Hawai’i

Just saying that word evokes images that are nothing short of paradise. White, sandy beaches, palm trees, crystal blue waters, and for many…seaside golf. For a select few…the Nanea Golf Club can do just that.

The course is on the island of Hawai’i or the Big Island, and the course itself is built on a thick mantle of (cooled) lava. The geography plays a big part in the course play. The close proximity to the ocean makes the wind a constant factor and the nearby mountains have an effect on the elevations of the greens. Other than that, there are actually very few details about the actual layout of the course and that is most likely by design. Privacy is highly valued at this course.

The course itself was designed with a British seaside Links course in mind, but those who have teed off at Nanea say that no matter what ranking it gets, it deserves better. The actual designer was David McLay Kidd and hired by Charles Schwabb and George Roberts or Safeway. As one might expect, golfers can only play if they are a member of the club or one of the member’s guests.

In spite of the lofty praise heaped upon it…the Club actually shuns publicity and is not really interested in acquiring rankings or reviews. So few people get to play that they do not really matter. What does matter, every review we can find has absolutely gushed about this course, saying that it is even better than Augusta National!

It may take some doing, but schmoozing with a current member may very well be worth it.

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Nanea Golf Club,
72-2921 Kaupulehu Road,
Kailua Kona,
Hawaii (HI) 96740,
USA