Mauna Lani - Course Rating - Par
Initial Contact
If you are wondering what it’s like to play golf in paradise the fact that Mauna Lani in Hawaiian means “mountain reaching heaven” would be your first clue! The opportunity to play a round of golf with volcanos and the Pacific Ocean as a backdrop is truly a treat. Mauna Lani golf course is located on the Big Island on the Kohala Coast. It is a Troon golf course that offers the best in amenities and services to create the perfect golfing experience. The pro shop reminds me of a high-end boutique with price points to match and carries ample clothing for men and women, plenty of golf gear, accessories, and gifts. The staff is welcoming and friendly. If you are visiting without your own clubs this course provides Callaway clubs to rent.
Course Design & Difficulty
There are two courses: Mauna Lani North: 18 holes, par 72, 6913 yards, and Mauna Lani South: 18 holes, par 72, 6938 yards. We played the Mauna Lani South course. The “course rating” or “par rating” of a golf course is the number of strokes a scratch golfer may shoot on a given course. The slope rating is the approximate score of a bogey golfer. Slope ratings range from 55 to 155 with the average slope rating of a competitive course being 113. The lower the number the easier the course. Mauna Lani’s South Course is challenging with a slope rating of 117 from the forward tees; 124 from the middle tees. (North course slope rating is 120 from the forward tees; 129 from the middle tees). Everything is on the top shelf with this course. The carts are electric and are equipped with GPS. The layout of the South course is easy to navigate but keeping your focus may prove difficult amongst the panoramic beauty of the mountains and the ocean while winding your way through the stark a’a lava of the prehistoric Kaniku lava flow. There are always purists who prefer to walk a course, but riding is recommended not only to protect you from the sun but to also catch those warm breezes coming off the ocean. The environment is laid back and the goal is for all players to have an enjoyable experience. The spa-like restroom facilities are located at holes 5, 9, and 15 and match the lava landscape. The course is simply gorgeous and pristine. The South course is home to some of the most iconic holes in golf. Hole #’s 7, 13, 16, and the infamous hole #15 will be etched in your mind as one of your best golf moments. The 15 th hole is one of the most photographed holes in the world.
Costs (please check with the course for current rates)
Expensive – if you have to ask….18 holes come with cart, Callaway range balls, and waters. If you are renting clubs you will receive 6 Callaway balls that come in a velvet-like drawstring pouch keepsake. Callaway club rentals are $65.
Cart Girl
I was happy to hear this amenity referred to as the “snack cart” and not a cart girl. The snack cart was readily available and offered snacks and drinks on the front 9 and heartier food choices on the back 9.
Broken Arrow Course Rating - Par
Made up of 3 par 36 courses: The South Course, The East Course, and The North Course. The forward tees yardages are South – 2642. East – 2569, North – 2613. The next set of tees yardages are South 3177, East 3171, North 3144
Course layout easy to follow going hole to hole very clear. Would not recommend walking. Park district level course where idea is to get out and play and not lounge around all day. I did not see any signage regarding lady programs or events. Most signages at the time were dealing with COVID.
This course is located in a rural area tucked back in an older neighborhood. Pulling into the course the parking lot is small with tight spaces. The clubhouse is a small building and straightforward in that it has a counter to pay your fees, restrooms, and not much else. The selection of apparel was limited but that may be due to COVID19. The facility was very clean and the staff was friendly and welcoming.
The course is was very nice and well-groomed. The fairways are clear and rough was not too long to lose balls, but the course was challenging in that your shots have to be accurate given that on many holes there is water on one side, bunkers around the green, and people’s backyards on the other side!
Pack a snack for this course.
No “cart girl”
White Pines Golf Club
Course Rating - Birdie
*Due to COVID-19 many of the facilities are either closed or partially open.
White Pines Golf Club is easy to find. Arriving at White Pines there is plenty of parking and at first glance, the facility reminds me of a summer camp with numerous wooden cabin-like structures that make up the clubhouse, cart pickup/drop-off, and restrooms.
Carts are not allowed in the parking lot so guests can drop their bags at the bag drop or carry them from the parking lot. This setup is a little inconvenient especially since there is no staff to monitor dropped-off bags and the parking lot is long and narrow, so if you’re not parked in the first few spots it’s a little bit of a hike. (Apparently, there have been numerous cart thefts from this course)
Checking in at the pro shop inside the clubhouse was straightforward and it took no time to pay. The pro shop was organized to reinforce social distancing. There was not much apparel for men or women, however, there were items such as balls and gloves in stock.
The staff consisted of young men and women (possibly summer hires?) who were attentive and friendly. There were no signage advertising programs for lady golfers, but the club supports league play. The bar & grill was closed. The clubhouse is a large facility, but guests only have access to the pro shop because of COVID19.
Costs to play: 18 holes $39 – $25 with cart and $29 – $15 walk during weekdays – $55-$40 and $25 at twilight cart and $40-$30 and $15 at the twilight walk. The carts are electric with digital monitors with an interactive map of the course that also will show your distance and keep your scores (nice perk!)
There are two courses East and West. The East course has a ladies’ par at 73 and the West course ladies’ par at 74. The forward set of tees on the East course is 5150 yards and 5751 yards with the next tees at 5411 and 5989 respectively. These yardages for the forward tees are ideal for competitive ladies who hit their driver under 200 yards.
The tee boxes, fairways, and greens are well maintained. There are plenty of trees so you want to be sure to hit the fairway! There are long par 4’s and par 5’s to let loose on your driver and your woods and there are enough par 3’s to pitch and chip. Bunkers and hazards are placed in a manner that you might double-check your club choice but not to the extent that makes the holes impossible.
It is a beautiful course. The fairways tend to belong, but the holes are in close proximity to one another, and the fact that there are no hills makes this course walkable. The layout of the course is easily navigable and is also favorable to the safety of lady players in that there are no isolated holes.
There was a “cart girl” who was very attentive. There was a restroom on hole 15 and there was a restroom facility at the cart return as well as port-a-potties.