Getting a Hawaii resident discount on county courses on Oahu is more difficult than getting that same discount on resort courses like Turtle Bay and Ko’olina. In order to get the resident discount on county courses like the Ala Wai Golf Course and the Pali Golf Course you need to obtain a Hawaii Golf ID Card.

To get your Hawaii Golf ID, you can’t just show up with your drivers license or you resident card and get it, nor do you just need 1 form of ID and your social security card like you do when getting your Hawaii State ID for Kama’aina discounts. Instead you need your picture ID and at least one of the following…

• Last year’s Hawaii State income tax return with W-2 form.
• Filed current year Hawaii State income tax return with W-2 form.
• Hawaii voter registration certificate.
• Current real estate property tax assessment document for your Hawaii residential property.
• Homeowner’s insurance policy for your Hawaii residence.
• An approved Hawaii State Tax Clearance Certificate (Form A-6) from the Hawaii State Department of Taxation (Applies to those individuals who don’t have a copy of their Hawaii State Tax return or are new filers)

Better yet you can only get them at one of three locations and only on specific days. The Ala Wai Golf Course on Tuesdays from 10 am to 2 pm, and Saturdays from 8 am to noon. The Pali Golf Course on Wednesdays and Saturdays from 8 am to Noon. And at the Ted Makalena Golf Course on Tuesdays and Saturdays from 8 am to Noon.

Make sure to call the starters offices at those locations before you go to make sure they’ll be issuing them. Somedays they might decide it’s too busy to issue them and you’ll have made the trip for nothing. Numbers and maps can be found at the golf course links in our directory under Oahu Golf Courses.

Although some may have their opinions on what makes a person kama’aina, for the sake of local discounts in Hawaii, you need to be a Hawaii Resident. Which means you need a state identification card of some sort. Either a Hawaii drivers license or a Hawaii State ID will do the trick. With this identification you can get tons of discounts from hotel rooms to discount golf rates, the kama’aina discount is there to show appreciation for local residents.

Where and how to get a state ID card:

The easier of the two is a state ID card because you don’t have to take a written test to get it. Depdenting on which island you live on you can get your Hawaii state ID card at the following locations Monday through Friday from 8:00 am to 2:00 pm.

Island of Oahu
Kekuanao’a Building
465 S. King Street, Rm. 102
Honolulu, Hawaii 96813

Island of Hawaii
Hilo
75 Aupuni St.
Hilo, HI. 96720
Phone: (808) 974-6265

Kona
75-5722 Kuakini Highway
Kuakini Tower, #215
Kailua-Kona, Hawaii 96740
Phone: (808) 327-4953

Island of Maui
2264 Aupuni St., Ste. #1
Wailuku, Hawaii 96793
Phone: (808) 243-5798

Island of Kauai
3060 Eiwa St., Rm. 106
Lihue, Hawaii 96766
Phone: (808) 274-3100

What you need to bring with you

1. A certified birth certificate issued by the state repository in the state where you were born;
2. A certificate of citizenship or naturalization;
3. A document for a child born abroad of American parents.;
4. A valid United States Passport if issued in your legal name.

And of course, your Hawaii residential address.

What can you get with your Kama’aina discount.

Golf. Golf courses are probably the place you get the biggest discount for being a resident. Island golf courses have reputation of being expensive. If you’re a tourist visiting Hawaii for only a week, you may only have this one time to play. But if you’re a resident it would be impossible for a lot of people to play regularly. With the Kama’aina discount, you can. Places like Turtle Bay and Luana Hills give you a round for almost a third of the regular price. Just show your state identification or drivers license.

For discounts on Honolulu county courses like the Ala Wai Golf Course and The Pali Golf Course see our section on obtaining a Hawaii Resident Golf ID Card.

Rentals. You can discounts on most rentals like kayaks, surf boards, snorkeling, scuba, and the like. Without a lot of room to stash your toys this can be a big help. Being able to rent a surfboard for a little cheaper down in Waikiki after you get done with work just makes you feel a little better about cutting out early to enjoy the waves.

Hotels. Hotels around the islands offer huge Kama’aina discounts. You can stay at a four star resort on Lanai for half price. A room that’s regularly $500 now costs you $250. It’s a great deal! Even Waikiki hotels offer a discount. This should definitely be utilized if you’re going to be traveling to other islands. It can be your excuse to finally go to that resort you never thought you could afford.

Golfing in Hawaii can be expensive, unless of course you’re Kama’aina (resident), then you can always find deals. Weekend, weekday, and twilight deals are at almost all the golf courses  in Hawaii, especially on Oahu.

The deals I like best on Oahu are the twilight deals at the nicer courses. Of course there are the county course deals where you can play twilight for like $5 or $6 but courses like Ko’olau, Luana Hills, and Olomana all have twilight deals that should allow you to fit in between 10 and 18 holes depending on what time of year you go and how crowded it is when you go.

Ko’olau is probably my favorite out of the bunch. Although it’s got one of the highest ratings and slope in the world, and you’ll loose at least 5 balls when you go, it’s beautiful and if you don’t care how you shoot, you’ll have a great time. Plus the Kama’aina rate for twilight is $29 at 2:00 pm and $22 at 3:00 pm. (I think those are the times, they shift a little throughout the year). The crowds here vary greatly. Some days there can be 5 people on the course, and others 100. Most of the time though it’s slow.

The next course is Luana Hills. Right across the way from Ko’olau  it’s just as tough and you’ll loose just as many balls. The prices are a little higher but the times are the same. This course sees a few more people than Ko’olau but you should be able to fit at least 10 holes in.

Last is Olomana. You won’t lose as many balls here but you won’t take as many shots during twilight either. This course is usually packed and they tend to send them out quite frequently after twilight hours. The cost is actually more expensive than Ko’olau and Luana Hills if you’re riding at $36. Sometimes I’ve fit in 18 holes but the last two are always dangerous as you’ll be playing in blackness.

Overall on the southeast sides of the island of Oahu these are the best Kama’aina deals I’ve found for Twilight. Let us know if you find more.