Golf in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic

Punta Cana on the east coast of the Dominican Republic is one of the most beautiful regions of the Caribbean and is home to luxury hotels and golf courses designed by Jack Nicklaus, Tom Fazio and Pete Dye.

The region offers crystal clear waters, stunning beaches and a glorious tropical climate. It’s also close to the historic capital city of Santo Domingo, the beach paradises of Saona Island and visitors can go on various Caribbean safaris and cruises.

Campo de Golf Punta Espada

Punta Espada is a Jack Nicklaus signature golf course located in Cap Cana, a resort neighborhood down the Punta Cana coast. This highly manicured, beautiful championship golf course is one of the best in the entire Caribbean and features stunning ocean views throughout and eight holes right along the shore.

The layout weaves along the natural coastal topography of ocean, cliffs and lagoons and it provides a personal, private feel to your golf experience. The signature hole is probably the 250-yard par-3 13th, with a courageous all-carry tee shot that will take you over the ocean to a green perched on the edge of an island. The course is open to the public for play, without having to stay at any of the resorts in this area.

Resorts at Cap Cana

Whether you choose to stay at a family hotel, have a romantic holiday, or rent a vacation home and enjoy luxury at its finest, Cap Cana is among the best destinations in the Caribbean with renowned US and European hotel brands well established here.

Highlights include the adults-only 5-star Secrets Cap Cana Resort & Spa, and the majestic 5-star Sanctuary Cap Cana, another exclusive adults-only all-inclusive resort. There’s also the glamorous Eden Roc with sumptuous accommodations ranging from lavish boutique villas with their own private pools to elegantly designed beachfront suites and ocean villas that offer complete privacy. There’s also family fun at the Hyatt Ziva Cap Cana among several other options.

Corales Golf Course & La Cana Golf Course

The Westin Punta Cana Resort & Club is one of the newest additions to the 15,000-acre Punta Cana Resort & Club Estate along the Punta Cana coast. Opened in December 2013, it’s a 5-star property with all its rooms offering views of the Caribbean Sea. There’s three miles of white sandy beaches with a wide range of activities, and two championship golf courses designed by world renowned architects.

Corales Golf Course, a Tom Fazio design that opened in 2010, is a great Caribbean golfing experience and matches Punta Espada in terms of seaside beauty. Like many Fazio designs, the fairways are wide and forgiving so that a high handicapper has a chance when the coastal winds are blowing. 

It’s an 18-hole course with six ocean-side holes with natural cliffs, bays and coves, while an inland part takes in lakes and quarries to make a visually striking layout. The challenge culminates at the Devil’s Elbow, the memorable final three holes. The dramatic 18th is the pick of them with its carry over the cliff-lined Bay of Corales.

La Cana Golf Course, designed by Pete Dye, is a 27-hole golf complex consisting of three 9-hole loops: Tortuga, Hacienda and Arrecife. Hacienda is the newest and most inland layout, whereas Tortuga and Arrecife are scenic and very close to the Caribbean Sea. In total, La Cana boasts 14 ocean-view holes with four playing right on the water’s edge. There’s also the Oscar de La Renta-designed clubhouse and bar which provides the perfect setting for a post-round drink.

Punta Blanca Golf Club

Just up the coast in the region of Bavaro is Punta Blanca Golf Club, an 18-hole course designed by Nick Price. This was his first Caribbean design and it opened in 2007. It’s part of the 4-star Punta Blanca Golf & Beach Resort and is close to several luxury resort properties. Price has weaved this challenging course through natural wetland areas and rocky outcrops with large waste bunkers built into the tropical vegetation. There’s enjoyable par-3s where you must carry the ball over water, and wide and well-manicured fairways and greens on the par-4s and 5s.

Make Punta Cana your next golf destination.