Top Caribbean Golf Courses with Ocean Views
Tee Off with a View: 8 Top Caribbean Golf Courses
Say ‘fore’ close to the water at Caribbean golf courses. Many 18-hole fairways in the region boast breathtaking views of land and sea, all elements that can also make for wonderfully challenging play. Here are 8 top greens to try for tee time:
Casa de Campo, Dominican Republic.
The bad news is that this resort and villa’s legendary Teeth of the Dog course is under restoration until mid-December 2025. The good news is there are two other courses on the property, Dye Fore and Links, which are often overlooked but make for outstanding play. Both are within 2 to 2.5 miles of Marina Casa de Campo. Dye Fore is designed by Pete Dye, a 27-hole, 7,740-yard course with seven scenic cliffside holes dropping 300 feet to the Chavón River below. The Links has 18 holes, over 7,000 yards, and is ideal for all skill levels. www.casadecampo.com.do
Royal Isabela Golf Course, Puerto Rico. Courtesy Royal Isabela Golf Course
Royal Isabela, Puerto Rico.
The scenery is stunning North of Rincon and west of Arecibo on the island’s northwest corner. The 18 holes are configured as two 9-hole circuits – the front nine are inland, and the back nine are oceanside – the latter are constructed on cliffs averaging 200 feet above the water and overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. The Par 72, 7,538-yard course also meanders through lush vegetation and natural sand dunes. Solar-powered golf carts keep it green. There are golf club rentals and a pro shop here, too. Two hours drive time from the marinas in San Juan. www.royalisabela.com
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Aurora International Golf Club Short Course, Anguilla. Courtesy Aurora Anguilla Golf Course
Aurora International Golf Club, Anguilla.
Check out the views from hole No.1 at this Greg Norman-designed 18-hole, 7,165-yard, Par 72 course on what was formerly the CuisinArt Resort until 2021. The tee offers panoramic views of St. Martin and the Caribbean Sea. Holes 2 and 10 share a 16,000-square-foot double green steps from Rendezvous Bay and the Anguilla Channel. Rental equipment is available. The Golf Academy offers a serious chance to elevate your game with two instructional bays equipped with Trackman simulators, pressure mats, and 3-D motion analysis. Golf newbies can also check out the walking-only, 9-hole, 1,315-yard, Par 28, Avalon Links Short Course at Aurora. The closest marina is Marina Fort Louis in Marigot, St. Martin, 8 nautical miles south. www.auroraanguilla.com
Four Seasons Resort, Nevis. Courtesy Four Season Nevis Golf Course
Four Seasons Resort, Nevis.
See Nevis’ sister island of St. Kitts, the surrounding seas, and Nevis Peak’s 3,200-plus-foot tall volcanic summit from this 6,766-yard, 18-hold, Par 71 course at Pinney’s Beach. Robert Trent Jones II designed the fairway, which was rated moderate to hard to play. Watch for playful green monkeys, especially in the rainforest strip that connects holes 10 and 11. Non-guests can pay to play. Rental clubs are available, as is a driving range with or without club rental. www.fourseasons.com
Royal St. Kitts Golf Course, St. Kitts.
Located at the St. Kitts Marriott Resort on Frigate Bay, this 6,851-yard, 18-hole, Par 71 course features the front nine holes set under the island’s lush hillsides, with the back nine with oceanfront views. Play includes 10 water hazards and 80 bunkers, all set on hybrid turf grass and seashore paspalum, which tolerate the salty sea air environment well. You can rent golf carts and clubs, perfect skills on a putting green and driving range, and have lunch at the Clubhouse Grille. No caddies are available, though. The Marina at Christophe Harbour is 5 miles south. www.royalstkittsgolfclub.com
Cap Estate Golf & Country Club, St. Lucia. Courtesy Cap Estate Golf & Country Club
Cap Estate Golf & Country Club, St. Lucia.
You don’t need to be a guest at a Sandals resort on the island to play this Greg Norman-designed, 6,744-yard, 18-hole, Par 71 course. Located a little over 2 miles north of IGY’s Rodney Bay Marina, non-Sandals guests pay green fees of about $125 for nine holes and $175 for 18 holes. The sprawling greens are dotted with ponds, sand traps, hilly terrain, and lush foliage. There’s also a practice range with putting and chipping greens, changing facilities, and a full-service golf shop. Lessons are available, too, for a fee. www.sandals.com
Tierra del Sol Golf Course, Aruba
Tierra del Sol Golf Course, Aruba.
Perched on 600 acres at the island’s northwest tip, with views of the historic California Lighthouse and Caribbean Sea, this Robert Trent Jones Jr.-designed 6,811-yard, Par 72 course is the only 18 holes in Aruba. Play can be challenging when the tradewinds are blowing. Also, watch out for the coral rock outcrops on Hole 2. There’s a panoramic view driving range and putting green. Marinas are 6 miles to the south in Oranjestad. www.tierradelsol.com
Sandy Lane Golf Course, Barbados. Courtesy Sandy Lane Golf Course
Sandy Lane Hotel, Barbados.
Choose from two courses open to guests and non-guests, with views of the island’s platinum coast. The Grand Dame is the 1961-opened The Old Nine, a 3,345-yard, Par 36, 9-hole course, while The Country Club, a 7,060-yard, Par 72, 18-hole course designed by Tom Fazio, is the Crown Jewel. The latter has lovely fairways with breathtaking coastal views. Other facilities and services include a 450-yard driving range, practice bunker and putting green, and GPS-equipped golf carts. Port St. Charles marina is less than 7 miles north. www.sandylane.com