Golf in the Dominican Republic

golf in the Dominican Republic

When you think of the Dominican Republic, your first thought might not be ‘golf destination’. But, this Caribbean island nation is fast becoming a world-class golfing hotspot.

Golf champions, enthusiasts and celebrities are choosing the DR for their luxury golfing getaways. You too could tee off surrounded by spectacular tropical scenery, among the palm trees and the splashing surf, crisp sea breeze in your hair.

The most popular sites for golf vacations are Casa de Campo, located on the south coast near La Romana, and Punta Cana on the easterly tip of the island.

But, these are not all the DR has to offer golf-wise. There are gorgeous courses around the seaside capital Santo Domingo, in the mountainous region of La Vega, and on the north coast by Puerto Plata.

In fact, the Dominican Republic boasts nearly 30 beautiful golf courses with a wide variety of vistas, both coastal and inland. Teeing off in one of the most biodiverse countries in the world is an unforgettable experience, whether it’s your first or twentieth time.

Highlights include Pete Dye’s iconic Teeth of the Dog at Casa de Campo, with seven holes played so close to the coastline, you might feel the spray of the Caribbean Sea. It opened in 1971 and instantly put the Dominican Republic on the golf world’s radar.

Consistently ranked as the number one golf course in the Caribbean, this masterpiece of a course should be on every globetrotting golfer’s bucket list.

The second Pete Dye course at Casa de Campo is the 27-hole extravaganza Dye Fore. This is not as well known as the Dog, but the amazing mountain, river and ocean views and the impeccable conditioning make Dye Fore an absolute dream to play.

The east coast Punta Cana and Cap Cana area has a range of options for resorts and courses.

You might, for instance, opt for a world-class experience at the highly-acclaimed Punta Espada course. Designed by golf architect powerhouse Jack Nicklaus, Punta Espada puts up some fierce competition to Teeth of the Dog for the Caribbean’s finest golf course. The jury is still out, but there is no doubt that these are both elegant courses of the highest quality.

Also in that easterly region are La Cana Golf Course (P.B. Dye) and Corales (Fazio), both very impressive and highly regarded courses.

Nearer to Cabarete, on the north coast, we have the Playa Grande course in Rio San Juan, a truly unique Caribbean golfing experience. It boasts the most ocean views of any Dominican golf course, with paralysing ocean panoramas from almost any spot on the course. The last five holes are played right on the ocean, an intense end to a beautiful 18 holes.

Playa Grande was designed by the legendary Robert Trent Jones Sr and is considered one of his very best works.

Though it originally opened in 1997, Playa Grande was more recently renovated by RTJ’s accomplished golf architect son Rees Jones and is now back on its game.

Whether you’re a pro golfer or can barely tell a 9-iron from a putter, you’ll find something for you in the golf scene of the Dominican Republic. With immaculate luxury resorts and jaw-dropping scenery, there’s no better place to play the game than right here.