The Republic of Golf
New courses make a splash in the Dominican Republic
Tropical downpours notwithstanding, the Dominican Republic suffered a decades-long dry spell as a destination for great golf. Pete Dye's Teeth of the Dog course, built in 1970 and ranked No. 20 among Golf Digest's 100 Best Courses Outside the U.S., was a draw, but for 36 years no other course in the little island nation rose to warrant such distinction. That changed in 2006 with the opening of Punta Espada, a Nicklaus Design course near Punta Cana.
Now, seemingly overnight, the Dominican Republic is awash in excellent new layouts. In addition to Punta Espada (No. 77 on the Golf Digest list), other notable venues include the Faldo Legacy Course at Roco Ki (888.476.2654, rocoki.com) and the Corales Golf Course at the Puntacana Resort & Club (see "Local Favorites," below).
Roco Ki, a seaside stunner that officially debuted in December, has attracted some of the highest praise. The raves may be due, in part, to pent-up demand, because Roco Ki is an imperfect course at a half-completed resort that's due to open sometime in 2010. To fill the gap, Roco Ki has partnered with a nearby boutique property, Sivory, to offer stay-and-play packages. The trip between the resort and the course, a 25-minute trek on bumpy roads, is worth the hassle thanks to the Sivory's tranquil setting — 55 suites and a luxurious spa nestled in a beachfront palm grove — and Nick Faldo's dramatic design.
After a gentle, par-4 first hole with dreamy ocean views, the course retreats inland, traversing mangrove swamps and sandy, links-style terrain before returning to the jagged coastline for a rousing finish. The 17th hole, a 104-yard par-3, demands a steep downhill shot to a peninsula green, while the par-5 18th skips across two inlets where the waves crash and the salt water sprays skyward.
These holes have prompted comparisons to Pebble Beach — perhaps fitting but definitely premature. For now, at least, Roco Ki is leading the new wave of first-rate golf in the Dominican Republic.
Local Favorites
Stay
Sivory Punta Cana. Rustic sophistication prevails at this intimate surfside enclave. The unique Aquarea Spa and Wellness Center offers a wide range of body, beauty, and water therapies. 809.333.0500, sivorypuntacana.com
Puntacana Resort & Club. The resort's luxurious new Tortuga Bay villas — with ocean views, spacious rooms, and playing privileges by reservation for eight guests per day at Corales Golf Course, which doesn't open to the public until July — are a golfer's dream. 809.959.2262, puntacana.com
Eat
Gourmond at the Sivory. This eatery lives up to its name with inventive, Caribbean-inflected French cooking and a reasonably priced wine list drawing from an 8,000-bottle cellar. 809.333.0500, sivorypuntacana.com
La Yola at Puntacana Resort & Club. A thatched-roof seafood restaurant on a pier in the resort's marina, La Yola nicely distills the easy, breezy feeling of the Caribbean. Fruity cocktail and a fresh lobster? Yes and yes. 809.959.2262, puntacana.com
Other Courses
Corales Golf Course at Puntacana Resort & Club. Opening for limited play in July, this beautiful Tom Fazio layout features a dramatic string of holes so close to the crashing surf that you'll have to wipe the spray off your Ray-Bans. Excellent pacing, deep bunkers, and greens with sweeping breaks further distinguish Corales' exceptional character. 809.959.2262, puntacana.com
Iberostar Bávaro Golf Club at the Iberostar Grand Hotel Bávaro. The course here, like the hotel, is unabashedly showy, with rippling fairways, elevated greens, and Pete Dye's distinctive, steep-faced bunkers. 809.221.6500, iberostar.com
Deals & Discounts
Grand Del Mar
Grand Del Mar, which opened in San Diego in October 2007 and features a Tom Fazio-designed gem on 380 coastal acres, is ripe for discovery. The Grand Golf Getaway, aimed at twosomes, offers overnight accommodations, room-service breakfast, and one day of unlimited golf for two. From $670 per night, valid through December 31. 888.314.2030, thegranddelmar.com
Lake Presidential Golf Club
Within easy driving distance of Washington, D.C., Lake Presidential Golf Club is regarded as one of the nation's best new courses - and with spring greens fees topping out at $95, it's a steal. Locally, only Pete Dye's Bulle Rock, in Havre de Grace, Md. — a five-star Golf Digest course and site of the LPGA Championship — is in Lake Presidential class. 301.298.9999, lakepresidential.com
Old Course Hotel, Golf Resort & Spa
Landing a tee time on the famed Old Course at St. Andrews (45 miles from Edinburgh) just got a lot easier. The Come Home to Play deal includes three nights at the plush Old Course Hotel, Golf Resort & Spa, a guaranteed tee time on the Old Course, a round on one of two other St. Andrews courses, a 50-minute spa treatment, two dinners at the Road Hole Grill, and more. From $2,649 per person, valid through December 31. 44.1334.474371, oldcoursehotel.co.uk
American Club
The renowned American Club in Kohler, Wis., 55 miles north of Milwaukee, offers surprisingly affordable stay-and-play deals that provide the chance to play the breathtaking Whistling Straits course, site of the PGA Championship in 2004 and 2010. In May, the one-night, one-round Golf Escape starts as low as $274.50 (June-September fees start at $321). More extensive packages, with up to three nights' accommodations and four rounds of golf, range from $888 to $1,619. 800.344.2838, destinationkohler.com
Encanterra
In an effort to attract new members, Encanterra, a private golf community outside Phoenix with an impressive Tom Lehman-designed course, is offering the Taste of Trilogy package. For a mere $149, a couple can enjoy three nights in an onsite home (Friday and Saturday nights excluded), one round of golf, two meals at Encanterra's gourmet restaurant, use of the athletic club, and more. Valid through December 31. 800.685.6494, encanterra.com
Fairmont
To commemorate the 400th anniversary of the shipwreck that led to Bermuda's founding, two Fairmont hotels are teaming up to offer an Ultimate Tee Time Package. Featuring accommodations at the Fairmont Southampton or the Hamilton Princess, plus golf at the Fairmont Southampton Golf Course or Riddell's Bay Golf & Country Club, the deal also includes a resort credit up to $400. Rates from $439 a night, valid through August 17. 800.441.1414, fairmont.com
Four Mile Ranch Golf Club
Located in Cańon City, Colo., just 45 miles from Colorado Springs, Four Mile Ranch is a standout among the many superb new courses in the West, landing on lists of the best new courses in Golf Digest, Golf, Travel + Leisure Golf, and Links in 2008. The expansive Jim Engh design, with gorgeous mountain views, is also invariably the least expensive course on the lists, with greens fees ranging from $45 to $69, and stay-and-play packages including two rounds of golf from $165. Valid through September. 719.275.5400, fourmileranch.com
The Course at Wente Vineyards
Golf and wine are a natural pairing at the course at Wente Vineyards in Livermore, Calif. (45 miles from San Francisco), where holes meander through rows of trellised grapevines and rise up to offer stunning mountain views. The course has partnered with the refined, chateau-style Lafayette Park Hotel & Spa, in nearby Lafayette, Calif., to offer stay-and-play packages starting around $300 a night. Offer does not expire. 925.456.2475, wentevineyards.com
— Joe Bargmann
Editor's note: Some Deals & Discounts are subject to availability and restrictions.
Getting There: All the destinations covered in “Golf” can be reached by flying Continental Airlines. To book your trip, visit Continental Airlines Vacations at covacations.com.
Photographs: Aidan Bradley /Courtesy of Roco Ki
