im very glad we paid the local rate, and not the out of state rate. I would demand my money back had I paid over 100 dollars.

 

The sad truth is that the Koolau Golf Course was too ambitious of a project. The land was just too expansive to maintain without sufficient money. The rainfall makes the course too soggy (I seriously doubt they have to water this course because of the daily rainfall). The management is just simply not pumping enough money to maintain this course properly.

 

Again, dont get me wrong. Im NOT complaining about the difficulty of this course, nor am I complaining about the beauty of it. I think both the layout and natural beauty of this place are second to none. The conditions however make this course questionable. $100+ dollars to play a round here? I'd skip it and go next door to Luana Hills (which is far better maintained) for that money.

 

-Mark

[arjanthebear]

While I agree with you all that this is probably the most beautiful layout on all of Oahu, I'm going to stick my head out and say this is one of the worst conditioned courses in the state.  Absolutely horrendous.

 

I was born and raised in Hawaii for 18 years so I somewhat know what Im talking about.  I now live in the mainland but I come back home every 6 months or so...I hadnt played here in over 10 years but reading this thread made me curious again and I decided to check it out. So last month, I played Koolau and the conditions were just horrid.  Mud everywhere, soggy fairways, plugged balls in fairways, crap greens, and destroyed bunkers (Im talking not even remotely playable).  Certain bunkers were just dry, and others looked like lakes.  And worst of all, according to my gf, were the damn mosquitoes!  :)  She walked away with about 20 bites on both legs. 

 

But seriously after playing it, I remembered exactly why I was avoiding it every time I came home.  The conditions remain crappy, and it's just not worth the money.  Im very glad we paid the local rate, and not the out of state rate.  I would demand my money back had I paid over 100 dollars. 

 

The sad truth is that the Koolau Golf Course was too ambitious of a project.  The land was just too expansive to maintain without sufficient money.  The rainfall makes the course too soggy (I seriously doubt they have to water this course because of the daily rainfall).  The management is just simply  not pumping enough money to maintain this course properly. 

 

Again, dont get me wrong.  Im NOT complaining about the difficulty of this course, nor am I complaining about the beauty of it.  I think both the layout and natural beauty of this place are second to none.  The conditions however make this course questionable.  $100+ dollars to play a round here?  I'd skip it and go next door to Luana Hills (which is far better maintained) for that money. 

 

-Mark

72015[/snapback]

 

I agree that the the location of the course makes for more maintenance than it's getting. Being built at the base of the Koolau mountain range blocking all weather coming in on the windward side of the island, you need a million miles of drainage pipes to keep the fairways dry.. However, when I played last february the greens and most bunkers were in perfect shape. In adittion to that, I paid $75, which is acceptable, especialy as the 2nd round on the day is for free. (And you DO want revenge after the first round). This actually was the cheapest course I could find when booking teetimes from back home in Amsterdam.

[pitbull808]

Kingstingy..sounds like you played it shortly after they had aerated the greens. "PM Hacker" and I last played here on Oct 17. The greens were freshly aerated, the place was definitely soggy and it rained on us for four holes. We also noticed that many of the sandtraps had been "washed out" from the heavy rains and we were getting our fair share of plugged balls. I agree at the time the course was looking very poor, but mostly due to the heavy rains we recieved during the early parts of October and also throughout the rest of the month. In fact we had several flood warnings throughout October because of the unusually heavy rains.

 

The unfortunate thing about Koolau is also what makes it beautiful. It's at the base of the Koolau Mountain Range which due to the trade winds we recieve makes the place a site for some of the most rainfall on the island of Oahu. I usually suggest to members who see these pictures and PM me to play the course between March through September. You can usually guarantee drier weather throughout the island as well as Koolau.

 

I just was at Koolau last week on the driving range and the course looked pretty good even though we did have some horrendous rains two weeks ago. I can usually be found there weekly if anyone is looking for me. :)

[mhccap]

i totally agree with kingstingy...i last played there in about 2000 or 2001...HORRIBLE conditions in March. Greens were ok, at least not punched. The views and sights are neat to see, however this golf course is not that hard. I will play it again in April and again this July, I have yet to go over par...we'll see if the string continues. When I was last there it was being run by American Golf. Those in the golf business know that this company historically does not put any money back into the conditions like a company such as Troon Golf. If Troon ran that course it would be PUUUUUURE! With all of those negative comments being said, I still say if you are on Oahu, go play it for the views alone.

