directory - Dominican Republic

Dominican Republic
A feature from the
IAGTO Directory 2016
Dominican Republic
Dominican Republic
Play the Caribbean’s most spectacular golf
destination – with 86 ocean view holes
IAGTO Golf Destination of the Year for Latin America & the Caribbean in 2009, 2013 and 2016, the
Dominican Republic has it all for golf visitors.
With a wide array of inland and coastal courses for the golf traveller to enjoy, the Caribbean nation has
more oceanside golf holes than any other comparable destination, their spectacular settings leaving
golfers with indelible memories.
There are 17 tourist-friendly golf courses offering
nearly 350 holes of golf. Most courses are part of golf
resorts in popular tourist areas and close to other golf
resorts and hotels, allowing golfers to play a different
course every day during their stay if they want while
still leaving time for them to enjoy the resort’s facilities,
relax on the stunning beaches or do other activities.
Cabeza de
Toro Golf Club
For those who want more freedom, villas offer an
excellent alternative for families, couples travelling
together, or male or female groups. Some even come
with their own private butler, maids and chef.
Easy access is also a key, thanks to eight international gateways, where six of them have courses
close by, so golfers can get a round of golf in both on the day they arrive and the day they leave if
flight times allow. New roads have dramatically reduced travel times between key resorts such as
Punta Cana, Bávaro and La Romana as well as with the capital, Santo Domingo, so golfers can now
comfortably combine playing courses in different areas without having to change hotels.
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Dominican Republic
Teeth of the Dog
The country’s courses carry the world-class designer labels of Pete Dye, PB Dye, Jack Nicklaus, Robert
Trent Jones Sr, Tom Fazio, Gary Player and Nick Price. Six courses feature in Golfweek magazine’s
top 50 courses in the Caribbean and Mexico for 2015, including three in the top 10, with Nicklaus
masterpiece Punta Espada taking the number one spot – a position it has held every year since 2009,
when it took over from Casa de Campo’s veteran layout, Teeth of the Dog.
Perfect for serious golfers, the Dominican Republic is great for women, whether golfers or non-golfing
partners, and for families. The courses are female-friendly, with clubhouses offering excellent facilities,
and a number of the courses have spas offering extensive treatments and beauty therapies either
within the clubhouse complex or in the adjacent hotels. In resort areas and town centres, visitors
can also indulge in some
Punta Espada Golf Club
retail therapy and visit
bars, restaurants and
nightclubs, including
Dom Rep’s famous car
wash discos.
There are plenty of
options for golfers once
they have finished their
round. The Caribbean’s
second-largest country
is one of the most
e c o l o g i c a l l y- d i ve r s e
nations in the world,
boasting stunning
vistas, including waves
crashing over dramatic coastlines, coconut palm groves, waterfalls, caves, forested mountains and
lush, exotic nature which visitors can enjoy on excursions. There are also many other activities to take
part in, quite apart from sampling the country’s famous cigars and rum and seeing how they are made.
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Dominican Republic
Punta Espada
Golf Club
East Region: Punta Cana, Cap Cana & Bávaro
The glittering East Coast comprising Punta Cana, Bávaro and the Cap Cana Resort area has 189
holes of golf all easily accessible from a wide range of sumptuous beach-front resorts, enough to
make the Caribbean golf enthusiast’s heart melt!
La Cana Golf Club
Location: Puntacana Resort & Club, Punta Cana
La Cana Golf Club was established in 2001
as an 18 hole course with a new nine-hole
Holes: 27
Hacienda added in 2012. The Tortuga and
Designer: PB Dye
Arrecife nines capture the Caribbean’s
stunning scenery thanks to 14 ocean-view holes including four
remarkable holes that play right on the beach. Hacienda is both
challenging and beautifully designed and takes the golfer inland through
dense, colourful tropical vegetation.
