The Prince Course at Princeville
A ferocious, beautiful Robert Trent Jones Jr. par 72 carved into the jungle ravines and ocean bluffs of Kauai's north shore, long regarded as the hardest test of golf in Hawaii.
Photo: Princeville at Hanalei via Google.
The verdict
The Prince Course is the wild child of Hawaiian golf, a Robert Trent Jones Jr. design that tumbles through the rainforest, the ravines and the bluffs above Anini Beach on the north shore of Kauai. Opened in 1990, it stretches to roughly 7,309 yards from the back tees and has spent most of its life ranked as the hardest course in the state, with a slope rating up near the legal limit. This is not a gentle resort round. It is golf with teeth, set against some of the most spectacular scenery in the islands.
What makes it special is the drama. Tee shots fly over jungle gorges, greens perch above streams and the trade winds funnel through the valleys, so a calm card can come apart in two holes. For the traveling golfer it is a bucket list experience: a wet, green, mountainous corner of Kauai where the golf is as memorable as the views over Hanalei and the Pacific. Access has changed over the years and the Prince no longer trades as a simple daily fee public course, so plan ahead before you build a round here into a trip.
The Prince Course at Princeville at a glance
- Opened
- 1990
- Designer
- Robert Trent Jones Jr.
- Type
- Resort, mountain
- Par
- 72
- Yardage
- About 7,309 yards
- Setting
- Kauai north shore
Designer and details verified June 2026: the Prince Course at Princeville was designed by Robert Trent Jones Jr. and opened in 1990 on the north shore of Kauai, a par 72 of roughly 7,309 yards from the championship tees, with a Jones Jr. refresh completed in 2012. The course closed to general public daily fee play at the end of 2014 and access has since been restricted, so there is no standing public green fee to quote; always confirm current access and any rates directly before planning a round.
The holes worth the trip
The Prince is defined by forced carries and elevation. From the very first holes the routing asks you to fly tee shots and approaches over jungle ravines and streams, with rainforest pressing in on both sides and the ocean appearing through gaps in the canopy. There is little room for a loose swing, and the smart play is often a club less off the tee to find the fairway rather than chase yardage.
The closing stretch is the signature, with holes that drop toward the bluffs and play along gorges where a missed shot is simply gone. The greens are large but heavily contoured, and reading the grain and the slope toward the sea is half the challenge once you are on the dance floor. Add the north shore weather, which can turn from sun to a passing squall within a single round, and you have a test that rewards patience and course management over raw power.
For traveling golfers this is the round you take on knowing it may bite. Play it from a sensible set of tees, take the bogeys when the hole earns them, and let the scenery do the rest. Pair it with the gentler ocean holes of nearby Princeville golf and you have one of the great contrasts in Hawaiian golf.
How to get on
| What to know | Detail |
|---|---|
| Access | Restricted; no longer a standard public daily fee course since late 2014, so confirm current access before planning |
| Green fee | No standing public rate to quote; ask directly about current access and any fees |
| Booking | Contact Princeville golf directly well ahead; do not assume open public tee times |
| On the day | Championship layout with many forced carries; play a sensible set of tees and expect north shore weather |
| Getting there | On the north shore of Kauai near Princeville and Hanalei, about a 70 minute drive from Lihue airport |
| Best months | Year round golf; the drier months from roughly April to October bring the most settled north shore weather |
Access verified June 2026: the Prince Course closed to general public daily fee play at the end of 2014 and access has since been restricted, so there is no standing public green fee. Confirm current access and any rates directly before planning a round.
Where to stay nearby
Princeville and Hanalei sit at the heart of Kauai's lush north shore, with resorts, condos and rental homes within a few minutes of the golf and some of the best beaches in the islands a short drive away. It is the natural base for a north shore golf and beach trip, with snorkeling, the Na Pali coast and the Hanalei valley all close at hand.
For a wider Kauai and Hawaii golf trip, the Prince pairs with the ocean holes of Princeville Makai Golf Club on the same north shore and the resort test at Poipu Bay Golf Course on the sunnier south side, or see all our Hawaii golf holidays.
Looking for a base nearby? See our recommended hotels and resorts.
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Prince Course at Princeville questions
Who designed the Prince Course at Princeville?
The Prince Course was designed by Robert Trent Jones Jr. and opened in 1990 on the north shore of Kauai, with a Jones Jr. refresh completed in 2012. It plays a par 72 of roughly 7,309 yards from the back tees.
Is the Prince Course at Princeville open to the public?
Not as a standard daily fee course. The Prince closed to general public play at the end of 2014 and access has since been restricted, so confirm current access directly before planning a round rather than assuming open public tee times.
Why is the Prince Course considered so hard?
Robert Trent Jones Jr. routed it through jungle ravines and along ocean bluffs with many forced carries, heavily contoured greens and exposure to the north shore trade winds, which together have long given it one of the highest slope ratings in Hawaii.
When is the best time to play golf in north shore Kauai?
Golf is a year round game on Kauai, but the drier months from roughly April to October bring the most settled weather on the wetter north shore, where passing squalls are common at any time of year.
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Designer, opening year and design concept verified June 2026; yardage and access status verified June 2026. Last reviewed June 2026.