[gonewild]

The family and I vacationed on Oahu through Christmas last year and I played in the early morning. I'll admit I payed $150 to play, but the conditions were perfect. The greens were in great shape, the fairways were fast and for the most part, plush, and the bunkers were perfect. I couldn't have ask for better conditions and although I don't like spending that kind of money, I didn't leave feeling too bad. I managed a 76 from the next to back tees, mainly due to having 150 yards left for my 2nd into the 7th. Hit a nice high draw down the right side with the wind and we looked for sometime, never thinking it went as far as it did. No cart path scuff either, I still think someone in the group in front of us wedged it down the fairway to play with my ego. I managed eagle and played the rest of the round pretty solid and left with a smile on my face.

[magee99]

I would gladly pay the $100 to pay that course.....its the $2000 for the rest of the vaction that worries me!!

[stickman]

WOW THOSE HOLES LOOK HARD !

[mhccap]

JULY 2006 UPDATE -

 

Just played here again, as i stated in my previous post...it is in bad condition...in fact...worse than my last visit. my first time around they had bent greens...but due to disease, they changed to this wicked bermuda or kukya like grass...very broad leaf. talked to the pro and the superintendent, both said this grass survives a lot better in the high humidity and with the lack of sunlight in areas due to the jungle. it is really a shame that the conditions are so poor, but then again, it is what American Golf is famous for...not putting any money into the grounds budget. also of note, american golf is in the process of selling this course to one of the local churches. american golf may or may not be retained to manage the golf course. it looks like at this point they will not be managing it however.

[toddnt]

You lucky dog! Cant wait til my back surgery heals so I can tear it up again. :drinks:

[kingstingy]

Mhccap -- I could have told you that the course was in horrible condition before you went to play there again! :drinks:

 

With all due respect to all the fans of this course, I personally don't care what anyone says -- This course has always been known amongst hawaii golf circles as a joke for its conditions. And it will forever be unless some serious dollars are pumped into the course. I just dont see that happening as the course is just too large and too difficult to maintain. It's safe to say that the original Japanese owners who envisioned this course made quite the mistake -- hell, the clubhouse never even came to fruition after 10+ years! Look at the sad state of the course and clubhouse and anyone could have told you its not worth paying the $150+ non-resident rate to play this course...

 

Consider this a fair warning to all who intend to play here! :crazy:

 

 

 

 

JULY 2006 UPDATE -

 

Just played here again, as i stated in my previous post...it is in bad condition...in fact...worse than my last visit. my first time around they had bent greens...but due to disease, they changed to this wicked bermuda or kukya like grass...very broad leaf. talked to the pro and the superintendent, both said this grass survives a lot better in the high humidity and with the lack of sunlight in areas due to the jungle. it is really a shame that the conditions are so poor, but then again, it is what American Golf is famous for...not putting any money into the grounds budget. also of note, american golf is in the process of selling this course to one of the local churches. american golf may or may not be retained to manage the golf course. it looks like at this point they will not be managing it however.

[teampowers]

I played there back in 2000. I played with a couple of locals and played well. One of the better courses that I have played in Hawai'i

[Oaks]

Reid,

 

Seeing these pictures bring me back to my vacation to Hawaii... I think you actually played on the Wednesday when I was out there - it was a shame that our schedules didn't match up, as I would have loved to have played Koolau. Ko'Olina wasn't a bad course either for those of you looking to plan a vacation to Hawaii. Hopefully the gf and I can get out there again in the near future!

 

Matt

[puresurfr]

man..i miss that course !!!! ive played at least 250 rounds of golf there and those pics brought back some serious memories.....sigh, i dont live in kailua no more......last time i was there, koolau was pretty beat up...it does not resemble the course it was when it first opened !!!! and if you dont know your way around, finding the tips is not obvious on some holes !!!