Where to travel for golf this winter – Florida & the Caribbean
All Square 4min read •
12 Nov 2024
Florida and the Caribbean are blessed with a warm climate during winter, perfect for golf. Here’s our best resort packages for a golfing escape to the sun.
Florida
Florida is one of the closest states to Europe in terms of travel time, while its warm and sunny climate has attracted golfers from around the world for years. During winter, average temperatures range between 16°C and 23°C.
TPC Sawgrass, in Ponte Vedra Beach on the outskirts of Jacksonville, is one of the most iconic golf resorts in the world, host of the Players Championship on the PGA Tour. Alongside this famous course is the Valley Course, also designed by Pete and Alice Dye. To play them, one option is to book a stay & play package at the Sawgrass Marriott Golf Resort which offers modern rooms, suites, family-friendly villas and exclusive VIP rooms and suites, a beach club, eight restaurants, a spa and four swimming pools.
Streamsong Resort is another fantastic stay & play option, located within 90 minutes of both Tampa and Orlando. The Lodge at Streamsong features 228 guest rooms and suites, a spa, fitness centre, three restaurants and a lakeside pool. The resort’s three world-renowned courses are Streamsong Red, designed by Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw, Blue by Tom Doak and Black by Gil Hanse.
Miami is a great choice for a stay & play trip with superb golf resorts in an exciting city blessed with an enviable climate and beautiful scenery. Trump National Doral, just a few kilometres from Miami Beach, is a 5-star resort which has four championship-level golf courses onsite including the world famous Blue Monster.
The resort has everything you would expect from a luxury venue with over 600 rooms spread across across eight villas, a lavish spa, the Royal Palm Pool, tennis courts, a fitness centre and four onsite restaurants. Guests can also play The Silver Fox, The Golden Palm and The Red Tiger golf courses.
JW Marriott Miami Turnberry Resort & Spa is another superb choice for golfers with two 18-hole Raymond Floyd golf courses. The resort boasts nearly 700 rooms on North Miami Beach with a lazy river, tennis academy, fitness centre, spa and several bars and restaurants. The Soffer and Miller golf courses have hosted numerous South Florida PGA and LPGA championships.
Barbados is the perfect destination in winter with nine daily hours of sunshine and temperatures around 29°C. Apes Hill Resort is one of the best stay & play options with a palm-fringed championship golf course, luxurious villas, nature trails and a host of 5-star amenities.
Accommodation consists of three- or four-bedroom villas, either elegant one-storey or expansive two-storey rentals with ensuite bathrooms, fully equipped kitchens, outdoor living spaces and pools, along with access to the clubhouse and all its amenities. There’s also two tennis and padel courts and a state-of-the-art spa and fitness centre.
The resort’s golf course designed by Ron Kirby offers challenging and spectacular golf with palm trees, undulating terrain and forest and ocean views from its elevated position. There’s also the Little Apes 9-hole par-3 course, a fun gem designed to entertain golfers of every skill level.
The Dominican Republic enjoys a glorious winter climate similar to Barbados. Punta Cana, on the east coast, is one of the most beautiful regions of the Caribbean and home to luxury hotels and superb golf courses.
Paradisus Grand Cana is one the best resorts for golfers in this region. It’s a luxurious all-inclusive resort with spacious suites, gourmet restaurants, swimming pools and a state-of-the-art spa. For golfers, guests enjoy access to nearby championship golf courses.
Around 30 minutes away by car is Campo de Golf Punta Espada, a Jack Nicklaus signature golf course, one of the best in the entire Caribbean which features stunning ocean views throughout with eight holes right along the shore. Even closer to Paradisus Grand Cana are Corales Golf Course & La Cana Golf Course.
Corales Golf Course, a Tom Fazio design, is a great Caribbean golfing experience and matches Punta Espada in terms of seaside beauty. La Cana Golf Course, designed by Pete Dye, is a 27-hole golf complex consisting of three 9-hole loops, 14 of them providing glorious ocean views.
