Kohanaiki

The architect Rees Jones built the 18-hole layout at the exclusive Kohanaiki Golf Club on the Big Island while renovating the Mauna Keacourse in 2008. Then, poor economic conditions caused delays for five years before the course was officially opened in the month of May.

This course forms the primary part of a estate of 450 acres that runs on one and a two-and-a half miles along the shoreline to the south of Kona international airport. It's the exclusive playground for the owners of the property and their guests, although there is some public play for Hawaiian residents on certain days of the week.

Kohanaiki is a unique environment, with 14 Ahu stone shrines as well as over 200 anchialine ponds can be found scattered across the black volcanic landscape. The sacred pools are connected to the ocean by lavas tubes, and the water that flows into the ponds fluctuates depending on the tide.

In the second nine The SeaDwarf Paspalum fairways are routed around these Hawaiian historical sites as well as numerous natural pools. Six of the holes are on the Pacific coastline, beginning at the par 5 long 12th that plays directly into the Ocean and featuring a hefty 250-yard drive off the white tees.

Four fantastic holes (two par threes and two par fours) are tucked into the shoreline, and all require a heroic shot across vast expanses of volcanic black rock. 14.4 hole is by far the best of this four holes, with the fairway flowing just a bit to the right, leading to an island green, which is completely covered by a sea of lava that has been solidified.