ZiNG Caribbean – May-June 2019

76 | ZiNG CARIBBEAN http://www.liat.com | May - June 2019

GREAT GOLF

1

BARBADOSGOLF

CLUB,BARBADOS

VITALSTATS: 18 holes,6,805yards,par 72

Easilyreachablefromsouthcoasthotels,

Barbados’sfirstpubliccourse,originally

openedin1974,wasrevampedin 2000

withalinks-styledesignbyRonKirby.It’s

afun,playablecourseforallskills,with

coral-wastebunkersatfourholes;the

two‘returningnines’finishonatriple-

tieredgreenaroundalakeinfrontofthe

clubhouse.DURANTS,CHRISTCHURCH;

WWW.BARBADOSGOLFCLUB.COM

2

CEDARVALLEYGOLF

CLUB,ANTIGUA

VITALSTATS: 18 holes,6,157yards,par 70

Thisclubinnorth-eastAntigua,openedin

the1970s,featuresahilly,well-bunkered

coursewithwidefairwayslinedwith

maturetropicaltrees.Thesignaturepar-4

12thholehasfineviewsofStJohn’sandthe

Caribbeancoastline.Playersoftenbump

intoSirVivRichards–thegreatcricketer

hasapassionforgolf.STJOHN’S;

WWW.CVGOLFANTIGUA.COM

3

GOLFDEST-FRANÇOIS,

GUADELOUPE

VITALSTATS: 18 holes,6,755yards,par 71

DesignedbyRobertTrentJonesSrin1978,

thispubliccourseisownedbythelocal

municipality;itisreasonablypricedand

wasupgradedin2010.Thewindscanbe

devilishlyunpredictable,andthreelakes

playchallengingrolesatsixoftheholes.

SAINT-FRANÇOIS,GRANDE-TERRE;

WWW.GOLF-SAINTFRANCOIS.COM

4

STLUCIAGOLFCLUB,

STLUCIA

VITALSTATS: 18 holes,6,829yards,par 71

Inaresidentialcommunitynotfarfrom

RodneyBay,theonly18-holecourseonSt

Luciaopenedin2001,spreadacrossalush

landscapedottedwithpondsandswaying

palms.Itmaynothaveoceanviews,butit’s

laidoutalongthenaturalcontoursofthe

hillswithplentyofblindshots,twisting

fairwaysandelevatedgreenstokeepgolfers

ontheball.CAPESTATE,GROSISLET;

WWW.STLUCIAGOLF.COM

5

PUNTABORINQUEN

GOLFCLUB,

PUERTORICO

VITALSTATS: 18 holes,6,314yards,par 72

PuertoRico’sfirstgolfcoursewasbuilt

in 1940 onaUSarmybase.Todayit’sa

friendlypubliccoursewithreasonable

fees.Ithasnolakesorwaterhazards,but

elevationchanges,slopinggreens,sandy

bunkersandbriskcrosswindsmakefora

funround;eightholessitspectacularly

ontopofa55m-highcliffwithviews

overthepointwheretheAtlanticmeets

theCaribbean.AGUADILLA;WWW.

PUNTABORINQUENGOLFCLUB.ORG

ROYALSTKITTSGOLFCLUB,
STKITTS&NEVIS
USP:StKitts’onlycoursesitsbetweenblack-sand
AtlanticbeachesandtheCaribbeanSeaVITALSTATS:
18 holes,6,900yards,par 71 SIGNATUREHOLE:The15th

• thehighestpointonthecourse;Nevis,StMaartenand
  Sabacanbeseenonaclearday

SitedontheflattestpartofStKittsbetweenHalfMoon
BayandNorthFrigateBay,isthis125-acrecourse.Opened
in1976,itwasredesignedin 2004 byCanadiangolfcourse
architectThomasMcBroom.Thefrontnineholeshave
viewsoftheCaribbean,whilethebackninerunscenically
alongtheAtlanticwiththeclosingsequenceof15–17
almostonthebeach.Relativelyflat,wideandforgiving,
therearesomechallenges: 80 bunkers, 12 lakes,stands
oftreesandwaterhazardsattenoftheholes.Opento
all,facilitiesincludepracticegreens,drivingrangeand
clubhouse.Stay-and-playpackagesareavailableatthe
adjacentStKittsMarriottResort&RoyalBeachCasino.
FRIGATEBAYROAD;WWW.ROYALSTKITTSGOLFCLUB.COM

THE LINKS AT ROYAL ISABELA,
PUERTO RICO
 USP: Curling along limestone cliffs abovetheAtlantic,
this course slots right into the lay of the landVITAL
STATS: 18 holes, 7,667 yards, par 72  SIGNATUREHOLE:
The 6th – called ‘Fork in the Road’, golferscantargettwo
different greens from the same tees

This resort near Rincón sits on 60m-highcliffs,with
several holes playing across rocky inlets.WhenPuerto
Rican tennis-stars-turned-golfers Charlie and Stanley
Pasarell laid out the course in 2009, they were reluctant to
change the landscape, and very little earth was moved.
The challenging 426-acre course has 132 tees, blind
shots galore, steeply mounded fairways, jungle-like rough,
deep bunkers and four amazing holes along the cliff’s
edge. Taking caddies is mandatory, just to find your way
around – the holes go in every direction. There are tee
times for non-guests, who can eat in the excellent La Casa
restaurant overlooking The Links.
 396 AVENIDA NOEL ESTRADA, ISABELA;
WWW.ROYALISABELA.COM/GOLF

SWING FOR LESS

There’s great golf to be enjoyed at more casual public courses and

private country clubs across the Caribbean – less expensive than but

often as scenic as luxury resorts

Barbados Golf Club

Royal St Kitts

Golf Club,

St Kitts & Nevis

ST KITTS TOURISM AUTHORITY