Hawaii Golf: 2026 Season Outlook
Hawaii plays golf all year against some of the most spectacular ocean scenery in the sport, from Kapalua's PGA Tour opener on Maui to the lava-and-Pacific holes of the Big Island and the clifftops of Kauai. Here is the 2026 outlook.
The headline: year round island golf
Hawaii is a year round golf destination, with warm trade-wind weather across all the islands and no true off season. The PGA Tour opens its 2026 calendar in January with The Sentry at Kapalua's Plantation Course on Maui, a useful marker for the start of the islands' peak winter season, when visitors arrive in numbers and humpback whales pass close to the oceanfront holes.
The trade off is timing. Winter, from December to April, brings the best whale watching and the liveliest scene but the highest prices and busiest courses, while late spring and autumn offer warm, settled golf with better value and quieter fairways. Each main island, Maui, the Big Island, Kauai and Oahu, has its own marquee courses.
The courses that anchor a trip
On Maui, the Kapalua Plantation Course is the headline, a bold, big-scale layout carved from old pineapple slopes above the Pacific and the host of the PGA Tour's season opening Sentry. On the Big Island, Mauna Kea is a Robert Trent Jones Senior classic whose par three third, played across an ocean inlet over black lava rock, is one of the most photographed holes in the world.
Kauai's Princeville Makai runs along bluffs above Hanalei Bay and ranks among the most scenic resort courses anywhere, while the Big Island's Mauna Lani delivers more lava-framed oceanfront golf. Together they make the case that Hawaii's golf is as much about the setting as the shot values, and the setting is hard to beat.
How to plan it for 2026
Hawaii is an island trip, so pick one or two islands rather than trying to cover them all. Maui pairs Kapalua with the resort courses of Wailea; the Big Island clusters Mauna Kea and Mauna Lani along the Kohala Coast; Kauai centres on Princeville. Inter-island flights are short, so combining two islands over a longer trip is straightforward if you want variety.
The practical 2026 notes are simple. Decide between the winter high season, with whale watching and the busiest, priciest courses, and the value of spring and autumn. Book the marquee resorts and the Plantation Course well ahead, and avoid the days around The Sentry in January at Kapalua. Green fees at the leading courses are among the highest in the United States and are quoted seasonally, so treat any figure as indicative for the 2026 season and always confirm directly before booking.
What it means for your trip, and our take
For a 2026 Hawaii trip, choose your island and your season first. Maui and Kapalua make the iconic opener, the Big Island offers the strongest two-course pairing along the Kohala Coast, and Kauai is the choice for sheer scenery at Princeville. Build in beach and downtime around the golf, because the islands reward a slower pace.
Our take is that Hawaii is a destination where the scenery does much of the heavy lifting, and that is no criticism. Kapalua is a genuine championship course, Mauna Kea and Princeville are bucket-list beautiful, and the year round warmth means there is no bad time to go. Pick one or two islands, weigh winter spectacle against shoulder season value, and treat the trip as a holiday with world class golf attached.
Plan your Hawaii golf trip
From the PGA Tour opener at Kapalua to the lava-and-ocean holes of Mauna Kea and the clifftops of Princeville, tell us roughly when and who is travelling and one concierge builds and costs the trip, with no obligation.
Questions
When is the best time to play golf in Hawaii?
Hawaii plays golf year round. Winter, from December to April, brings whale watching and the liveliest scene but the highest prices and busiest courses, while late spring and autumn offer warm, settled golf with better value and quieter fairways.
Which are the best golf courses in Hawaii?
Kapalua's Plantation Course on Maui, host of the PGA Tour's season opening Sentry, is the headline. Mauna Kea on the Big Island is a Robert Trent Jones Senior classic with a famous oceanfront par three, and Princeville Makai on Kauai is among the most scenic resort courses anywhere.
How should I plan a Hawaii golf trip?
Pick one or two islands rather than all of them: Maui for Kapalua, the Big Island for Mauna Kea and Mauna Lani, or Kauai for Princeville. Inter-island flights are short. Decide between winter spectacle and shoulder season value, book the marquee courses ahead, and confirm green fees directly before booking.
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Season, course and access details verified June 2026 from club, tour and golf travel sources; conditions and green fees change, so always confirm directly before booking. Last reviewed June 2026.