Hawaiʻi just got its first Gold Signature Sanctuary course, one of only 14 worldwide
- Jake Nicholas
- 14 hours ago
- 1 min read
Kohanaiki has officially set a new benchmark for sustainable golf in Hawaiʻi.
The private club community on the Kona Coast of the Big Island has earned the prestigious Gold Signature Sanctuary certification from Audubon International—becoming the first course in the state to achieve the designation and one of just 14 worldwide to reach this level.
Designed by Rees Jones, the 18-hole, 7,400-yard layout at Kohanaiki was recognized for its deeply integrated environmental strategy, where course design and ecological stewardship operate as one system.
The certification reflects a wide-ranging effort across the property, including the restoration of rare anchialine ponds, protected habitat zones for the native Hawaiian stilt (Aeʻo), and the use of drought-tolerant, native landscaping to reduce irrigation demand.
Advanced water conservation systems, long-term environmental monitoring, and low-impact maintenance practices further reinforce the course’s ecological performance, alongside measures like no-mow zones, wildlife refuge areas, and seasonal protections during nesting periods.
“A pillar of Kohanaiki is to embrace and protect the natural environment, which is reflected in everything we do on property,” said David Reese, President & CEO of Kohanaiki. “Achieving the Audubon International Gold Signature Sanctuary certification for our course showcases how our everyday practices and initiatives contribute to the greater good of the ecosystem.”
Set across a dramatic lava landscape with oceanfront holes and expansive fairways, the course pairs high-level playability with a model for what future golf development can look like—where performance, design, and environmental responsibility are built into every layer of the experience.
