The Hawaiian islands can (and do!) boast of a set of golf courses as beautiful and challenging as any comparably marooned collection on the planet. Every one presents spectacular ocean and mountain vistas and parades of palm trees. And without a doubt, the grande dame is Mauna Kea on the Big Island. Designed by Robert Trent Jones, this jewel opened in 1964 and was immediately deemed one of the finest seaside resort courses on the planet. It now has plenty of competition, of course, but the owners have countered with some subtle tweaking by one of Jones's sons, Rees. Mauna Kea is still on the short list. It's not a fancy layout, instead a classic one, and not overly long when played from the correct tee. But bite off more than you can chew and it will be a long day. Many approach shots are uphill and require an extra club or two, aimed at subtle green complexes that may help your ball find the surface--or may not. And the breezes blow.

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After highlighting Mauna Kea on your bucket list, add its sister course directly uphill. Designed by Arnold Palmer and Ed Seay, Hapuna opened in 1992. Again, playing the correct tee is mandatory: the trades can really blow up here. These greens are a little gentler and more receptive than Mauna Kea's, and the course is theoretically somewhat easier, even with the extra wind, but with the ocean just down the slope to the west and the massive volcanoes in every other direction, distraction is a distinct possibility. So take your pick. Better yet, enjoy both of these desert layouts on the edge of the Pacific Ocean. With Mauna Kea and Hapuna, lava never had it so good. 

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