I might go to Hawaii in a little bit, and I was wondering what are some nice, but not too expensive courses to play at in Oahu. Im guessing Hawaii's got tons of very nice courses, but I'm not looking to pay >$100 a round, since I have to rent clubs also...
take your sticks and pay wahtever it costs you to play at least one of the best courses. You will never forget it. I played Poipu Bay 4 yrs ago and stil remember almost every hole...
trudat, what island are you playing? A big factor on cost is whether you can find someone who can lend you a Hawaii ID. Here on Oahu, the most you'll pay for 18 holes at a "kama'aina" (resident) rate would be $70. There are a lot of good courses here for $40 to $50.
On the other hand, if you can't find a Hawaii ID, all of the decent courses here start at $125 for 18 holes. Club rentals will cost you more. If you're looking to pay less, the municipals are really your only option.
Let me know if you're coming to Oahu. If so, I'll give you a few recommendations for courses here with greens fees for both residents and non-residents.
Here are rates for some courses on Oahu I would recommend to a visitor. These are non-resident rates:
Kapolei - $90 on weekdays, $40 for twilight (after 2:30 PM), $100 on weekends
Ko'olau - $125, $75 after 1 PM
Coral Creek - $125. $75 after noon
Turtle Bay (Arnold Palmer) - $160
Of all of these, I think Kapolei would be the best bet. It's probably my favorite courses and I believe they hosted an LPGA event out there once. If you're just looking to get out on the golf course, here are some good inexpensive options:
Ewa Villages (municipal) - $42 anytime
Hawaii Kai - $60 after 12:30 PM on weekdays
New Ewa - $65 on weekdays
Pearl Country Club - $65 on weekdays
If you know someone in the military who can get you on base, Kaneohe Klipper is a good course. It will cost you the same as what residents pay since all civilians pay the same fees.
I usually play twilight here. The prices are better and the weather is certainly better than at say a 10 AM tee time where you'll be on the course at the hottest time of day. It'll be coolest in the morning but then, you'll have all of the dew to deal with. So I'd have to agree that twilight is the best time to play. The wind usually gets stronger in the afternoon but that's golf.
Out of all of the choices I listed, I'd go with Kapolei. That rate is good after 2:30 PM on weekdays only. I also should note that there's almost always a tournament there on Fridays and often on Thursdays, too. So call ahead as you can make a tee time for twilight.