Mauna Lani
Two par 72 courses cut through the black a'a lava of the Kohala Coast, the Francis H. I'i Brown North and South. The South closes with one of the most photographed holes in Hawaii, the 196 yard 15th flung across a Pacific cove to a peninsula green. Resort golf at its most cinematic, and open to play.
Photo: Mauna Lani Golf via Google.
The verdict
Mauna Lani is the most photogenic golf on the Big Island, a 36 hole resort where the fairways are emerald ribbons unrolled across fields of jet black lava and the holes drop, again and again, toward the blue of the Pacific. The two courses, named for the Hawaiian sportsman Francis H. I'i Brown, were laid out by Homer Flint and Raymond Cain at the start of the 1980s, with the South Course later reworked by the firm of Nelson and Haworth. Both play to par 72 over a little under 7,000 yards.
This is resort golf in the best sense: wide off the tee, generous in spirit, and built to be enjoyed by a travelling foursome rather than to grind a low handicapper into the lava. The drama is in the setting and in a handful of unforgettable holes, led by the South Course 15th, a one shot carry over the ocean that belongs on any Hawaii bucket list. Pair it with neighbouring Mauna Kea and you have the makings of a serious Kohala Coast trip.
Mauna Lani at a glance
- Opened
- 1980 to 1981
- Designer
- Flint and Cain; Nelson and Haworth
- Type
- Resort, lava coast
- Par
- 72 and 72
- Yardage
- South about 6,938 yds
- Green fee
- Resort, indicative
Designer, opening years, par and yardage verified June 2026 from Mauna Lani and leading course databases. The North Course plays to par 72 of about 6,913 yards and the South Course to par 72 of about 6,938 yards from the back tees. Mauna Lani is a public resort course managed by Troon; green fees sit at premium Kohala Coast resort levels and run higher in the December to April high season, with preferred rates for hotel guests. Fees are indicative for 2026 and change by season; always confirm directly before booking.
The holes worth the trip
The South Course is the one most visitors come for, and it saves its best for the back nine. The 196 yard par 3 15th is the signature, a tee shot launched clean over a cove of the Pacific to a peninsula green ringed by black lava and a low rock wall, the surf breaking below. It photographs as well as any hole in the islands and plays harder than it looks when the trade winds are up, the carry swelling with every knot off the sea.
Around that centrepiece the South delivers a run of holes that touch the coastline and thread through old lava flows and ancient fishponds, the contrast of green turf and dark rock giving every shot a frame. The North Course is the quieter, more sheltered of the pair, routed inland through kiawe trees and lava with its own celebrated short hole at the 17th, a downhill par 3 played into a natural amphitheatre of rock.
Neither course is built to punish. Fairways are wide, trouble is mostly lateral lava that you can hit over rather than into, and the greens are honest. What lingers is the setting and the theatre of those ocean holes, the reason Mauna Lani has anchored Kohala Coast golf trips for more than four decades.
How to get on
| What to know | Detail |
|---|---|
| Access | Public resort course managed by Troon; open to all golfers, with preferred rates and tee times for guests of the Mauna Lani, Auberge Resorts Collection hotel |
| Green fee | Premium Kohala Coast resort rate; indicative for 2026 and higher in the December to April high season, cart, range balls and water typically included (confirm directly) |
| Booking | Reserve online through the resort or Troon, or have your trip planner secure tee times; book early for high season and holiday weeks |
| On the day | Cart golf on lava terrain; soft spikes and resort casual dress; afternoon trade winds stiffen the ocean holes, so morning tee times play calmer |
| Getting there | Kohala Coast, about 30 to 40 minutes north of Kona International Airport on Hawaii Island |
| Best months | Year round golf; December to April is peak season and busiest, while the shoulder months are warm, drier and quieter |
Access and fee guidance verified June 2026; resort rates change by season, so always confirm the current green fee and tee sheet directly before booking.
Where to stay nearby
The natural base is the Mauna Lani, Auberge Resorts Collection, the oceanfront hotel that shares the resort and offers the best access to both courses. Next door, the Fairmont Orchid puts you within minutes of the first tee, and the wider Kohala Coast strip strings together several of the island's best resorts along a few miles of lava shoreline.
It is an easy region to build a multi course stay around. Pair Mauna Lani with neighbouring Mauna Kea and the Hapuna course, add a day exploring the volcano and the Waimea ranch country, and you have a relaxed week of warm weather golf with the family or a buddies group in tow.
Looking for a base? See our recommended hotels and resorts near Mauna Lani.
Build a Hawaii golf trip
We book the Mauna Lani tee times, pair them with Mauna Kea and the best of the Kohala Coast, and arrange the resort stay around them. Tell us roughly when and who is travelling and one concierge costs it to the head, with no obligation.
Mauna Lani questions
Who designed Mauna Lani and when did it open?
The Francis H. I'i Brown courses were laid out by Homer Flint and Raymond Cain and opened in 1980 and 1981, with the South Course later reworked by the firm of Nelson and Haworth. Both play to par 72.
What is the signature hole at Mauna Lani?
The South Course 15th, a par 3 of about 196 yards played across a Pacific cove to a peninsula green set against black lava, one of the most photographed holes in Hawaii. The North Course 17th is its sheltered, tree framed counterpart.
Can visitors play Mauna Lani?
Yes. Mauna Lani is a public resort course managed by Troon, open to all golfers with preferred rates and tee times for guests of the Mauna Lani, Auberge Resorts Collection hotel. Book ahead for the December to April high season.
What is the green fee at Mauna Lani?
Green fees sit at premium Kohala Coast resort levels and run higher in high season, typically including cart, range balls and water. Rates are indicative for 2026 and change by season, so always confirm directly before booking.
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Designer, opening years, par and yardage verified June 2026; indicative green fees verified June 2026. Last reviewed June 2026.