GOLF IN PUNTA CANA
There's never been a better time to tee it up in the Caribbean!
A favorite golfing destination of former Presidents Bill Clinton and George H. Bush, the Dominican Republ ic has become one of the hottest spots to tee-off in the Caribbean, if not the world. Here golfers will find various golf courses with oceanfront fairways. They'll also find courses designed by legends such as Pete Dye, P.B. Dye, Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, Robert Trent Jones, Gary Player, Tom Fazio and Nick Faldo.
The next few years are especially important for Dominican Republic golf as five new courses are scheduled to open before 2015. Visitors to the Dominican Republic do not need to worry about packing golf clubs or even knowing how to golf. Each course offers affordable club rentals and internationally recognized golf prorfessionals. Regardless of handicap, the courses of the Dominican Republic promise a challenging and unique experience.
GOLF COURSES IN PUNTA CANA
Dye Fore
New course designed by Pete Dye
The newest course and the third by Pete Dye to open at the luxurious Casa de Campo resort in La Romana is unique with a 300-foot deep river gorge, Mediterranean village, mountains and the Caribbean Sea as backdrops. The course itself is expansive measuring a long 7,770 feet with fairways 200-feet wide. Although visually intimidating, the course is very playable and golfers have been raving about the new addition.
Par: 72
Holes: 18
Length of course: 7,770 yards
Links
Championship course designed by Pete Dye
The second course designed by Pete Dye at Casa de Campo in La Romana opened in 1975 and has been compared to traditional British and Scottish courses. Several lagoons and lakes with wading birds among tall bahia grass and sand traps set the scene. There are five holes where water makes this course an exceptional challenge.
Par: 72
Holes: 18
Length of course: 6,461
Teeth of the Dog
Championship course designed by Pete Dye
Consistently ranked by golf experts as one of the top 50 courses in the world, Teeth of the Dog is located at Casa de Campo resort in La Romana. The course features several signature Dye formations along with seven oceanfront holes, four on the front nine and three on the back, and is considered extra challenging due to the tricky sea breezes. The course opened in 1971 and recently had its teeth sharpened and lengthened. It re-opened in November of 2005. Golf lessons are offered on property by golf pro Pierre Gagnon.
Par: 72
Holes: 18
Length of course: 7,400
Punta Cana Resort & Club's La Cana Golf Course
Championship Resort course designed by P.B. Dye
Located at Punta Cana Resort & Club, every hole within this P.B. Dye-designed championship course captures the scenery of the Caribbean with 14 ocean-view and four oceanfront holes. In fact, the 18th hole has been said to resemble the infamous 18th hole at Pebble Beach. And, according to Dye, the 7th hole is golfer's purgatory. The Punta Cana Golf Academy offers private lessons with golf pro Kim Jensen and his teaching staff.
Par: 72
Holes: 18
Length of course: 7,152 yards
Punta Blanca
Nick Price-designed course
The new five-star Majestic Colonial Punta Cana Beach Resort features a casino, spa and an 18-hole golf course designed by Nick Price. Punta Blanca celebrated its grand opening May of 2007 with Nick Price inaugurating the course.
Par: 72
Holes: 18
Length of course: 7,174 yards
Cocotal Golf and Country Club
Pepe Gancedo-designed course
The 18-hole course, designed by six-time Spanish champion Jose Pepe Gancedo, uses the natural terrain of an old coconut plantation and includes serene lakes and palm trees in its landscape. In 2002, an additional nine-hole course opened. Located close to Sol Melia Caribe and Sol Melia Tropical resorts in Punta Cana, the club offers lessons at its International Golf Academy with Douglas Falconer, a British PGA-award winning professional instructor.
Par: 72
Holes: 27
Length of course: 7,183 yards
Golf de Bavaro
Resort course designed by Juan Manuel Gordillo
Located at the Barcelo Bavaro Beach Resort in Punta Cana, this par 72 18-hole course was designed by Juan Manuel Gordillo in 1991. The course is situated alongside the Bavaro lagoon and is considered excellent for beginners. Surrounded by lush vegetation, it was built specifically to accommodate tourists.
