Princeville North Shore Preserve
The Prince Course is an ultra-private, 18-hole championship golf course on Kauai's North Shore, known for its dramatic jungle-lined fairways and panoramic ocean views. It offers a challenging and exclusive experience with resort-level amenities for low-handicap golfers and members only.
- Jungle-lined fairways cascading toward ocean bluffs
- Cliff-edge par-3 over breaking surf
- Comfort stations stocked with mai tais, ahi sliders, and fresh-cut pineapple
- Panoramic views of Hanalei Bay and Namolokama range
Princeville North Shore Preserve is a private, members-only golf and residential club on Kauai’s North Shore, set in one of the island’s most polished and exclusive pockets. It stands out less as a casual sightseeing stop and more as a marker of how the North Shore blends dramatic scenery with high-end, tightly controlled access. For travelers, it matters mainly as the home of the famed Prince Course and as an example of a destination that is deeply tied to private membership rather than public visitation.
The Prince Course and the preserve setting
The centerpiece here is The Prince Course, an 18-hole championship layout designed by Robert Trent Jones Jr. It is known for a demanding, highly scenic routing that moves through dense tropical growth and along exposed coastal terrain. That combination gives the course its reputation: beautiful, but exacting. It is not the kind of place that softens the game. For golfers, the setting is a major part of the appeal, but the course’s difficulty is just as important a defining feature.
Around the course, the preserve functions as a low-density private community rather than a resort complex open to casual foot traffic. Members have access to hiking and biking trails, equestrian facilities, a wellness center, and private beach access, but those amenities are not general visitor offerings. The overall character is exclusive, quiet, and managed, with a guarded entrance and a strong emphasis on privacy.
Access is the main story
For most travelers, the key thing to know is simple: this is not a public attraction. There are no drop-in golf rounds, public trail access, or general day-use passes. Entry is restricted to property owners, club members, invited guests, and certain scheduled visits tied to real estate interest. That makes it very different from the many North Shore experiences that are open, casual, and easy to fold into a vacation day.
Because access is controlled, the preserve is not something to slot into an ordinary scenic drive unless you are specifically connected to the club. If that is not the case, it is better understood as a place to pass by, not a place to plan around.
Where it fits in a Kauai itinerary
Princeville North Shore Preserve sits in Princeville, just inland from some of Kauai’s best-known North Shore scenery. Its location makes it part of the broader Princeville–Hanalei orbit, where golf, resort stays, beaches, and bluff-top views often overlap. For members or invited guests, it can anchor a full day around golf and club amenities. For everyone else, it is more of a reference point within the North Shore than an activity stop in its own right.
Travelers seeking public-access golf in the area should look instead to Princeville Makai Golf Club, which offers a similar North Shore setting without the private-club barrier.
Best fit
This is best for property owners, club members, and invited guests who want a private club experience with serious golf and a highly managed setting. It also has obvious appeal for low-handicap golfers, since The Prince Course is known for being punishing and unforgiving.
Most vacationers should skip it and choose a public North Shore activity instead. The preserve’s appeal is real, but its access rules are just as real.
