Hawaii has been experiencing a warm weathered and big waved winter season. With there really only being two seasons in Hawaii (summer and winter) many people decide it’s best to travel here during the months of November to April when the average daytime temperature is 78º (25.6º C).
Who wouldn’t want to spend their holiday vacation somewhere where the weather is this warm and the waves are as big as ever. With the ability to golf all day on lush ocean courses while witnessing Hawaii’s popular big waves, it’s a no brainer.
This year we have definitely not seen any shortage of big waves. Last week the Eddie Aikau Big Wave Invitational was held at Waimea Bay on the North Shore of Oahu for the first time since 2009. Waves were reaching 60 feet last Thursday afternoon, the biggest of the event's 31-year history. John John Florence came out the victor by besting a field full of some of the sport’s biggest names including Greg Long, Kelly Slater and Shane Dorian, all the while over 25,000 fans lined up along the shore to cheer them on.
John John had this to say about the final day of the contest, "I was riding my bike down here this morning in the dark, and just the energy of how many people were parked all the way down the street blew me away. I've lived here my whole life, and I've never seen it like that. Walking down the beach with people screaming, the energy was so crazy. I've never been a part of an event like this. It's definitely the highlight of my life." Thursday afternoon John John became the youngest ever to win the “Eddie” which isn’t that surprising considering he’s been attending the contest since he was 12 years old.
The North Shore of Oahu wasn’t the only place where the waves were firing. The same day of the Big Wave Invitational the newly reopened Kona Country Club Ocean Course on the Big Island of Hawaii saw its share of enormous waves.
It was a great day for golf and a spectacular site as the waves crashed up against the rocks, spilling over and onto some tee boxes and fairways. Walkers and joggers alike had to take extra precaution along the coast as they snapped pictures to avoid being splashed by the colossal ocean mist. My personal favorite and most eye-catching vista came on one of the courses signature holes, the par 4 13th, by the well-known blowhole which that day was spouting water over 20 feet high.
Kaneohe Bay View Golf Course, or simply referred to as, “Bay View”, is a pleasant, executive length course which offers somewhat demanding holes with impressive views. Most all the holes are well kept from tee boxes to fairways to greens, many of them with elevation changes that will challenge your club selection skills. It’s definitely a great place to go to work on that Phil Mickelson short game you’ve been dying to hone in on. The course overall has a very peaceful, serene feeling. Whether out on the course or just practicing on their multi-level practice range it gives you a nice, calming feeling…opposed to the typical standing-in-line-until-a-stall-opens type scenario that some other Oahu ranges can be subject to. The best thing is that golf at Bay View can be booked for just $45.00!
Another popular course on Oahu’s East Side is Olomana Golf Links. In my opinion this course is similar to Bay View just on a greater scale. It’s a regulation, 18 hole par 72 with a fascinating backdrop of the Ko’olau Mountains. Its challenges include a water hazard on almost every hole on the front 9, inside of which though are thousands of beautiful floating water lilies. My guess is so you’ll have something nice to look at while retrieving your water ball. So before booking for Olomana you may want to consider hitting up the practice range over at Bay View and prepare your iron game. Olomana also offers round-trip transportation to and from your Waikiki hotel, making it all the more convenient if you don’t have a rental car on island.
At this picturesque Championship Course the Pacific Ocean can be seen from every hole, and if you’re lucky enough to experience it on a clear day, you’re able to enjoy views of nearby islands Maui and Molokai. The coastline along this area of Oahu is probably one of the most favored and sought out by tourists that are visiting. This is possibly the most challenging of the three courses, with well placed bunkers and wind that is generally a factor late in the day. This course is always in excellent condition regardless of its busy play.
For more about golf on the East Side of Oahu. . .
Today I am pleased to announce the reopening of the much awaited Kona Country Club Ocean Course in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii. Kona C.C. first began renovating its “makai” course in May of 2013, making improvements such as updated bunkers, repaved cart paths, leveled fairways, improved tee boxes and new landscaping all throughout the course. I had the privilege of touring the course last week and conditions were terrific. As if the gorgeous mountain views and holes bordering the Pacific Ocean weren’t already enough, the greens and fairways are currently in the best shape I’ve ever seen them.
Kona Country Club will also be welcoming a new General Manager, Lee Kagawa, who was formerly the General Manager of Makalei Golf Club. If you happen to see Lee be sure and give him a warm aloha!
For more information about Kona C.C. or rates please click below.
