Fill in the blank. Give it a guess. Hint. It’s not surfing. It’s not snorkeling. It’s not sunbathing, although all three are probably done in Hawaii as much or more than anywhere else in the world. Hawaii has more sur, sun, sharks, and spam than anywhere else. It’s not those, it’s…

Golf. That’s right, G-O-L-F. That’s F-L-O-G spelled backwards. Hawaii has so many golf courses that you could play two different courses each day, Monday through Saturday, for two months. Granted, you’d be tired and a bit sun burned, but you’d never play the same course twice. If you guessed we have more “surfing” than anywhere else, you’d be correct except that wasn’t the answer I wanted—deduct 10 points.

Come on. Hawaii has it all. Land (a necessity for a good golf course). Beautiful scenery. Mild trade winds. Great grass. Beaches. Palm trees. And folks willing to pay two to three times as much for green fees as they would anywhere else.

Golf courses in Hawaii run the gamut, span the spectrum, range from easy to challenging, to ridiculous. Where else are you going to get a hazard on the couse made of lava fields, crashing surf, drop dead beautiful scenery, and whales, dolphins, and volcanoes nearby?

Name the course?

Uh uh. Nothing compares to golf in Hawaii. In most cases you can golf a nice day in Hawaii about 340 days a year. Except when it gets really, really cold in the winter. Like, you know, 70-degrees.

Here’s our list of favorite courses.

Lanai – three courses. The most fun is The Challenge at Manele (near Manele Bay) was designed by Jack Nicklaus. It’s aptly named. Runners up: The Experience at Koele, and Cavendish Golf Course.

Maui – more courses than you can count. Tops are any of the three at Kapalua Resort (always on national TV). Runners up: Kaanapali and Wailea, respectively.

The Big Island – watch the lava rocks, but Mauna Kea’s course rates up there with Mauna Lani. Runners up include nearby Hapuna and Waikoloa. Naturally, all four courses are tied to four exclusive resorts.

Kauai – carry an umbrella when you play the Princeville courses. All other courses on the island are runners up.

Honolulu and Oahu – There’s a few dozen golf courses to choose from. Among the more challenging, the Koolau. Most beautiful goes to the Hawaii Prince Golf Club on the Ewa Plains area. The toughest hole goes to the Ko Olina Golf Club at the Ko Olina Resort. In town and highly rated is the Waialae Country Club course.  You’ll need a high society friend to swing a club there.

Summary: If golf is your game, make Hawaii know your name. Watch the wind, the clouds, and the green fees.

Pros: Many world class courses to choose from; many exclusive and require membership or a sponsor.

Cons: Green fees are steep.

Want to know the best places to eat in Hawaii? Click over to Ono Dining for totally biased reviews on Hawai's best (and not so best) restaurants.