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The world’s busiest course is also one of the most loved in Hawai’i for its balance of challenge and playability – tradewinds may beat your ball back and slow play can test your patience, but the course is flat, there’s little water, and many friendly locals.

Affiliated with the Hawai’i Prince Hotel, and played frequently by visitors from Japan, this Arnold Palmer-designed course offers 27 subtly challenging holes. The flattish terrain is bedeviled by winds, tight fairways, and lots of water.

This enjoyable semi-private course designed by Robin Nelson manages to retain the character of the historic dryland ’Ewa Plain with its kiawe trees and preserved archaeological sites. The tight, manicured fairways and ubiquitous bunkers offer a fair challenge-to-reward ratio.

This emerald oasis carved out of a dusty plain by designer Ted Robinson is considered one of O’ahu’s most beautiful and challenging courses. It is also equipped with gorgeous distractions, including waterfalls and black swans. Expensive, but lots of discounts available.

This course in a historic valley overlooked by the island’s highest point, Mt. Ka’ala, is worth the drive. Eight water hazards, 107 bunkers and a treacherous wind call for strategic thinking. An easier sister course is next door.

Two courses are showcased on this 880-acre resort on O’ahu’s remote North Shore. The George Fazio Course has wide fairways and deep bunkers; the Palmer Course (by Arnie, of course) incorporates a “tropical links” of sun, wind, and sand on the front nine and a forested upland nine on the back.

Golfers travel a long and winding road at this course, nestled among the foothills of the dramatic Ko’olau mountain range. It has been rated among the top 100 courses by Golf Magazine and named O’ahu’s best by Golf Digest . Bring lots of extra golf balls and prepare for long holes, water hazards, and a difficult layout.

In the absence of water hazards and bunkers, the challenge of this undulating landscape is wet and often windy weather. But even duffers can enjoy meandering down swale and up hillside on sunny days.

Though it’s called a links, this much-played windward side course is in view of, but not right by, the ocean. It’s pretty, with the mountains as a backdrop and a network of ponds, but keep your eye on the ball and watch out for those little lakes.

This coastal course is a windswept beauty, with narrow fairways, lots of sand, and an ocean view from every tee. Be sure to sign your name on the leaves of the milo or “message” tree. A shorter Executive Course is also available.