Corales Golf Club
Location: Puntacana Resort & Club, Punta Cana
This Tom Fazio creation, the second
Holes: 18
oceanfront course at Puntacana Resort &
Designer: Tom Fazio
Club, was inaugurated in 2010. It features
cliff-top holes along the north shore of the
resort’s luxury Corales enclave. Fazio’s breathtaking, distinctive design
has quickly established Corales as one of the Dominican Republic’s
must-play courses, featuring six ocean-front holes set between rocky
cliffs, coral reefs and the Caribbean Sea.
Punta Espada Golf Club
Location: Cap Cana
Nicklaus’ first Signature Course in
Holes: 18
the Dominican Republic opened in
Designer: Jack Nicklaus
September 2006 and continues to
make top golf course lists including
Golfweek magazine’s number one course in the Caribbean and Latin
America in 2009, 2010 and 2011. Nicklaus’ gem boasts eight holes
playing either alongside or over the Caribbean Sea and a further five with
ocean views. Punta Espada also hosted the PGA Tour’s Champions
Tour event, the Cap Cana Championship, in 2008, 2009 and 2010.
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Dominican Republic
Caribe Golf Club
Cabeza de
Toro Golf Club
Location: Catalonia Bávaro Resort, Cabeza de Toro
The 18-hole Caribe
Golf Club is open from
Caribe Golf Club: 18 holes
November to April and
Cabeza de Toro Golf Club: 9 holes
features a large lake,
Designer: Alberto Sola and Jack Corrie
five lagoons, numerous
mature shade trees and ample fairways, with a mix of uphill and downhill
holes. The nine-hole Cabeza de Toro Golf Club is adjacent to the resort.
This challenging executive course is surrounded by swaying palm trees
and pristine waterways.
The Lakes Barceló Golf Course
Location: Barceló Bávaro Beach Resort, Bávaro
The Lakes Barceló
Golf Course, which
Holes: 18
Designers: Juan Manuel Gordillo/PB Dye
opened in 1991, was
redesigned by PB
Dye in 2009 and is a beautiful and well-maintained golf course, within
walking distance from the hotel itself. The inland course is set alongside
the Bávaro lagoon with some holes bordered by lush vegetation and
others completely open.
Cocotal Golf & Country Club
Location: Meliá Hotels & Resorts, Bávaro
Opened in 2000, Cocotal
Holes: 27
Golf & Country Club’s three
Designer: José “Pepe” Gancedo
nine-hole courses – Hibiscus,
Bouganvillea and Benjamina –
each possess memorable routings designed by José “Pepe” Gancedo.
The six-time Spanish champion utilises the natural terrain of an old
coconut plantation for all 27 holes, including serene lakes and swaying
palm trees, with strategically-placed trees, bunkers, mounds and gently
rolling terrain, as well as generous fairways.
Caribe Golf Club
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Dominican Republic
Iberostate Bávaro Golf Club
Location: Iberostar Hotels & Resorts, Bávaro
Golfers of all levels will delight at PB Dye’s
Holes: 18
Iberostate Bávaro Golf Club. The inland
Designer: PB Dye
course is within the 1,800-room, familyfriendly Iberostar complex which includes the
276-room Grand Hotel for adults, popular with golfers. The course
itself is well known for its excellent greens and is set in naturally-lush
surroundings and dramatically-undulating elevated terrain.
Location: Macao
Inaugurated in May 2007 and the first
Holes: 18
design in the Caribbean by three-time
Designer: Nick Price
Major championship winner Nick Price, the
fairly-open, inland course is built around
natural wetlands within Macao’s Punta Blanca residential development
and features wide fairways with large bunkers and lakes.
Punta Blanca Golf Club
Hard Rock Golf Club at Cana Bay
Location: Hard Rock Hotel, Macao
The first golf course to carry the iconic
Holes: 18
Hard Rock brand, this NicklausDesigner: Jack Nicklaus
designed golf course, which opened in
March 2010, is challenging, memorable
and enjoyable, located just inland from the beach-front Hard Rock Hotel.
Flamingos add colour to the 18th hole.
