The Mauna Kea course is one of the most dramatic and challenging ever designed by noted architect Robert Trent Jones, Sr. Built in 1964 on a 5,000 year-old lava flow from Mauna Kea (mountain), the piece de resistance is the magnificient third hole, which is one of the most challenging and most photographed over-the-water shots in the world. This renowned par-3 features an opening drive over a surging Pacific inlet.

To build this rugged beauty, rolling over 170 acres of gently sloping terrain, Jones had to clear away tough indigenous vegetation. Then, using crushed lava and coral reclaimed from the area, Jones developed fairways and greens that resemble a lush carpet, studded by flowers and trees amidst a volcanic desert.

Mauna Kea is ranked among "America's 100 Greatest" by Golf Digest and has received the coveted "Gold Medal" award as one of the 12 "Best Golf Resorts in America," from Golf magazine. Photographed in the late spring by our Links Design Team, this digitized version of world-renown Mauna Kea captures the stunning beauty of Hawaii's flora and fauna in their full bloom and most vibrant colors.