Dominican Republic can be summarized in one single sentence “is has it all”: not only great golf but also the best beaches, excellent food, beautiful landscapes and an enormous variety of activities, apart from golf. It is true that during Hurricane Season there can be some rain, but with more than 280 sunny days a year, a fantastic trip is almost guaranteed!
Climate is one of the island’s huge advantages, as golf can be played almost with the same temperature all year long, although summer will be a little bit hotter and humid. All inclusive accommodation offers great value, as prices including food are not high at all. And this is a place where golfers can travel with their family, who will happily enjoy many of the extra activities available.
Golf is maybe the big star of the destination, with some very high end courses like Teeth of the Dog (Pete Dye), Corales (Tom Fazio) and Punta Espada (Jack Nicklaus), all three of them Top 100 of the world. But they are not the only ones, we add at least 10 more great courses: Dye Fore, La Estancia, Playa Grande, Punta Blanca, Cana Bay, Roco Ki and La Cana, among others.
When flying from Europe, if you can’t get some of the direct flights from Madrid, Franckfurt or Paris, a stop in Miami will be necessary. Many cities in North and South America have direct flights, so getting there is not a big deal.
Almost all options are 4 or 5 stars Hotels, with “all inclusive” programs. Location is something to consider, as in Bávaro (to the north) you have the best beaches: in the Riu, Majestic or Iberostar hotels. Paradisus Palma Real Hotel is maybe the best hotel, but the ocean there is not as nice. The Westin Hotel at Punta Cana or Sanctuary at Cap Cana are maybe the nicest beaches of that area.
In La Romana your only option is Casa de Campo, the best resort of the Caribbean and one of the most complete in the World. There you can select between hotel rooms or luxurious Villas by the sea, with 5 Championship courses and lot of activities available, like polo, tennis, or aquatic sports.
You can even consider going to Santo Domingo for 2 days, admire the city’s colonial beauty, get to know the first place colonized by Europeans and stay at a hotel by the Malecón. Puerto Plata is another possible destination, but its growth has not been as big as Punta Cana or La Romana.
Dominican Republic receives tourists all year long, but seasons for golf and beach Holidays are different: golf’s high season is November - March, while summer is July - August. There will never be lack of tee times in any time of the year, all you need to do is make sure not to go during maintenance schedule.
North American golfers usually go to DR during their winter months and then return home to play golf during their hot months. All the rest of the year golf courses will be very quiet and golfers will be able to play all the golf they wish.
Although it is not a big country, the amount of great courses is high and if you wish you can even spend more than one week playing golf. It is true that golf is not cheap here, but every single dollar spent is worth the while.
The Bávaro area has 2 courses that are an absolute must:
Punta Espada (Cap Cana): Jack Nicklaus design, constructed in 2001 and opened to play in 2006. A masterpiece, with views of the Ocean from every single hole, that will challenge your game and marvel your eyes. The course hosted the Cap Cana Championship from the PGA Champions Tour during 2008-10.
Corales Golf Course: this jewel by Tom Fazio, constructed between 2005 and 2009, is another course which will remain in the World Top 50 for many years. It has 6 holes by the Ocean, including the great 18th, and many creative holes –2 of them with 2 different greens. Although it is private, Redan Travel can get you to play if you wish to do so.
We can also add some more great venues: La Cana Golf Course (27 holes by P. B. Dye) with 6 holes by the Ocean, Punta Blanca Golf Club (Nick Price, with 2 great island par 3s), Iberostar Golf Course (PB Dye), Cana Bay (Nicklaus, host of DR Open from the PGA Latinoamerica), Barceló GC (renovated by PB Dye) and Roco Ki.
La Romana has 6 fantastic courses, the 5 at Casa de Campo plus La Estancia, a new Resort with a P. B. Dye Course parallel to the Río Chavon, with some breathtaking panoramic views.
Casa de Campo
Teeth of the Dog: one of the first Pete Dye courses, originally called Los Cajuiles. Located just by the Caribbean Sea, it has 7 of the greatest holes in the World.
- Dye Fore: originally 18 holes, it already has 27 holes by the nice “Altos de Chavón” Town. The original course from the tip tees stretches down to 7714 yds., a great challenge, only for single digit golfers.
- 3 more courses: The Links, La Romana CC (private) and 9 holes to be combined with either course.
La Estancia
Opened during 2008, it’s a great P. B. Dye design, with some holes by the cliffs of the Chavon River and a great par 5 – the 16th hole, measuring 660 yds.
Santo Domingo has the Santo Domingo CC (private) but if you Travel Northeast you can experience one of the greatest courses in the world:
Playa Grande was one of the last courses created by Robert Trent Jones Sr. In that time there was a pacific rivalry with Pete Dye and when he was asked to design in Dominican he stated that he would do so only if he could chose the piece of land. He chose the nicest piece of land in the Caribbean, by the ocean, with cliffs of more than 20 meters high. Many great holes, including the fantastic 17th – with a green length of almost 100 yds – and the great 18 – where the second shot must fly over the cliff to have a chance of getting to the green. If you are a Kite or Windsurf fan, this is the perfect spot for a combined holiday.
Punta Cana 7 days:
Flight to DR. 7 nights lodging in the selected hotel.
5 rounds of golf: Corales, Punta Espada, La Cana, Punta Blanca & Iberostar.Punta Cana + La Romana:
3 nights accommodation at Casa de Campo.
2 rounds of golf: Dye Fore & Teeth of the Dog.
Transfer to Punta Cana for 6 nights in the chosen Hotels.
4 rounds of golf: Corales, Punta Espada, La Cana & Punta Blanca.
For those wishing to go to Playa Grande, 2 nights and 2 rounds will get you marveled with a very nice hotel and a great golf course.