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Destination: Fairest of the Fairways
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Looking for the Caribbean's top golf courses? Head to the Dominican Republic
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BY LARRY OLMSTED | PHOTOGRAPHY BY EMILY NATHAN
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A smooth swing at Punta Espada; a beachfront lounge at Roco Ki; a cliff-top hole at Playa Grande.
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Picking an island for the perfect Caribbean vacation can be a daunting task, but picking one for the perfect Caribbean golf vacation is easy. Even golfers who agree on little else (former Presidents Bill Clinton and George H.W. Bush, for example) seem to be in consensus on this; both chose the Dominican Republic.
Head and shoulders above surrounding islands, the D.R. has a golf course for every taste, from time-honored classics to cutting-edge modern interpretations, and a Who's Who of acclaimed designers. Golf here is also exceedingly tourist friendly—just about every top Dominican course is public, open to resort guests and outsiders alike.
THE SOUTH SHORE
The Dominican Republic burst onto the international golf scene in 1971, when the legendary Pete Dye built Teeth of the Dog on the southern coast. Named for the jagged shoreline, the course is famous for its seven waterfront holes where waves crash against tee boxes and golfers are showered in salty mist. Many describe these unforgettable holes as being more in the ocean than on it. Nearly four decades later, this remains the only course in the Caribbean ranked in the World's Top 100 by Golf Magazine.
But Dominican golf goes way beyond Teeth of the Dog. The same resort, the giant Casa de Campo in La Romana, is home to another Dye standout called, appropriately enough, Dye Fore. It lacks the oceanfront drama but sits on high bluffs that overlook the Chavon River, a place so wild it was used to film the Vietnam river journey in Apocalypse Now. With its dramatic views and sharp cliff-edge drop-offs, the course is yin to Teeth of the Dog's yang. The ever-busy Dye is currently building another river-top layout that by 2011 will expand the 18-hole Dye Fore course into a 36-hole complex to die for.
PUNTA CANA
The area around Punta Cana, on the easternmost coast, has long been the D.R.'s tourism epicenter. More recently, it has become a hotbed for golf. This started with La Cana, the brainchild of P.B. Dye, Pete Dye's son and an acclaimed designer in his own right. The course is part of the Punta Cana Resort & Club, an upscale residential community whose owners include singer Julio Iglesias and designer Oscar de la Renta. The younger Dye added drama to an already gorgeous oceanfront setting by creating deep pot bunkers, vast waste areas and high grassy mounds, all interspersed with swaying palms and constant sea views. The first nine holes of the resort's second course, La Hacienda, will open in fall 2010.
Nearby is the 30,000-acre Cap Cana resort community, which has plans for five golf courses. So far, only one exists: Punta Espada, designed by the most legendary name in the game, Jack Nicklaus. When it opened three years ago, with ocean views from every hole, Punta Espada received rave reviews; it has already hosted a Champions (Senior PGA) Tour tournament. A second Nicklaus design at Cap Cana, Las Iguanas, is due to open late next year.
The final big-name addition to Punta Cana is the Faldo Legacy Course at the upcoming Westin Roco Ki resort. Designed by six-time major winner Nick Faldo, it's surprisingly varied, winding through mangrove forests and along four lakes before climbing steeply to a stunning finale on rocky cliffs above the ocean. From the back tees, it's also one of the stiffest tests and longest courses in the Caribbean, at 7,152 yards.
THE NORTH SHORE
These days, the highest concentration of excellent golf courses is found in the south and east, but the original D.R. golf destination was the north shore. The late great Robert Trent Jones, Sr. designed two courses here. While the options may be limited, prices are considerably lower: This region offers the island's best golf value.
Built in 1976, Playa Dorada is better known, simply because it's near Puerto Plata's busy stretch of beach resorts. It's the island's most classic design, with a wooded parkland style that might recall the Carolinas were it not for the abundant palm trees and sudden appearance of the beach at the sixth hole.
Nearby Playa Grande in Cabrera is a hidden gem, set in a beautiful and otherwise undeveloped 2,000-acre swath of coastal jungle. The course is claimed to be the last designed by Jones, the father of modern golf-course architecture. Whether or not that's true, Playa Grande is a must-play. It could fairly be considered the Pebble Beach of the Caribbean, sitting atop dramatic cliffs at the edge of the sea. There are some differences: Pebble Beach has nine of these famous cliff-top holes, whereas Playa Grande counts an even dozen. And Playa Grande is one-fifth the price.
PLAY
TEETH OF THE DOG, CASA
DE CAMPO*
casadecampo.com.do;
greens fee $170, $225
(non-guests)
DYE FORE, CASA DE CAMPO*
casadecampo.com.do; greens fee
$170, $200 (non-guests)
LA CANA, PUNTA CANA
RESORT & CLUB
puntacana.com; greens fee $125,
$165 (non-guests), multi-round
discount passes available
PUNTA ESPADA, CAP CANA
capcana.com; greens fee $375
FALDO LEGACY COURSE,
ROCO KI GOLF CLUB
thefaldolegacycourse.com;
greens fee $275
PLAYA DORADA
playadoradagolf.com;
greens fee $75
PLAYA GRANDE
playagrande.com; greens
fee $100
VALUE
"Twilight rates" can shave as
much as $155 off your greens
fee.
*Note: Resort guests are given
preference
STAY
RCI-AFFILIATED RESORTS
IN THE DOMINICAN
REPUBLIC INCLUDE:
OCCIDENTAL GRAND
FLAMENCO PUNTA CANA,
Higuey
THE RESERVE AT
PARADISUS PALMA REAL,
Punta Cana
H10 OCEAN BLUE AND
SAND CLUB, Punta Cana
GRAN PARADISE BAVARO
BY VRC, Punta Cana
For more information,
visit RCI.com or call
Weeks: 800-338-7777
Points: 877-968-7476
NON-RCI-AFFILIATED
RESORTS:
CASA DE CAMPO
The D.R.'s original luxury
resort, with 279 rooms. La
Romana; 800-877-3643;
casadecampo.com.do; doubles
from $178
PUNTA CANA RESORT
Guests get preferred access to
the La Cana course. Punta Cana;
888-442-2262; puntacana.com;
doubles from $96
MAJESTIC COLONIAL
PUNTA CANA
An all-inclusive mega-resort.
Punta Cana; 809-221-9898;
majesticcolonial.com; doubles
from $250
GOLDEN BEAR LODGE & SPA
This all-suites hotel is Jack
Nicklaus's first. Cap Cana;
888-496-3879; zoetryresorts.com;
doubles from $186
CASA COLONIAL
A design-focused boutique hotel.
Puerto Plata; 866-376-7831;
casacolonialhotel.com; doubles
from $186
IBEROSTAR COSTA DORADA
An all-inclusive with a huge pool
and good food. Puerto Plata;
809-320-1000; iberostar.com;
doubles from $142
NOTE: Information may have changed since publication. Please confirm key details before planning your trip.
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Published: Nov/Dec 2009 Issue
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