Honolulu, HI

University of Hawaii - Manoa

Permanent course
2.425(based on 6 reviews)
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5 0
bpartrid
Experience: 12.6 years 81 played 27 reviews
2.50 star(s)

ALOHA!!! 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Jul 28, 2013 Played the course:once

Pros:

The course is in Hawaii!!! This is basically the only course on the island where a military ID or other people aren't needed in order to play. This course is for the most part enjoyable and makes pretty good use of the small campus. For most targets there are green lines on the trees and black lines on poles. If you are a visitor all you really have to bring is a mid-range or fairway driver that you can also putt with. This isn't a very technical course but just nice and fun.

Cons:

You know the cons before you even get there, since you know it is a target course on a crowded campus with cars and people. The printable course map on this website is sometimes misleading. Overall, the course does not challenge the intermediate player and could be dangerous for a beginner without accuracy.

Other Thoughts:

This a must play for any avid disc golfer, since you are in hawaii !!! I'm sure getting some locals to show you around would be very helpful but it is unnecessary to play the course. Using the printable course map on this website is more than capable of directing you through the holes. If you are observing well you should be able to see the green lines on the trees and black lines on the poles for the target areas. Sure, those are Hawaii's colors, however, I would have placed a brighter color to stick out more, but may be the university wouldn't allow that.

ALOHA and MAHALO !!!
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2 0
Ranger Rick
Experience: 11.6 years 53 played 15 reviews
3.50 star(s)

2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:May 25, 2013 Played the course:once

Pros:

it's Hawaii! The weather is always warm, and inviting.
The best thing about this course is the locals!
Great mix of shots, with lots of fun possibilities.

Cons:

No tee signs, tee pads, baskets, or even a correctly mapped layout. I completely understand though, and it is awesome that the group has put together a course even against the odds!

Other Thoughts:

Gen, David, Joe, and the rest of the HDGC were amazing. I posted on their forums, and immediately received several emails about playing with them. They really put the aloha spirit into playing the game!

Bottom line - if you are going to be on Oahu, and want to play disc golf, call Gen, don't hesitate. He will go out of his way to make sure you have a good time!
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8 0
Magiken
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 14.6 years 74 played 74 reviews
3.00 star(s)

City golf is fun! 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 13, 2012 Played the course:once

Pros:

• Nice shot variety
• Interesting views and objectives from hole to hole
• Friendly folks

Cons:

• You can't really navigate this course without a local, particularly right now with all the construction.
• People and the occasional window are in play

Other Thoughts:

Tips:
• Give Gen a ring. He's a real cool dude.

Random Thoughts:
For starters, you're in Hawaii and it's tough to beat that. This also represents the first time I've played a course in a city area which was pretty cool although a bit tricky as it's not just about the route to the basket (object in this case) but it's also about avoiding the OB, buildings, trees, and students. Just about every shot is a tight one, even those that are more out in the open, and even an excellent drive could leave a challenging putt, and putts are already challenging because this is an object (i.e. tree and light pole) course. I imagine another fun fact is that the course probably changes from week to week with all the construction going on and the limitless options for tee areas. In any event, there will be no shortage of shot shapes to choose from. I can also say that this was the first time I've played a fair amount of a single round in the rain. While I did slip once, I was surprised that the rain didn't affect the flight paths all that much. The bigger factor was the wind patterns between the buildings. Be prepared to see some instant rises and falls of your disc out of nowhere. With all that said, I would say that par is very attainable on this course. Certain mistakes are VERY punishing but for the most part, if you're smart and a little conservative, you'll have a good shot at an easy par and the occasional birdie.

Bottom Line:
Give Gen a ring. He's a real nice casual guy who was very accommodating with showing us around and making adjustments as challenges came up (construction). He's also a pretty good player as well who is great about sharing tips. So give him a buzz and go have some fun at the lovely UofH.
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6 1
puaahunter
Bronze level trusted reviewer
Experience: 14.8 years 45 played 36 reviews
2.50 star(s)

well thought out, limited play window 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Oct 11, 2009 Played the course:once

Pros:

it's really the only course on oahu. [except for the temporary ones the club sets up]

it has a good mixture of right, left, and straight shots.

it starts and ends well.

the guys in the Hawaii Disc Golf Club are great guys. their website [found under links] is very helpful.

Cons:

no baskets. unmarked course.
[i understand why, though!]

you can only play the course on sundays because of all the people on campus.

there are building hazards. i could have potentially busted some windows, but luckily, didn't.

you can only play the course with clubbers because it is very unmarked. it would be just about impossible to play without having gone through it once.

Other Thoughts:

i really enjoyed my time playing with the guys from the HDGC. they were very kind. they had discs to sell, which was nice.

if you're visiting the island on a sunday, give Gen a call. you won't regret it.
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10 0
JR Stengele
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 23.9 years 251 played 191 reviews
1.50 star(s)

University of Hawaii - O'ahu 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 12, 2009 Played the course:once

Pros:

As Olorin stated in his great review below, the course is located directly in the middle of the UH campus (Hole 1 by Varney Circle). Driving directions are very easy to follow getting there from Waikiki (about 5 minutes). Bathrooms are accessible in many of the campus buildings.

