Ka'anapali Golf Courses
Located on Maui’s west shore, Ka'anapali Golf Courses offer two distinct 18-hole championship layouts combining mountain and coastal golf. Players will appreciate the well-maintained fairways, stunning ocean views, and a challenging yet accessible playing experience amid Hawaii’s vibrant landscape.
Course Overview
The Ka'anapali Golf Courses, located on Maui's stunning west coast, offer an engaging blend of natural beauty and well-crafted golfing challenges. This public resort complex features two distinct 18-hole championship layouts, Kaanapali Kai and Kaanapali Royal, each presenting its own style and character against the vibrant backdrop of the Pacific Ocean and the West Maui Mountains.
Kaanapali Kai is a mountain course that traces the hillside with elevation changes that influence club selection and shot strategy. The fairways here wind through lush vegetation and occasional lava rock, adding texture to the landscape without sacrificing accessibility. Players of varying abilities will appreciate the course’s thoughtful routing, which balances scoring opportunities with measured risk. Wide landing areas allow confident tee shots while greens guarded by slopes and bunkers demand precision.
Kaanapali Royal shifts focus toward coastal links-style golf, where ocean breezes and panoramic sea views are constant companions. The seaside holes provide generous vistas of the nearby islands and shifting tides, putting patience and shot control to the test. The layout encourages an adaptable game as the wind shifts throughout the day, rewarding players who can adjust trajectory and club choice accordingly.
Both courses maintain high standards of conditioning year-round, with well-kept greens and fairways that invite run and roll. The resort atmosphere encourages play for all skill levels, from vacationers seeking an enjoyable day outdoors to seasoned golfers pursuing competitive rounds.
Onsite amenities include a fully stocked pro shop, driving range, and practice facilities, ensuring players have the resources needed for a complete golfing experience. While the property supports cart play, walking enthusiasts will find manageable terrain and scenic paths that enhance the connection to the island environment.
The Ka'anapali Golf Courses stand out for their unique combination of mountain and coastal golf, with a setting that highlights Hawaii’s natural contrasts. Visitors will find challenge, comfort, and breathtaking scenery at every hole, making this an ideal destination for golfers seeking both adventure and relaxation on the fairways.
Course Highlights
Kaanapali Kai’s mountain golf layout contrasts with Kaanapali Royal’s oceanfront links-style design. Both courses offer expansive views of the West Maui Mountains and Pacific Ocean. Well-maintained greens and wide fairways combine to create a welcoming yet strategic test. Players will encounter natural lava rock formations on select holes and experience ocean breezes that demand adaptable shot-making.
Frequently Asked Questions
Guest Reviews
Doug West
Awesome friendly staff for an absolutely must play course if you are a golfer visiting Maui. This course is kept in great condition every time we go.
Brandon Barber
The 18 hole Kaanapali Kai golf course is a very beautiful and yet challenging course. The driving range is very adequate to warm up before your round. The pro shop has everything you need. The staff is very helpful and will make sure you have an enjoyable round. If you’re looking for some breathtaking views of the West Maui mountains, and also to see the city of Kaanapali. This is your course. Not a bad hole on any part of it.
E Mirg
Played here in late June. Staff was great and course was challenging. The greens were well maintained. Pricey but worth spending the day playing golf in paradise. Gave us some bag tags, balls and markers. We rented clubs which were Taylor made.
David Fu
The view and setting of the course is very nice. But the fairway is poorly maintained and green is in a very sad shape: a lot of weeds, bumpy roll. Outside service is chaotic during check in. Definitely give you a vibe of a muni course
Wesley Ellis
Lovely golf course with outstanding picturesque views. It's a fairly easy course (but is any golf course easy?) with wide open fairways. The staff was super hospitable. We played on a Wednesday afternoon in May and it seemed like we had the course to ourselves. Love this place!