Cayo
Arena
(Paraíso)
Cayos
Siete
Hermanos
Montecristi
Bahía de
Manzanillo
Osvaldo
Virgil
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
GOLF MAP
Maimón
(Amber Cove)
Los Mangos (9)
Luperón
Costambar
Gregorio Luperón
Sosúa
(POP)
Puerto Playa
Cabarete
Plata Dorada (18)
Playa Grande (18)
NICAN REPUBLIC
GOLF MAP
Santiago
Cabrera
Río
San Juan
Cibao (STI)
Las Aromas (18)
San José
de las Matas
Pico Duarte
Jarabacoa
Las Terrenas
San Francisco
de Macorís
La Vega
Haiti
Atlantic Ocean
Nagua
El Catey (AZS)
Samaná
Arroyo Barril
Bahía de Samaná
Jarabacoa (9)
Constanza
El Portillo
Bonao
Bella Vista (9)
Cayo
Levantado
Miches
Monte Plata
Hato Mayor
La Isabela (JBQ)
Lago Enriquillo
Laguna
Rincón de
Cabral
Isabel Villas (9)
Cayacoa (18)
Guavaberry (18)
Santo Domingo
Country Club (27)
San Cristóbal
Azua
La Romana
Juan
SANTO
Boca Dolio Los
DOMINGO Las Américas Chica
Marlins (18)
Cabo Rojo
Oviedo
Laguna
de Oviedo
Caribbean Sea
DOMINICAN
REPUBLIC
Haiti
Caribbean Sea
Jamaica
104
KEY
Atlantic Ocean
Gulf of Mexico
Cuba
Isla Beata
Bayahibe
Teeth of the Dog (18)
Isla Saona
The Links (18)
Dye Fore (27)
La Romana Country Club (27)
United States
Mexico
Hard Rock (18)
Punta Blanca (18)
Iberostate Bávaro (18)
Cocotal (27)
The Lakes Barceló (18)
Catalonia Cabeza
de Toro (9)
Punta Cana
Catalonia Caribe (18)
Higüey
(PUJ)
Punta Cana
Corales (18)
Boca Cap Cana La Cana (27)
de Yuma
Punta Espada (18)
Isla
Playa Nueva Catalina
Romana (9)
Baní
María Montez (BRX)
Pedernales
El Seibo
San Pedro
de Campo
de Macorís Casa(LRM)
(SDQ)
Salinas
Barahona
Las Galeras
Puerto
Rico
Golf Course (# holes)
Domestic Airport
City or Town
Cruise Port
BeachesInterest
Marina or Port
International Airport
Highest Peak
@2015 Dolores Vicioso [2] Email: [email protected]
Dominican Republic
The Links, Casa de Campo
South-East Region: La Romana
The South-East Coast lays claim to a combination of picturesque beaches, chic accommodation
and a variety of exciting attractions in addition to its famous golf courses. Golfers can play at some of
the world’s best courses designed by the Dye family dynasty’s Pete Dye. Three courses are open for
public play at Casa de Campo Resort. Once a sugar-producing region, La Romana area charms with
azure Caribbean seas, exotic islands, the Chavón River valley and palm-tree covered national parks.
Teeth of the Dog
Location: Casa de Campo Resort, La Romana
Pete Dye’s first Casa de Campo creation,
in 1971, was the course that initially put
Holes: 18
the Dominican Republic on the world’s golf
Designer: Pete Dye
stage. Over 40 years later, Teeth of the Dog
consistently ranks among the world’s best courses. There are seven
ocean-front holes. Dye sharpened its teeth in 2005 by lengthening
some holes and upgrading greens and bunkers.
The Links
Location: Casa de Campo Resort, La Romana
The second Dye course at Casa de Campo
opened in 1975 and has drawn comparisons
Holes: 18
to traditional British and Scottish links
Designer: Pete Dye
courses thanks to firm fairways and open
putting surfaces that invite golfers to play shots along the ground. The
moderately-hilly course features several lagoons and lakes, dense bahia
and guinea jungle-grass rough and numerous bunkers.
