Ten Hawai'i courses are rated among Zagat Survey's upper echelon in its new 2007/08 Guide to America's Top Golf Courses. The survey covers 1,075 courses in the U.S., Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico. Kapalua's Plantation, where the PGA Tour kicks off its season each year, is the only Hawai'i course in the top 10.

The survey was based on the experiences of some 6,250 "avid" golfers, who played 560,000 rounds the past 12 months. On average, each course in the guide was visited by at least one surveyor every day.

Bandon Dunes' Pacific Dunes (Oregon) edged out Whistling Straits' Straits (Wis.) to win Best Course honors. They are the only courses to earn a perfect 30. Kapalua Plantation is ninth and is among 16 courses to earn a 29 rating. The Plantation also came out 10th in the list of Most Popular courses. That list is led by Pebble Beach in California. Princeville Prince is 30th and Challenge at Manele 32nd.

A rating of 26-30 is considered "extraordinary to perfection." Other Hawai'i courses that fall into the category are Manele (28); Princeville Prince, Mauna Kea, Ki'ele and Experience at Ko'ele (27); and, Hualalai, Mauna Lani South, Po'ipu Bay and Turtle Bay Palmer (26).