As you play this object course you have the opportunity to see some amazing tropical trees, plants, and flowers (many are labeled explaining name and origin) making it feel as if you are playing in a giant botanical garden. For being object, the course provides some excitement including a few elevation shots, doglegs both left and right, and several OB chances which adds to the degree of difficulty. Targets are a variety of things including light posts, palms, banyan trees, and even a fire hydrant. Tee pads were a mixture of cement, grass, and dirt. On each target there were two dark green strings (one about 3 feet up and the other 5 feet) indicating where exactly to throw.

Cons:

The course for the most part (although in Hawaii) was fairly simple and lacked some imagination at times considering there was plenty of room for some really intricate designs. Most holes ranged from 200-350 feet which seemed appropriate but had you throwing over parked cars which felt a bit sketchy at times depending on your accuracy.

The fact that there are no baskets, signs (for the hole or to the next tee pad), or permanent tee pads, the course would be impossible to play unless you download a map from the HDGA website. Even with a map it was a bit confusing trying to read the written directions as it contradicts the picture map at times (mainly around holes 6-8). Also, the course is currently 16 holes due to construction around holes three and four.

Other Thoughts:

Every time I play in Hawaii it is truly a pleasure, as the locals are always friendly and the locations are breathtaking. Whether it be on the north shore or in Honolulu, the sun, trade winds, and tropical plant life make for a truly memorable experience. Someday I hope to see a permanent course on this incredible island or at least a course that can be played by outsiders without a local guide any day of the week. For now though any disc golf is better then no disc golf so it is nice that the HDGA has something set up even if it is temporary. If you are in O'ahu and have some spare time I recommend trying to get a round in on a Sunday at the UH as it is quite the experience.
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15 1
Olorin
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 44.9 years 966 played 116 reviews
1.50 star(s)

In the middle of the campus, with lots of scenic foliage 2+ years

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Dec 7, 2008 Played the course:once

Pros:

<span class="underline">NOTE:</span> You have to understand that on O'ahu there are almost insurmountable roadblocks that prohibit any permanent courses from being installed, therefore, the island players can only do the best that they can under these conditions. With this in mind, my review criteria are much different than they normally are. Because of the unique circumstances on O'ahu I gave this course lots of grace, and my rating was also higher than a comparable course on the mainland would rate. Hey, just being in Hawaii bumps it up!

To me, the greatest feature was the vast variety of tropical trees, flowers, and bushes. Many of the trees have identification signs, so here are some that I saw-- banyan, breadfruit, tamarind, false olive, palms, kumoni, Cuban royal palm, date palm...
The island players are very friendly and helpful in showing you around.
There are good fairway lines to the targets with manicured grass and scattered trees and foliage. There aren't too many wide open shots, nor are there any technical tunnel shots.
There's a pretty good balance of fairways with 8 Straight/ 6 to the left/ 4 to the right.
There are a pretty good variety of elevation changes with 4 Flat/ 6 Up/ 8 Down, but the elevation differential isn't too large. The greatest change was a drop of ~15 ft.
The tees are a mixture of sidewalks and grass and they're quite adequate.
There are restrooms available inside some of the university buildings.
You can play in shorts and sandals year round.

Cons:

There are no baskets, no tee signs, and no marked tees. The tees aren't allowed to be marked and if the target marking is too obvious then if gets vandalized or removed. That makes them all the harder to find, though. The targets are usually marked by green wire with a zone that you have to hit within. There is a map, but many of the holes are different from the map, as well as the numbering, so it would be impossible to navigate the course without a guide.
-The course plays through the middle of the campus, so there are TONS of potential safety issues. To me this is the greatest drawback of the course. Always use spotters, be careful, and be patient when necessary. Please make sure to carefully read the notes in the DGCR "Course Description" section before you go there.
-The course can only be played on Sunday mornings. Please DO NOT play there at any other time because there are too many people that you might hit!

Other Thoughts:

Course Level: Probably White (most suited for Intermediate players rated 875-925)

Although hole lengths aren't available, most of the hole lengths were pretty similar, probably between 250-350 ft.
Playing here took me back to my roots. It brought back nostalgic memories of when I first started playing "frisbee golf" on a campus course (UVA) that we invented in the late 70s. Being in the midst of so many buildings is not a very natural setting, though. Of course, with modern golf discs you also have to be especially vigilant to avoid hitting people, cars, or even windows. For that reason, I think this course is a great candidate for the new larger "Super Class" discs. All in all I appreciate the efforts to have a disc golf course at UH, in spite of many challenges, and I was really glad to be able to play in Hawaii.

NOTE: Look in the "Links/Files" section for my files with Hole-by-hole evaluations, and a more detailed Overall review. You can also read more of my review philosophy and rating notes at Disc Golf Course Reviews
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