At the end of January, Honolulu temporarily closed the municipal driving range at Ala Wai Golf Course to undergo renovations aimed at upgrading the field and its irrigation system. Initially, the reopening was anticipated in the spring.
Spring eventually passed, and summer followed, yet the range remained inaccessible. Now, fall is upon us.
“I suppose it’s under maintenance,” remarked golfer Jordan White, 28. “But it has been for quite some time.”
White has not visited the Ala Wai driving range yet, but he has made attempts to do so.
While at the Newtown Driving Range in ʻAiea last week, White noted he wanted to practice at Ala Wai earlier this year during a visit with his fiancée. However, upon inquiring about the hours, he found out it was closed.
“I even tried again weeks later,” he said, “curious about what was going on there.”
Located in the heart of urban Honolulu at the entrance off Kapahulu Avenue, Ala Wai is the city’s only golf course with a driving range, offering stunning views of Waikīkī’s skyline and the Koʻolau mountains. Before the renovation, the range operated from 6:30 a.m. to 9 p.m., managed by the Hawai‘i State Junior Golf Association/First Tee.
The closure of the driving range coincided with the completion of operations by the nonprofit Hawai‘i State Junior Golf Association along with its First Tee programs at Ala Wai, as stated in a city press release.
The city’s popular 18-hole golf course, one of the busiest on the island, remains in operation.
Another patron at Newtown, Randy Sonoda, 56, used to frequent the Ala Wai driving range. Living nearby, he often practices during his lunch breaks. He started golfing around four or five years ago and relies on the range to refine his swing skills.
Sonoda discovered the range’s renovation during a visit when he saw a sign indicating its temporary closure, which he initially expected to be brief. Now, he has turned to Newtown Driving Range instead.
“I no longer check for reopening updates,” he stated, reflecting the common perception that projects in Hawaiʻi often exceed expected timelines.
According to city spokesperson Ryan Wilson, the new target for the Ala Wai Golf Course driving range’s reopening is November. He mentioned that further details, including a specific reopening date, will be shared soon, along with expectations for extended hours and a new concessionaire to manage the facility.
Wilson explained that the delay was due to the renovation process taking longer than anticipated, involving significant improvements such as returfing and repairs to the irrigation system.
