Ala Wai Golf Course

Few urban golf courses carry as much democratic spirit as Ala Wai. Owned and operated by the City and County of Honolulu, this Oahu municipal has long served as the everyday course for locals who want a round without leaving the city — and for decades it has ranked among the busiest golf courses in the world by rounds played, a distinction that speaks to how deeply woven into Honolulu's fabric it has become.

The course sits in the heart of Waikiki, bordered by the Ala Wai Canal, with Diamond Head visible on the horizon and the density of urban Honolulu pressing in from every side. That setting is unlike almost anything else in American golf — a flat, walkable layout where the backdrop happens to be one of the most iconic landscapes on the planet. Palm-lined fairways, trade winds that shift throughout the day, and the perpetual hum of the city give rounds here a character no private club could replicate.

At par 70 it plays shorter than a traditional championship test, which suits its purpose perfectly. Ala Wai is not about exclusivity — it is about access, about giving everyone on the island a place to play.