Casey Lauer
This is an awesome course for the price. Golfed as a single with my wife riding along. Finished the course in 3 hours and only got held up a few times. All the greens and fairways were in pristine condition, not something I’m used to as a visitor from Northern California. The staff were very helpful and friendly and got all my rental gear loaded into my cart. If you have a Troon membership, the green fees are even lower and that’s awesome.
Taylor
No Service, No Value, and Definitely Not Worth the Price Our group travels to Maui every year to enjoy vacation and great golf — it’s a tradition we truly value. Unfortunately, this course completely missed the mark and will not be part of our future trips. The most glaring issue, and the reason for this review, is the complete lack of service throughout the experience. We paid $280 per player — a price that promises a premium-level round — and were shocked to find absolutely no access to food or beverages on the entire property. There was no beverage cart, no snack bar, no halfway house, and not even a vending machine. When we called the pro shop mid-round to ask where we could get a drink, we were told alcohol couldn't be served until 11:00am due to their liquor license — which is fair — but that didn’t explain why there wasn’t even water, Gatorade, or basic refreshments available. Their excuse? “We’re short staffed.” At nearly $300 per round, that’s simply unacceptable. Being understaffed isn’t the guest’s problem — it’s a failure of management and planning. Eventually someone came out with bottled water. When we expressed how surprising this was for a course charging this much, the staff member pointed to the bottle and asked, “Where did you get that?” as if that somehow addressed the issue. It felt dismissive, almost sarcastic. Nothing quite like being mocked for asking about service — a perfect example of how little attention is given to guest experience. To make matters worse, the overall atmosphere was cold and unwelcoming. Every staff member we encountered, from the pro shop to outside services, gave off the impression that they didn’t want us there. No one smiled, no one greeted us with any enthusiasm — it felt like we were inconveniencing them by showing up for a tee time we had booked well in advance. The only exception was the starter on the morning of June 26th, who was polite, welcoming, and professional — the one bright spot in an otherwise negative customer experience. As for the course itself, the layout is uninspired and the setting is far from what’s advertised. Roughly 80% of the holes run alongside streets or sit between condos. Despite being marketed as offering ocean views, the “Royal” course mostly delivers traffic noise and rooftops. The few glimpses of the ocean are minimal at best. Even more distracting, non-golfers were walking freely along all of the cart paths, creating an environment that felt more like a public park than a premium golf facility. Even the driving range felt phoned in — limited-flight balls hit into a net with condos behind it. For a supposed resort course, it felt more like a low-budget practice area. If you’re a single-digit handicapper or just someone expecting even basic service and value for money, I strongly recommend looking elsewhere. I’ve played municipal courses for under $100 with better amenities, friendlier staff, and a more enjoyable overall experience. This course is severely overpriced, lacks hospitality, and fails to deliver on its marketing promises. We won’t be returning — one and done
Jonathan S
Beautiful golf course! It was in perfect conditions when I played earlier this month. Well worth the price. Everyone was very friendly. Carts were clean. Gorgeous views from every hole. We couldn't stop taking pictures. Would highly recommend if staying on the west side of Maui. FYI they do not sell alcohol on the golf course you must buy all bear in restaurant before going out on the course.
E Mirg
Played here in late June. Staff was great and course was challenging. The greens were well maintained. Pricey but worth spending the day playing golf in paradise. Gave us some bag tags, balls and markers. We rented clubs which were Taylor made.
BB
Memorandum Whenever I went to Maui, I stayed in Kaanapali and practiced at the driving range before going out on the course! On both courses, I was able to play golf in a relaxed Hawaiian atmosphere, and on the way there, the sugar cane train passed by. Whenever I returned after a round, the staff would ask me, "Is that an underscore?" and I would answer, "Yes!" and get a big laugh.
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Course Details
Access & Location
2290 Kaanapali Pkwy, Lahaina, HI 96761, USA
Ka'anapali Golf Clubhouse with full pro shop and dining facilities
Walking is permitted and enjoyable; course features moderate elevation changes, so comfortable, supportive footwear is recommended.
Open to the public with advance tee time reservations recommended, especially during peak tourist seasons.
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