Par: 72
Holes: 18
Length of course: 6,106 yards
Corales Golf Course
Resort course designed by Tom Fazio
With construction beginning in 2005, the second oceanfront course at Punta Cana Resort & Club will feature holes perched on cliffs along the north shore of the resort's luxury enclave called Corales. Oscar de la Renta, Julio Iglesias and Mikhail Baryshnikov all have beachfront residences in the enclave and visit often. Famed golf architect Tom Fazio is designing Corales to be very distinctive and promises it will be one of the Dominican Republic's must see and play courses.
Par: 72
Holes: 18
Length of course: 7,200 yards
Las Iguanas Golf Course - Opening late 2009
Resort course designed by Jack Nicklaus
Promising to be one of the most luxurious and largest resorts in the Caribbean, Cap Cana opened numerous facilities in 2006. Just south of Punta Cana, it will be home to three Jack Nicklaus Signature courses. The second of these courses to open will be Las Iguanas with construction that began in May of 2006. In addition, the resort will house Golden Bear Lodge, the world's first Nicklaus-designed luxury condominium village located between Las Iguanas and Punta Espada, Cap Cana's first course which was named one of the world's 100 best.
La Hacienda
Resort course designed by P.B. Dye
Recently announced, P.B. Dye is again collaborating with Puntacana Resort & Club to create what will be the resort's first inland course, La Hacienda. Similar to La Cana and Corales, this challenging course will be irrigated with recycled water and will use the newest golf grass, Sea Island Supreme, a Paspalum hybrid. Additional information will be available soon.
Par: 72
Holes: 18
Length of course: 7,200 yards
Punta Espada Golf Course
Resort course designed by Jack Nicklaus
The initial golf course to open at luxurious Cap Cana is Punta Espada, the first Jack Nicklaus Signature Course in the Dominican Republic. World renowned golf course management team Troon Golf staffs the 7,382 yard-long 18-hole course. The architecture utilized the area's bluffs, beach, waterways and jungle foliage with eight of the holes directly on the ocean.
Par: 72
Holes: 18
Length of course: 7,396yards
Roco Ki Golf Club
Resort course designed by Nick Faldo
One of the newest projects announced for the Macao Beach area is The Faldo Legacy Course at Roco Ki Golf Club. An 18-hole championship course, The Faldo Legacy Course will thrill golfers of every ability with its challenging cliffside and ocean-view holes, tropical mangrove forest and lagoon. Troon Golf will also manage this course.
Par: 72
Holes: 18
Length of course: 7,073 yards
Catalonia Caribe Golf Club / Cabeza de Toro Golf Club
Nine-hole resort course designed by Alberto Sola
Designed by Alberto Sola, the 18-hole and nine-hole courses located at the Catalonia Bavaro Resort in Punta Cana are unique and challenging. Both feature lakes and numerous shade trees and the nine-hole course boasts a driving range and offers onsite lessons.
Par: 72 and 35
Holes: 18 and 9
Length of course: 6,815 yards and 2,600 yards
White Sands Golf Course
Pepe-Gancedo-designed course
Six-time Spanish champion Jose “Pepe” Gancedo designed the nine-hole course which opened in 2005 and is located in the heart of Bavaro at the luxurious White Sands Golf & Beach Resort. Nine additional holes opened in 2008.
Par: 72
Holes: 18
Length of course: 7,000 yards
La Estancia Golf Course
The imposing and challenging golf course, designed by the world-famous P. B. Dye, has an appropriate structure, which takes advantage of the landscape over the Chavón river and the beautiful ravine of Tanamá. Located in the residential community La Estancia Golf Resort in La Romana, this professional golf course is 7,382 yards long from the back tee, and promises great emotions to anyone who dares to confront it.
Par: 72
Holes: 18
Length of course: 7,382yards
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