Robin Nelson

Kohala Coast, HI

The North Course at Mauna Lani is an 18-hole, par-72 course on the Kohala Coast of Hawaii Island, designed by Homer Flint and opened in 1981. It plays 6,913 yards from the back tees to a rating of 74.4 and slope of 136. The routing runs through a kiawe forest and past a 230-acre protected archaeological area near the northern boundary. The par-3 17th, roughly 140 yards, plays from an elevated tee to a green set in a natural lava amphitheater. The course was built on lava with imported topsoil and is the companion to Mauna Lani's South Course.

Victor, NY

Ravenwood Golf Club in Victor opened in 2002, designed by Robin Nelson on a former cornfield and soybean farm east of Rochester in the Finger Lakes region. The public par-72 course plays 7,083 yards from the back Burgundy tees, with a course rating of 73.9 and a slope of 139. Wetlands on the site were incorporated into a series of lakes and drainage corridors rather than filled in, keeping earthmoving to a minimum. The layout moves through wooded hills and open meadowland with five sets of tees and bentgrass tees, greens, and fairways.

Kahului, HI

The Dunes at Maui Lani is a public, 18-hole course in Kahului, Hawaii, built on naturally occurring sand dune terrain, unusual for the Hawaiian Islands. Architect Robin Nelson designed the course, which opened in 1999, using minimal earth-moving and instead shaping holes around the existing dunes, kiawe trees and rock outcrops. The layout plays in the style of an Irish links course, with partial blind shots, significant elevation change and firm, undulating greens, and the constant trade winds common to Maui make low, running shots important to scoring. At roughly 6,800 yards from the back tees, it is often described as the only true links-style course on the island. The course hosts the annual Maui Open and remains open daily to public play.

Lihue, HI

Puakea Golf Course occupies more than 200 acres of former sugar cane plantation land near Lihue on the island of Kauai. Designed by architect Robin Nelson, the course rises and falls through deep ravines and lava rock formations, with pali and ocean views from much of the property. The 18-hole, par-72 layout stretches to roughly 6,954 yards and mixes rolling mounds, strategic bunkering, and water features across varied terrain, giving each hole a distinct look. Foliage from the site's plantation history borders many fairways. Puakea operates as a public daily-fee course open to visitors and Kauai residents alike, with a kamaaina rate for locals, club rentals, and a pro shop. Collared shirts and covered footwear are required, and tee times can be booked online.

Waipahu, HI

Royal Kunia Country Club sits above the Ewa Plain in Waipahu, Hawaii, on the island of Oahu, on land that was formerly sugar cane fields. The course was designed by Robin Nelson and was largely completed in the early 1990s, though a lengthy legal dispute over development fees delayed its public opening until 2003. The layout rolls across the plain with views stretching from Pearl Harbor to Diamond Head, and it uses the site's contours along with several lakes and numerous bunkers. It plays to a par of 72 across 18 holes, measuring about 7,007 yards from the black tees. Royal Kunia operates as a public course with cart-based play, a pro shop and a restaurant on site, and it remains open for daily tee times.

Anchorage, AK

Moose Run Golf Course (Creek Course) is an 18-hole, par-72 public course on Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage, Alaska, designed by Robin Nelson of Nelson & Haworth and opened in 2000. At 7,324 yards from the back tees it is the longest course in Alaska, and its 640-yard par-5 11th is the state's longest hole. The routing follows Ship Creek at the base of the Chugach Mountains, with two holes played through reclaimed gravel pits.

Wasilla, AK

Settlers Bay Golf Course is an 18-hole public golf course in Wasilla, Alaska, located roughly eight miles west of town within Alaska's only residential golf community, on the coast of the Knik Arm. Established in 1978, it is among the older continuously operating golf courses in the Matanuska-Susitna Borough. The layout's holes carry names tied to the Iditarod Trail, such as Rohn and Rainy Pass, reflecting its Alaska setting. The course has undergone recent renovation of its putting surfaces, with all 18 holes returned to play on regulation greens. Surrounding views take in the Chugach and Talkeetna mountain ranges, and the club hosts an annual course championship for its golfing community.