We shared our visit to Mauna Lani and the magnificent views the course had to provide. Now we focus attention on Kona Country Club, located about 6 miles from downtown Kona, Hawaii. Located on the western side Big Island this course enjoys plenty of sunshine, great views, and of course amazing golf.
Kona CC is nestled between various hotels and resorts but isn’t affiliated with any of the surrounding properties. Fully stocked pro-shop, driving range (with limited distance rules), putting green, chipping complex and a full restaurant are just a few of the amenities provided by the club. This William Bell design incorporates large greens with various elevation changes to make for a fun layout. The course is a lot more open than Mauna Lani, which allows even less experienced players a chance to make par.
This Par 72 Championship course plays at 6657 yards from the Black tees. What the course lacks in length, it makes up with hole design. A few sharp dog legs, elevation changes, and lava rock are just a few of the obstacles you’ll face. The par 3 12thhole is the signature hole at Kona CC. Players get a great view of the Pacific on roughly 7 holes. There aren’t very many fairway bunkers, and only a handful of green side traps. Most par 5’s are reachable in two for bigger hitters. The greens of Kona CC are what will eat you up. Many of the greens are very big, undulating speed demons. The toughest part of playing here was reading the greens. The course is built on the side of a volcano, so if you aren’t paying attention, that downhill put really is going UP the side of a mountain. Bell does a great job of deceiving golfers in the LA area, and he definitely brought that mentality to Kona when he created this club.