Turtle Bay Resort - Arnold Palmer Course

The Palmer Course at Turtle Bay provides some of the most spectacular island and ocean views you could hope for. The course was in fabulous shape with some of the best greens I've played on this year. Two of us played and our wives rode with us. ($25 rider fee is more than reasonable.) The winds made it challenging, but even then the course was extremely fun to play and we had a fantastic, fun day. After our round we had a really, really good lunch at the clubhouse grill (I recommend the chargrilled burger). The staff in both the restaurant and the club house were very friendly. I've played six different courses in Hawaii and this one is hands down my favorite. You cannot go wrong with this course!

I usually play this course 2-3 times a year. For the last couple of years I have been a member of the Turtle Bay Golf Play program which give me access to some great deals on tee-times for this course.
It's really two different styles of course - Front 9 a bit more of a linksy' layout. Back nine winds it way through the woods bordered by by wetlands. Only one of the 18 holes do you see the ocean (#17), wind is always a challenge, particularly on the front nine. I have yeat to play from the blue tee's, which I will liklely do the next time I play this course, Playing fromt the Gold, if your t-shot is with the wind, you can end up in some trouble. Either put away the driver or move back a tee.
Look for the old Marconi Radio Station on #14 and use the coolers on your cart if you buy a sandwich from the roving cart (the Mongoose on this course are downright criminal).

I was expecting more from a $185.00 course in Hawaii. Only a few holes had ocean views and the staff friendliness was marginal at best.

Pace of play was good, course layout and difficulty made for a fun time, just dissatisfied with the treatment from the staff.

This is the most challenging course I have played. That is in comparison to the Florida Disney courses, also managed by Palmer. I am a 15 handicap and played the blues (6700 yds). There are hazards in play on virtually all shots, and you are penalized if you spray the ball. Course in great shape. Greens, bunkers, fairways all perfect. Bring your A game and enjoy the scenery around you. It is beautiful.

Course condition was great. Very well layed out course with many blind shots and more water than I thought there would be. Definitely will play the course differently next time as I hit driver when I should have layed up on a couple holes. You'll see. Service was great. Cons: Lack of drinking water on the course. Believe their was two places and it was warm. No ball washers. Seriously could they not afford to buy them? It's easy to get lost going to the tee box. You do not tee off near the clubhouse. You drive like 5 minutes to get to the 1st tee box. Keep this in mind, as I was almost late for my tee time. Driving range is ok, not great, but you don't have to hit off mats. Overall I would definitely recommend. Beautiful course, fun layout, just don't expect to be playing next to the ocean.

I often play the Fazio course adjacent to the Palmer course. The Palmer course is in another class all together. An immaculately groomed 18 holes. Every shot needs to be made with care and calculation. The Palmer course offers a very challenging round, but does have gold and white tees to ease the pain. The greens are very well manicured and roll true. I would recommend this course to anyone that want play a enjoyable round with great scenery. The day we played the surf was very large and a great spectacle to let your mind relax between shots. I will play there again at my next opportunity. Go Play!

With all the hype surrounding this course I was disappointed with the condition of the greens. The tee boxes and fairways were in good shape but my berber carpet at home rolls smoother. Also, they need to educate their staff on how to adjust their rental clubs. I had to show them how it is done.

I was disappointed with the " normal style"of this golf course, for the price, the name, ....average! one hole on the water, foe a better price play the Hawaiian prince!

Fun course, greens were a little rough the day I played. All skill levels would have fun playing. Very open layout.

Always in decent shape. Can play long if it's a windy day!! Bunkers and BLIND water hazards can make it challenging so be sure to take a guide or study your map on the back nine! Rarely crowded on weekdays.

I played this course twice last year and it was a wonderful golf experience. Course conditioning was excellent and scenery was spectacular. A fair course with wide fairways and demanding second shots. Look forward to playing again in the future.

If you hav not had the pleasurable experience of playing a round of golf at the Palmer course at Turtle Bay, you have not truly experinced the joy of golf on the North Shore. Awesome fairways and greens, play for fun on the white or lower tees OR challenge yourself and friends from the blue or black. Either way you will enjoy your round thoroughly.

