Even though there are no tees marked and no permanent basket positions, there is a standard course played from week to week. There's no map, so it's impossible to go out there without a guide unless you want to play pure safari object golf. The local club meets at 4:00 on Wednesdays to play. On each hole the league members mark the tee and one person walks ahead to set up the basket. The basket is placed in the same general area each week, but there are several positions on many holes. The extra set up and positioning spotters takes extra time, so just be prepared. Since you sometimes have to skip holes, the hole numbering can change from round to round, so just be flexible. No hole lengths were available, but I'd estimate that they range from ~240 to ~400 ft. The tees were on dirt, grass, or concrete and were all level and fine. They're just as good as natural tees on other courses. Since it's a beach park there can be many other park users there, so there are potential safety issues on any hole. Always keep your eyes open, spot for each other, and keep safety first. Choosing Sand Island was a brilliant move, though. It's on the ocean and in Honolulu, yet it's not a tourist spot so there are fewer people to watch out for. There are beach restrooms about mid way through the course. The park has red volcanic soil mixed with sand, so I imagine that some holes can get pretty dusty in the summer; bring a towel for your discs. Also, bring water and sunscreen.
Course Level: It's probably a challenging White level course (most suited for Intermediate players rated 875-925). There were a number of holes that were tough to get a par 3 on.
So I hope that you can tell that playing at Sand Island is a unique experience. In spite of all of the limitations the scenery and ambience make up for it. To me it was well worth it just to play in Hawaii amidst magnificent scenery, near the ocean, with some friendly people. Now that you know what to expect, I'd recommend giving it a try if you're out there. Shaka!
<span class="underline">A note about my rating:</span> My rating is a subjective measure of my <span class="italic">enjoyment</span> of the course, on the day I played it, and it is NOT intended to be a measure of the <span class="italic">quality</span> of the course. My Enjoyment Ratings are given "on the curve" in relation to all other courses I've played.
Look in the "Links/Files" section for my files with Hole-by-hole ratings 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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