Dye Fore
Location: Casa de Campo Resort, La Romana
Pete Dye’s third masterpiece at the luxurious
Holes: 27
Casa de Campo Resort, built in 2005, will
Designer: Pete Dye
take your breath away with the dramatic
Chavón River valley – where scenes from
Apocalypse Now were filmed – as a backdrop. The course boasts
seven cliff-side holes dropping 300 feet to the Chavón River below,
the replica Mediterranean village of Altos de Chavón, the Dominican
mountains (the Caribbean’s highest) and amazing views.
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Dominican Republic
South Region: Santo Domingo & Juan Dolio
Home to the capital city of Santo Domingo, the South Coast offers golfers rounds of world-class courses
within a thriving metropolis that overflows with vivacious culture. The beach town of Juan Dolio is only
30 minutes from Las Américas International Airport (Santo Domingo’s airport) and a bit further from
the city itself, and now less than an hour’s drive from Casa de Campo thanks to a fast, new highway.
Cayacoa Country Club
Location: Santo Domingo
Located 25 minutes from
Holes: 18
Santo Domingo, Cayacoa
Designer: Pete Dye and Jack Corrie
Country Club was built in
1989 but remains a wellkept secret that golfers will find a joy to discover. The course is spread
over hilly terrain with many lakes amid lush vegetation providing a great
challenge, including long water carries and some terrific par 3s.
Los Marlins Golf Course
Location: Metro Country Club, Juan Dolio
Located about 25 minutes east
Holes: 18
of Santo Domingo’s airport, at
Designer: Charles F Ankrom
the Metro Country Club, the
well-maintained Los Marlins Golf
Course features numerous artistic bunkers, lakes and mounds. Golfers
can take advantage of the private Beach Club just five minutes’ drive
away or relax in the clubhouse after their round.
Guavaberry Golf & Country Club
Location: Juan Dolio
This Gary Player design is located 30
minutes east of Santo Domingo’s airport
Holes: 18
near the resort town of Juan Dolio and
Designer: Gary Player
borders a tropical forest and nature
preserve. Opened in 2002, Player included some unique features into
the design, such as a 15-foot waterfall cascading into a quarry pond
(on the par-3 13th signature hole, where two separate greens are
rotated daily), and indigenous coral rock formations on holes 9 and 18.
For more information, visit www.GoDominicanRepublic.com
By Peter Ellegard. Additional material by the Dominican Republic Ministry of Tourism
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Dominican Republic
North Region: Puerto Plata & Río San Juan
The North Coast beckons not only with sunshine, eco-adventures and miles of water sport beaches,
but also two Robert Trent Jones Sr masterpieces – Playa Dorada Golf Course and the newly-reopened
Playa Grande Golf Course. The forest-clad hills provide a stunning backdrop for Puerto Plata’s
collection of all-inclusive resorts. While not golfing, visitors will find plenty of cultural influences including
the rhythms of spicy merengue, prehistoric amber, exotic waterfalls and more.
Playa Dorada Golf Course
Location: Playa Dorada, Puerto Plata
Opened in 1976, this beautiful
creation by legendary architect
Holes: 18
Robert Trent Jones Sr is
Designer: Robert Trent Jones Sr
located in the popular Playa
Dorada resort complex in Puerto Plata, providing easy accessibility
and numerous accommodation and package options. The relatively-flat
course is known for its outstanding conditioning and exceptional greens.
Location: Playa Grande, Río San Juan
Playa Grande
G o l f C o u r s e,
Holes: 18
which opened in
Designer: Robert Trent Jones Sr/Rees Jones
1997, is the last
golf course Trent Jones Sr designed. Fittingly, it’s also considered
among his best. The course is set on high cliffs overlooking the ocean
and 10 of its holes play along the Atlantic Ocean, hence why it is often referred to as the “Pebble
Beach of the Caribbean”. The course reopened at the end of 2015 after a complete revamp of its back
nine holes by Rees Jones to create space for the new Amanera resort with 36 luxury villas, adjacent
to the golf course clubhouse.
Playa Grande Golf Course
Playa Grande
Golf Course
107
Cover Photo: Lumine Golf & Beach Club • www.lumine.com • © Kevin Murray Golf Photography
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