Hawaii County’s subsidized golf program continues in 2023 at two West Hawaii locations.
The Village Course at Waikoloa in South Kohala and Makalei Golf Course in North Kona will each offer reduced rates for residents of Hawaii County for six months.
Through the subsidized golf program, Hawaii County residents qualify to play an 18-hole round of golf, including golf cart usage, for $40. Senior and junior rates also apply with residents 60 years of age or older paying $35 and those under age 18 paying $20. The rates apply to all tee times, from 7 a.m. up until 60 minutes before sunset, regardless of the day of the week, and includes cart.
The discounted rate will be applied to first 1,166 rounds at The Village Course at Waikoloa and the first 1,200 rounds of golf at Makalei Golf Club each calendar month. Once those rounds have been played, the golf courses can revert to a rate schedule of its own determination until the count resets the next month.
Makalei Golf Club and The Village Course at Waikoloa each was awarded a $125,000 contract Dec. 12, 2022, to offer the rounds to provide West Hawaii residents parity with East Hawaii residents able to use the public Hilo Municipal Golf Course. The subsidy program was allocated $250,000 in the 2022-23 budget.
The county initiated the subsidy program back in 2006 under former Mayor Harry Kim’s second administration to bring parity to West Hawaii because the Hilo Municipal golf course is the only county-owned facility on the island.
At the start, the Waikoloa Village and Makalei golf clubs received $350,000 each to provide $25 golf rounds. By fiscal year 2008-09, the county was spending $1.1 million a year to offer $25 18-hole rounds at the two clubs.
The program continued, albeit with some changes such as offering $10 off at more golf courses, until 2012 when then-Mayor Billy Kenoi eliminated the $500,000 spent annually as part of budget cuts. At the time, however, no cuts were made at the Hilo Municipal Golf Course, which also received $500,000 in taxpayer funds, though fees were increased.
The West Hawaii program was finally revived in January 2020 under Kim’s third administration, and has continued since.
Today, the Hilo Municipal Golf Course derives monies from the golf course fund, which is the reservoir for revenues from golfing activities and concessions. That fund was budgeted at $790,000 this fiscal year. Currently, greens fees are $20 weekdays and $27 weekends and holidays for Hawaii residents. Non-residents pay $40 weekdays and $47 weekends and holidays. Cart fees are extra.
To qualify for the Hawaii County resident rate, individuals must present a valid Hawaii Driver’s License or Hawaii State Identification Card at check-in time for payment and play. Youth can qualify for the junior rate, if they do not hold a driver’s license or state ID, by showing a student ID card and proof of date or birth or be accompanied by a parent age 18 or older, and provide their birth certificate.
In addition, all golfers must provide their full name and home address at check-in time to qualify for the reduced rates.
Residents are also allowed to bring onto the course their own snacks and non-alcoholic beverages for personal consumption during play with restrictions on the type and size of containers, regardless of the course’s rules. Coolers, however, are prohibited.
