Maui Lani, The Dunes At

Robin Nelson designed The Dunes at Maui Lani to feel like something transplanted from the British Isles — an unusual ambition for a course sitting in the middle of Maui's central valley. Opened in 1999, it was built on an ancient sand dune system, one of the last remaining coastal dune formations in Hawaii, and Nelson leaned hard into that geology. The result is a layout of dramatic elevation changes, firm and fast playing surfaces, and deep natural bunkers that would look at home in coastal Scotland. It routinely earns recognition as one of the best public-access courses in the state, and for good reason — it plays nothing like a typical Hawaiian resort course.