Beautiful course, very green and lush jungle all around. Very well maintained. Not sure I've ever golfed a prettier course. Twilight fees after 1 pm, only $55, with $20 for rentals

Customer Service

Excellent, staff was very friendly, food is not bad for a small kitchen.

Played the course for the first time in several years after a poor experience so I wasn't sure what to expect. I was overwhelmed with the condition and playability of the course. excellent condition of the course; tees, fairways, and greens. Traps could use some "fluffing up". With the course in financial hardship the ground crew has somehow found the formula to get the course in shape.

And I had forgot how beautiful the layout is and with distant views of the ocean and the drive between holes through the jungle. Unlike any other course I have played on the Big Island.

Customer Service

Checking desk lady needs more enthusiasm, but starter, cart man, beverage cart, and snack bar were very upbeat and polite. Definite asset to the course.

Similar Products Used:

Waikoloa Village, Mauna Lani North and South, Big Island CC, Volcano, Hualalei, and Hapuna.

bobemac makes some good points. This is a mountain course. Lots of up or down fairways. Mostly target golf. However, it is a fair course and you will need to play this course several times to get a feel for it. Conditions are so, so. T-boxes, fairways and greens tend to thin and chopped up. It's beautiful course to look at. $55 to 85.

Customer Service

OK

Great course. Up in the mountains where is nice and cool. Elevation changes are about as severe as I have seen. Pretty much all uphill on the front 9 and all downhill on the back. Interesting holes and in pretty decent shape. Great value for the price.

Customer Service

Excellent, golf shop people are extra nice.

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Kona CC, Hapuna, Luana Hills, Ko'olau, Eagle-vail, others...

It was really humid in Kona and about 95* or so it felt, but I was looking forward to playing up at Makalei to see just exactly was it was like....7/30/09....The guy at the front desk was very personable...a guy who liked to golf, not a smiley faced phoney yes-man there just to take your money..he was very helpful, patient, and efficient.....I was able to go to the tee after I putted a while to get used to the greens but didn't really know what to expect on the course....well, it was in beautiful condition, very trimmed, the greens were perfection, the hedges very neat, the peacocks in great form, the fairways very tightly mowed...plus it was an extraordinary fun place to play...all the holes were some extreme or another up or down, winding and twisting..like a roller coaster inside a house of mirrors...great fun....can't wait to come back and play again...

Customer Service

fabulous, friendly, patient, efficient.

Similar Products Used:

Big Island CC.

We have played Makalai, two previous
times over the past five years.
The condition of the course on 2/27/08
was pathetic; no maintenance,weeds abound,
debris all over,and a big part of the fairways roped off.
This course became a full time Muny,
about two years ago when Hawaii county began subsidies for locals. The course
was a passable place,but now it's a disaster.
The tract meanders up and down Hualalai
mountain, with a 1000 foot elevation change. There are lots of downhill,sidehill,
and uphill shots. It's sad that a potentially beautiful course, has been
neglected.

Customer Service

The sign in dude was not showing any Aloha
spirit, read nasty. The starter is a nice fellow, as well as the beverage cart lady.
No clean up, not much greenskeeper skills
evident here.

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Big Island Country Club, great course.
Kona Country Club, Ocean, a nice course.

What a travesty for a golf course...it seemed like they were just about ready to go "belly up" as far as operations go...Won't do as well with courses like Four Seasons Hualalai and other fine resorts nearby...SAD :(

Customer Service

PISS POOR...One of the worst experiences of my trip to Hawaii...Greens are horrible...It rained the whole time for a week!! The staff were completely clueless...

Great twilight value. good condition, difficult, really cool atmosphere. If you are on the big island PLAY THIS COURSE!

some of the peacocks were distracting. don't expect a course on the ocean. THis course has some great views of it but is at around 2000 feet, (this isn't really a weakness)

This is a great course in good condition and an awesome atmosphere. WHen you play this course it feels like you are in the middle of nowhere. Being completely surrounded by jungle/forest stuff made me feel like I was in Jurrasic Park. I thought the course was in great condition. I saw about 9 peacocks and turkeys on each hole and heard them a lot more. THis is the hardest course I have ever played in my life. It is very very very very hilly. If you go there after 1:30 you play for 50$ instead of 110$. I shot about 10 more than I usually do at home.

Customer Service

yes, very friendly staff

Similar Products Used:

None

Peaceful, secluded, and beautiful in an unpretentious way. Echoing peacock calls add a surreal atmosphere. You'll use every club and hit from every stance. Staff is sharp, courteous and friendly. Even though I only show up a few days every year, they recognize me.

Overall condition is not immaculate and can be "average" at times. At one point Makalei going to be a much higher dollar affair but that didn't happen, and it has more of a muni or "local" course feel to it than anything else. Don't let the $100+ price tag put you off--deals abound especially in the off season, and the course is often quiet (and cheap) after noon. Rain is likely, but usually it's just off and on mist or sprinkles. If you hit wild shots you can lose a dozen balls, or more, because of all the slopes and high grass.

I've played Makalei around a dozen times in the fall from 1998-2000 during annual visits to the big island. It's my favorite course on the island. Condition is generally good but can vary. Although it is often lightly raining (and not so lightly) the course tends to be very firm. Three holes play straight uphill, two play straight downhill, and there is hardly a level lie to be found. A challenging shotmaking course. You need to be able to curve your tee shots, both
ways, into the upslope on many holes. Greens are small, bunker condition typically fair at best, but improving as some larger, deeper bunkers have been converted to grass swales, leaving more resources to maintain the rest. Expect to shoot a handful or more strokes over your handicap while you learn your way around the course.

Customer Service

Invariably positive. No trouble getting on for cheap in PM in Aug-Sep (off season). Rate may improve as staff gets to know you.

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Clubhouse is a "temporary" prefab facility, but it beats the hell out of Big Island Country Club's tent!