I’m not sure how we ended up at Puakea Golf Course, perhaps at the recommendation of the concierge service. It’s a newer course with very slow greens and little trouble in the rough. There are mounds on either sides of many of the fairways that reminded me of Pete Dye designed courses. The course had a 1-3 club wind for most of the afternoon.
I was hitting the ball well off the tee on the front nine (shot 37 and left a few shots on the course), so I can’t speak too much to the trouble on the front nine. 
There was water in places, but it didn’t come into play too much. The par 3s on the front were both fun, with one being a significantly elevated tee shot and the other into the teeth of a 2 club wind. Putts had to be struck very firmly to get them to the hole, and some of the greens were a little inconsistent in their speed - they were playable though, good putts would go in.
I ran into a bit more trouble on the back, but recovery shots were definitely possible. You could generally get the ball near the green from a bad tee shot, and an up and down was a good possibility. I was around most of the par 5s in two, and some of the par 4s played just as long or longer than the par 5s due to the prevailing wind (number 9 is a good example - a good drive and a really good 4 iron to get on the green).
This ended up being a very fun course to play and the course staff was very friendly and helpful. I’d play this again, and try to go low. 
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Golf Lessons Birmingham adds this Comment:
Good review. This course looks beautiful. The layout looks like it would provide some fun relaxing play.
-Alan
April 25th, 2008 at 8:28 am