Kohanaiki Club

Kohanaiki sits along the Kona Coast of Hawaii's Big Island, a private club community where Rees Jones designed the golf course in collaboration with Steve Weisser. The layout opened in 2010 and occupies a dramatic stretch of black lava landscape between the Pacific Ocean and the lower slopes of Hualalai volcano. Jones routed the course to incorporate the natural lava formations, creating a links-style experience unusual for Hawaii, where the volcanic rock dictates strategy and frames holes rather than traditional rough or trees. The course plays across relatively flat terrain shaped by ancient lava flows, with the rock appearing in various forms—some holes feature smooth pahoehoe surfaces while others navigate rougher a'a formations. Several holes run directly along the coastline, and the routing takes advantage of prevailing trade winds that add complexity to club selection and shot shaping. The design emphasizes wide fairways and strategic bunkering, allowing multiple routes of play while the lava serves as a natural and unforgiving penalty area. Kohanaiki Club operates as a residential community with limited membership, and the golf course represents one component of a broader amenity package that includes beach access and other recreational facilities. The property's location on the leeward side of the Big Island provides relatively dry conditions year-round, and the course benefits from the dramatic contrast between dark lava, white sand bunkers, and the blue Pacific backdrop that defines this section of coastline.