Hawaii vs Arizona for a Golf Trip
Two of America's great warm weather golf escapes, and a genuine clash of styles. Hawaii is ocean drama and bucket list golf, from Kapalua's Plantation Course to clifftop Princeville on Kauai. Arizona is the desert golf capital, dozens of courses around Scottsdale with dramatic seasonal value. Here is the honest head to head, with our verdict up front.
Photograph: Kapalua Plantation Course, Maui, via Google
The verdict
For a pure golf group that wants to play a great course every day with the least hassle, Arizona wins. Scottsdale and the wider Phoenix valley pack dozens of high quality desert courses into one metro, from the PGA Tour's TPC Scottsdale to Troon North, We Ko Pa and Grayhawk, so you base in one place, drive twenty minutes, and play thirty six if you like. The value swings hard with the season, and the autumn shoulder is the sweet spot. It is the most efficient golf week in the American West.
But Hawaii is the trip of a lifetime, and on pure spectacle nothing here competes. The Coore and Crenshaw Plantation Course at Kapalua, the Robert Trent Jones Senior Mauna Kea on the Big Island and the clifftop Princeville Makai on Kauai are among the most beautiful rounds in the world, set against ocean, lava and rainforest. The catch is cost, which stays high all year, and the islands, which mean travel between great courses. Choose Arizona for density, value and convenience, Hawaii for scenery and a golf holiday you will never forget. Both are superb.
Head to head
| Hawaii | Arizona | |
|---|---|---|
| Signature courses | Kapalua Plantation on Maui, Mauna Kea and Mauna Lani on the Big Island, Princeville Makai on Kauai, Wailea | TPC Scottsdale Stadium, Troon North Monument and Pinnacle, We Ko Pa Saguaro, Grayhawk, The Boulders |
| Headline designers | Coore and Crenshaw, Robert Trent Jones Senior and Junior | Weiskopf and Morrish, Coore and Crenshaw, Tom Weiskopf, Scott Miller |
| The marquee round | Kapalua Plantation Course, host of the PGA Tour's season opening event | TPC Scottsdale Stadium, host of the WM Phoenix Open |
| Density | Great courses spread across several islands; multi course trips mean island hopping | Dozens of quality courses in one metro; a different course every day from one base |
| Indicative green fees | Relatively uniform and high, roughly 150 to 350 plus year round at the premium courses | Wide seasonal swing; peak January to April from about 100 to 550, far cheaper in summer |
| Best season | Year round; drier April to October, whales in winter, prices high throughout | January to April peak; autumn shoulder best value; summer very hot and cheapest |
| Getting around | Easiest from the US West Coast; long haul from the East Coast, plus inter island flights | Phoenix Sky Harbor is a major hub with short drives to every course; very easy logistics |
| Who it suits | Players wanting scenery, a tropical holiday and a once in a lifetime golf trip | Golf first groups wanting volume, value and the least travel friction |
Course facts and indicative fee ranges verified June 2026; fees move with season and demand, so always confirm directly before booking. Check tee time availability.
Who should pick which
Pick Arizona if
You want maximum golf with minimum travel and the option to chase value. Scottsdale lets a group play a different excellent desert course every day from one base, with TPC Scottsdale, Troon North and We Ko Pa all close by, easy flights and great dining and nightlife. Time it for autumn or late winter and the value is outstanding. It is the buddies trip done right.
Pick Hawaii if
You want the most beautiful golf trip of your life and a tropical holiday around it. Kapalua, Mauna Kea and Princeville deliver ocean, lava and rainforest scenery that no desert can match, and the islands add beaches, whales and a sense of occasion. Plan for higher costs and some inter island travel, and lean into it. This is the special trip, the anniversary, the milestone.
Plan your golf trip
Hawaii, Arizona or a shortlist of both. Tell us roughly when and who is travelling, and one concierge builds the tee times, the base and the transfers, and costs it to the head, with no obligation.
Hawaii vs Arizona questions
Is Hawaii or Arizona better for a golf trip?
Both are top tier American golf destinations with very different characters. Hawaii is about scenery and bucket list golf, led by the Coore and Crenshaw Plantation Course at Kapalua, the Robert Trent Jones Senior Mauna Kea and the clifftop Princeville Makai on Kauai. Arizona, centred on Scottsdale, offers unmatched density, dozens of desert courses in one metro such as TPC Scottsdale, Troon North and We Ko Pa, with easier travel and far more golf per day. Choose Hawaii for spectacle, Arizona for volume, convenience and value.
Is golf cheaper in Hawaii or Arizona?
It depends on the season. Hawaii resort green fees are relatively uniform and high, typically around 150 to 350 US dollars or more at the premium courses year round. Arizona swings dramatically: Scottsdale peak season from January to April runs from around 100 to 550 at the marquee courses, but summer rates fall sharply, with many fine courses well under 100, since temperatures soar. For value, Arizona in the shoulder months wins. Always confirm current fees directly before booking.
When is the best time for golf in Hawaii vs Arizona?
Hawaii plays well year round thanks to its tropical climate, with the drier season roughly April to October and whale watching in winter, and prices stay high throughout. Arizona's peak is the cooler, dry window from January to April, when conditions are perfect and prices peak, while June to September is extremely hot and cheapest, and the autumn shoulder offers the best balance of value and weather. Always check conditions for your dates.
Which has more golf courses to play?
Arizona, by a wide margin. The Scottsdale and Phoenix area alone has dozens of high quality courses within a short drive, so a group can play a different excellent course every day without changing base, which makes it ideal for a buddies trip. Hawaii's great courses are spread across several islands, so a multi course trip usually means island hopping, which is part of the appeal but adds travel. We build either to fit the most golf into your time.
Related
The Tee Sheet
American golf, the seasonal value windows and the courses worth the airfare. Every other week.
Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Course facts and indicative fees verified June 2026. Last reviewed June 2026.