Waikiki Beach & Golf A Great Combination
By Bryan Outram/BC Golf
Not many excursions can beat a trip to the tropical islands of Hawaii. There are several islands to choose from and each one offers something a little bit special or unique from the other.
Having visited the island of Maui on a few occasions in the recent past, it felt like the time was right to revisit an ‘old haunt’ and get reacquainted with Honolulu and the renowned Waikiki Beach on the island of Oahu.
Every year, Kapalua Resort on Maui and Waialae Country Club in Honolulu, Oahu, take turns sharing the spotlight as the PGA TOUR makes its season-opening swing through Hawaii.
Between those two iconic golf properties, along with a host of resort, municipal and accessible semi-private courses, there’s no shortage of exceptional golf destinations that travellers to Hawaii can enjoy.
And having the opportunity to attend a PGA TOUR event in Hawaii is in itself a very attractive endeavour. But if you add in teeing it up yourself in this tropical paradise, well there aren’t many trips more alluring for a golf junkie.
My travelling companion and I made the decision this year to take in the Sony Open in Honolulu (get tickets for 2025 HERE), held annually right after the season-opening Sentry Tournament of Champions at Kapalua. We had attended that event the year before and added time to enjoy some golf along with other attractions the island has to offer and we wanted to do something similar this year in Waikiki.
On the suggestion of an associate, who has a very intimate knowledge of Waikiki and Honolulu, we booked ourselves into the Surfjack Hotel, located quite conveniently less than a five-minute walk from renowned Waikiki Beach and some of the most famous shopping spots in the world.
Their website tells you they believe that “True Hawaiian hospitality is about treating your guests like they were part of your ohana” (Hawaiian for family).
Whereas many Hawaiian lodgings may make a similar claim, I have to say the sense of belonging and comfort here was evident from the moment we arrived. And of course, if you are a dog owner and would love the opportunity to have your four-legged family member along for the vacation this is the place for you. Any dog, any size, stays for free.
Plus, you can meet Jack, the hotel dog. On the 2nd Tuesday of the month, Jack is in the Swim Club at 3 pm to meet guests. You can also let guest services know you’re looking to hang out with Jack and they’ll point out where he can be seen on his second-floor lanai above the pool and you’re welcome to visit if you see him there.
Foremost among the many thoughtful amenities found here is the beautiful pool with the quaint and very amusing slogan ‘Wish You Were Here’ emblazoned on the bottom. One wonders how many photos from the lanais overlooking the pool have been sent to friends and family around the world with just a touch of good-natured bragging about being by the pool in Hawaii.
The pool area is in fact the hub for many of the activities that take place at the Surfjack, which only makes sense as the hotel is known as The Surfjack Hotel & Swim Club (click HERE to see what’s on tap at the Swim Club).
The complimentary Surfjack Cafe Lux proprietary blend coffee that is available poolside every morning is a nice touch. As is the purified water station that is well worth filling up your water bottles at before going for a walk in the warm Hawaiian sun.
Right next to the front desk is ARVO, a relaxed and friendly spot with fresh pastries, bagels and, a personal favourite, the ham & cheese toastie, as well as a great selection of freshly brewed coffee and lattes.
For full meals and ‘Happy Hour’ specials, Mahina & Sun’s restaurant is also situated right alongside the pool and offers a wonderful menu, featuring fresh local ingredients and the ‘catch of the day’. You really can’t go wrong with anything off this menu and on more than one occasion we found ourselves getting food to go so we could enjoy it back in our room.
One doesn’t do that if they don’t care for their room much. At the Surfjack the rooms are very reflective of classic Hawaiian culture including artwork sourced from local artists.
You can choose from a one-room bungalow (they have a one-room bungalow penthouse as well), 1, 2 or 3-bedroom suites or the 1-bedroom suite penthouse. Amenities in the rooms can vary but the popular 1- bedroom suite (such as the one we stayed in) includes a private lanai, king bed & a sofa bed, WiFi Internet, air-conditioning, refrigerator, 40-50" flat screen TV, in-room safe & much more.
Oh, and they also boast the most affordable parking in Waikiki at $10 a day. You can utilize that parking or take advantage of the many public transportation options in Honolulu. And of course, there’s always Uber, which we used to get from door to door for our golf outings at two of the nicer facilities on Oahu.
HOAKALEI COUNTRY CLUB
"Hoakalei"
Hoakalei means "reflection of a lei" and comes from a Hawaiian legend about the volcano goddess Pele and her sister Hi'iaka's journey across the island chain to retrieve Pele's lover Lohiau. In the story, Hi'iaka crossed the Ewa Plain and came to see a reflection of herself in a spring while adorned with garlands of lehua blossoms (thus the "reflection of a lei" translation).
Hoakalei Country Club is located in Ewa Beach about 30 minutes from the Honolulu airport and around 45 minutes from Waikiki. The Ernie Els-designed layout has played host to the LPGA Lotte Championship (won by Canada’s Brooke Henderson in 2018 and 2019) since 2012. It is scheduled for November 6 – 9 this year.
Measuring 7,413 yards from the tips, Hoakalei is the longest course in Hawaii, but with 5 sets of tees ranging to 5,035 yards from the forward tees, it welcomes all skill levels. The course features 112 strategically placed bunkers with 9 water features coming into play on 13 of the 18 holes. The layout was designed taking into account the local trade winds which allows the course to potentially play differently from day to day.
We found the golf course to be all you’d want from a challenge and condition perspective to the views and extremely jovial & helpful staff. One would expect those elements from a private club that hosts an LPGA Tour event, but it’s always nice to actually experience it as well.
Although Hoakalei is a private course, access is doable, as they have both resident and non-resident memberships (there is currently a waitlist). One member at the club is retired Air Force Fighter pilot, Paul McGillicuddy, who also hosts visionquestgolf.com check out his very entertaining and humorous review of his home course HERE. He also asks anyone who is visiting the area to contact him and he'd love to get out and play a round with you. Worth a shot.
KAPOLEI GOLF CLUB
Kapolei Golf Club bills itself as ‘The Premium Public Golf Club on Oahu.’ Designed by architect Ted Robinson (best known for the Sahalee Country Club in the Pacific Northwest, 20 miles east of Seattle), Kapolei features five lakes that appear on 12 holes (including every hole on the back nine), elevated greens and some 80 bunkers to navigate.
The course also features wide fairways with many of the holes having collection areas around the greens. That can assist nicely in the pursuit of the very desirable ‘up and down’ we all seek when not able to hold the putting surface with our approach shot.
Covering over 190 acres of a former sugar cane plantation Kapolei Golf Club was rated 4 1/2 stars out of five on Golf Digest’s Places to Play listing and earned the Honolulu Star Advertiser’s People’s Choice Award as “Best Course on Oahu” in 2010 and 2014.
Kapolei, which hosted the LPGA Tour’s Ladies ‘Hawaiian Open’ from 1996 to 2001 and PGA Champions Tour ‘Pacific Links Championship’ from 2012 to 2014 is located about 20 minutes west of the Honolulu airport or a little over half an hour from central Waikiki.
Kapolei Golf Club also boasts a modern 12,000-square-foot clubhouse, a golf shop with all the top-name brand attire, a full-service restaurant and private locker rooms. There is also a snack shop located at the West end of the building, ideally situated for golfers making the turn.
Visit www.kapoleigolf.com or call 808-674-2227 to book your tee time