This course is the jewel of Oahu. It runs along the North Shore coastline and the views are spectacular! There are challenges galore at each of the four tees. My honey and I played from the gold and the red. The fairways are pristine and the greens fast. The afternoon wind keeps you thinking and the "risk/reward" holes are plentiful! After the round stop by Lei Lei's and have a home made chocolate cookie! All around, this course is well worth the money!

Great course, very friendly staff. The greens were amazing; super smooth and consistent. It's not along the coast, but the placement of trees and rocks make it a beautiful course. Not cheap though ( I'm used to military rates). The rental clubs are new Titleists and Scotty putter; sweet.

Play the Palmer at Turtle Bay? No doubt about it, the Palmer never fails to please. Anticipation rises on the drive to the course, and from the first tee to holing out at 18, it doesn't let you down. It's a golfing challenge for all skill levels surrounded by the natural beauty of the North Shore. Then, there's Lele's!

Clubhouse is like an old municipal, could use a refresh in a big way. Food and service are very good, though. Range is beat up and doesn't represent the quality of the golf course. VERY long drive to first tee. First 2 holes are bland but the strength of the course builds with every hole after that. By the 4th hole you can see that this is an outstanding design and the back nine is fantastic. Fairways were absolutely perfect carpet. Same with most tee boxes. Unfortunately, greens were very bumpy and beat up. Hopefully they will get that squared away and this will be a tremendous experience. The final 3 holes are spectacular. Standing on the 17th green is special. Great challenge from the 6,800 yd tees for this 8 hdcp.

Beautiful but brutal golf course, long off the tees into a ferocious tradewind blowing from the Northeast. Your concentration is challenged by impossibly long holes and gorgeous oceanscapes. Good humbling experience.

The last time I played the Palmer course at Turtle Bay nearly two years ago, I got pummeled with rain and couldn't finish the round. My latest round was bathed in sunshine and the beauty of Oahu's north shore. The okay front nine eventually gives away to a fun and challenging back nine. Our foursome was test-driving a new 'Golf Skate Caddy', a cool cross between a motorized golf cart and skate board that made the day even more interesting. Golfers who drove the one-man machine gave mixed reviews. I enjoyed it and thought it was easy to use and a perfect way to add a little spice to the golf experience at Turtle Bay. Back to the course, the Palmer can be tamed if there's no wind. When the breeze kicks up, balls tend to find the bunkers and water that frame the target lines. It's as good as resort golf gets on Oahu.

Turtle Bay's Arnold Palmer course hasn't hosted the PGA Tour like Kapalua's Plantation course on Maui, but it is one of the most celebrated tournament courses in the Hawaiian islands. It has hosted:
• The inaugural Champions Tour Skins Game (1988#
• The Champions Tour’s Turtle Bay Championship #2001-2008#
• The LPGA Tour’s SBS Open at Turtle Bay #2005-2009#
• The Turtle Bay Resort Hawaii State Open #2009-2011)
• The Golf Channel’s “Big Break”
Water takes center stage on the Palmer. Too bad that doesn't include the ocean often enough.The layout flirts with the fabled North Shore, but never ends up kissing it intimately. The excellent 17th hole, a sand-splashed par-4, ends at an elevated green overlooking the water. The green of the par-5 18th hole provides a glimpse of crashing waves between the trees. It's a good finish to a solid test of golf.

I can't believe I almost missed out on playing this course because I didn't have a way to get there! Luckily I was able to find HiGolfGuide just in time, and they were able to give my wife and I a free ride. It does take a long time to get out there, but on the way you get a nice little tour of the island. We started early and actually played the Fazio Course in the morning and the Palmer Course right after lunch. The Fazio course was nice but the Palmer course was awesome. The greens were flawless and approach shots didn't even make a mark! The fairways were like carpet, but the rough was penalizing. The layout was great too, requiring a wide array of shots. This course fulfilled all of my expectations, and I look forward to playing here again. One of the nicest courses on the island.