Turtle Bay Resort - Arnold Palmer Course

Oahu is a wonderful island but not known for having great golf courses. While you'll find better on Kauai and Maui this course was worth the hour drive. The Palmer course is the only one open but it was in very nice shape. and had some nice views.

Well I’ve never played before, watched it on TV, read many reviews over the years, voted best on Oahu…. The course layout is good to very good not great. Nobody there, got to play by myself ( which I love) caught up to a foursomes who let me play through.. very kind. The course is in fair shape with a few holes, tee boxes fair to poor. Really disappointing? I know they have had issues due to Covid etc but…. It’s a long way to Turtle Bay, a bit of a haul when you live on the other side and the traffic back ugh !!!
Now the unfortunate part most visitors don’t understand is the wind… 20 mph all day steady gusting 25-30, if you are not dead on with ball strickkng really magnifies your miss… enjoyable day, I just wouldn’t make the trek again for a round.. too many good tracks on the west side..

This is not my first AP designed course but it’s the one I’ll never forget. This course was amazing from all aspects. It was very challenging, testing your skill on almost every shot. Short dog legs, long dog legs, uneven lies, thick rough, it had it all. The wind was howling as it always does in Hawaii which made it play much, much longer at times. I’d guess we had 13 holes into the stiff winds, probably 7 on the front 9. Immaculate greens that rolled very true. Really a great test all around. The grass was unlike anything we’ve played on. Rough was very thick but not long. On shots in the rough around the greens, we had to go up high and land soft. Even short grass around greens, when grainy, we had to go up high and land soft. Just a very fun course all the way around. Thanks Arnie. May God rest your soul.

Course is in excellent shape, beautiful fairways and greens. Played in 3 hours and 35 minutes. Classic Palmer design. Still no rakes in the numerous bunkers due to Covid.

Holes challenging but fair, and of course the winds blew off the ocean making it more challenging, course helpers were great, it was five star day

I know this course has hosted PGA and LPGA tournaments in the past. However, they have let COVID lower them into a state on mediocrity. For the money they want you to pay this course, it should be in better shape. The bunkers don’t have a rake in sight nor is their a grounds keeper attending to any of the bunkers. The course layout is great and the course has the potential to play great with a little work. I drove by a municipal courses in Waikiki Beach that looked in better shape. My advice, wait until next year to play Turtle Bay.