5 Day Maui Golf Itinerary
Maui is the bucket list golf island, where championship resort courses tumble down volcanic slopes to the Pacific and the whales breach offshore as you putt. This five day plan covers the two great golf clusters, the Kapalua and Kaanapali courses of West Maui and the Wailea pair in the south, opening on the Plantation Course that hosts the PGA Tour's season opener. Here is the week, with indicative 2026 green fees and drive times.
Photograph: Kapalua Golf, the Plantation Course, via Google
Who this trip suits
This is the Maui golf dream, built for the golfer who wants the island's marquee courses and a proper Hawaiian holiday in one. The golf falls neatly into two resort clusters, West Maui around Kapalua and Kaanapali and South Maui at Wailea, so a five day plan can play five championship rounds while still leaving long afternoons for the beach, the whales in winter, and the famous road to Hana. It suits couples and small groups happy to mix world class golf with island life, and it flexes easily: take a non golf day for snorkelling at Molokini, or add the Kaanapali Kai for a sixth round.
The two things to plan for are the bases and the cost. Splitting the stay between West and South Maui keeps the drives short, while picking resort affiliated hotels usually unlocks reduced green fees, which matters on an island where the marquee rates are among the highest in the United States. Get those right, tee off early before the trade winds build, and Maui delivers golf you will replay in your head for years.
The 5 day plan
Kapalua, The Plantation Course
Open on the island's headline act, Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw's first major design, a vast, muscular course carved into the West Maui mountains that hosts the PGA Tour's season opening Sentry every January. The huge fairways, dramatic elevation changes and the downhill, downwind par five 18th are unforgettable, and the ocean views run throughout. The most expensive round of the trip at an indicative 475 dollars, with a slightly lower resort guest rate, and worth every dollar.
Kapalua, The Bay Course
Stay at Kapalua for its original course, an Arnold Palmer and Ed Seay design that runs gentler than the Plantation but trades blows on beauty, most famously at the par three fifth, which plays across a finger of the Pacific. More forgiving and walkable than its big brother, the Bay is a pure pleasure at an indicative 300 dollars, and a relaxed second day before the trip moves down the coast. A short drive from the Plantation.
Kaanapali, Royal Course
Just down the coast, the Royal Kaanapali is the grand old course of West Maui, a Robert Trent Jones Senior layout from 1962 that has hosted professional events and remains a stern, classic test, opening downhill toward the sea and finishing with one of the longest closing holes in Hawaii. Mature, tree lined and full of history at an indicative 300 dollars, it rounds out the West Maui leg before you head south.
Wailea, Gold Course
Move south to sunny Wailea and the most testing of its three courses, a Robert Trent Jones Junior design threaded through ancient lava rock walls and kiawe trees on the slopes of Haleakala, with sweeping ocean views and clever, demanding greens. The pick of the Wailea trio for the serious golfer, it is an indicative 300 dollars and the start of a relaxed, sun drenched finish to the trip on the drier side of the island.
Wailea, Emerald Course
Close the week on the Gold's sister, the Emerald, the most forgiving and flower filled of the Wailea courses, designed for pure enjoyment with wide fairways, tropical planting and postcard ocean panoramas. A gentler, beautiful final round at an indicative 300 dollars, it is the perfect, smiling way to finish a Maui golf trip before a last afternoon on the beach. A short drive from the Gold at the same resort.
Green fees, drive times and logistics
| Round | Indicative 2026 fee | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Kapalua, Plantation | Around 475 dollars | West Maui; resort guest rate a little lower |
| Kapalua, Bay | Around 300 dollars | About 5 minutes from the Plantation |
| Royal Kaanapali | Around 300 dollars | About 15 minutes south of Kapalua |
| Wailea, Gold | Around 300 dollars | About 1 hour south from West Maui |
| Wailea, Emerald | Around 300 dollars | Same resort as the Gold |
Green fees and drive times verified indicatively in June 2026 from course and resort listings; the Plantation rate is taken from Kapalua's published 2026 pricing, the others are indicative and vary by season and time of day, so always confirm current rates and availability directly before booking. Find a West or South Maui base.
When to go and where to stay
Play Maui in the drier April to October stretch for the most settled weather and the firmest turf, or come in winter, from November to March, for greener courses, the whale watching season and the island at its busiest and priciest. Trade winds build through the day, so morning tee times are calmer and cooler in any season. For this route, split the stay: West Maui around Kapalua and Kaanapali for the first three rounds, then Wailea in the south for the last two, which keeps every drive short and matches the golf. If you prefer a single base, the two areas are about an hour apart with a hire car. Resort hotels usually come with reduced green fees at their affiliated courses, so match the base to the golf. Always confirm rates and availability before booking.
Plan your 5 day Maui golf trip
We hold the Plantation tee time, match your West and South Maui bases to the golf for reduced resort rates, and weave in the beach days, the whales and the road to Hana. Tell us roughly when and who is travelling, and one concierge costs it to the head, with no obligation.
Maui itinerary questions
What is the best 5 day golf itinerary in Maui?
Five days lets you play West Maui and South Maui without rushing. Open on the famous Plantation Course at Kapalua, the Coore and Crenshaw layout that hosts the PGA Tour's season opener, then the oceanfront Kapalua Bay and the historic Royal Kaanapali nearby, before moving south to Wailea for the Gold and Emerald courses. Two resort clusters, five championship rounds, the sea in view throughout. Always confirm current tee times and fees directly before booking.
How much does golf cost in Maui in 2026?
Maui resort golf is among the most expensive in the United States. The Plantation Course at Kapalua leads the island, with an indicative 2026 rate around 475 dollars, and a resort guest rate a little lower. The other championship resort courses on this route indicatively run from roughly 250 to 350 dollars depending on season and time of day, with twilight rates lower again. Staying at a resort affiliated hotel usually unlocks a reduced rate. These are indicative figures, so always confirm current fees directly before booking.
Where should you stay for a Maui golf trip?
Split the trip between the two golf resort areas, or pick one and drive. Stay in West Maui, around Kapalua and Kaanapali, for the first three rounds, then move south to Wailea for the last two, which keeps every drive short. If you prefer one base, Wailea and Kapalua are about an hour apart, so either works with a hire car. Resort hotels typically come with reduced green fees at their affiliated courses. Always confirm rates and availability before booking.
When is the best time to golf in Maui?
Maui plays well year round, but the drier months from April to October bring the most settled weather and the firmest turf, while winter, from November to March, is greener, a touch wetter and the peak tourist and whale watching season, with the highest prices. Trade winds keep afternoons breezy, so morning tee times are calmer and cooler. Book early in the day and well ahead for the marquee courses. Always confirm current rates and tee times before booking.
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Indicative green fees and drive times verified June 2026. Last reviewed June 2026.