Roderick Easdale explores a trio of top Caribbean golf courses that have their own strong family connections
Dorado Beach, Puerto Rico
Dorado Beach has four courses, all originally designed by Robert Trent Jones senior. In 1958 the West course and the East course launched the Dorado Beach resort. Both were nine-holers, subsequently expanded to 18 holes by the original architect who also added a tropical forest, fruit trees and a lagoon. Later the resort expanded across the highway, and with this came two more 18-hole tracks, the Pineapple and Sugarcane, and the introduction of the Plantation Club.
The East was widely regarded as the best of the four layouts, and it has twice hosted the World Cup, in 1961 and 1994. Raymond Floyd modified the original design of the East course in 2005 and reversed the two nines, and this November it reopened following a closure for another renovation, this time by Robert Trent Jones’ elder son, Robert Trent Jones II.
This redesign has re-introduced some of the sight lines of the Atlantic Ocean, with 15 holes now having views of the sea. The course has also been lengthened to 7,200 yards, the greens reseeded to make them quicker and bunkers re-contoured.
Tel: 001 787 626 1001, doradobeachclubs.com
Royal Westmoreland, Barbados
Designed by Robert Trent Jones II, this course opened in 1994. Routed over the higher land of the island, the sea is visible from every hole. The natural terrain has been utilised cleverly throughout, such as the old coral quarry on 5 and 6, or the par-3 12th where a tight green borders a ravine. The par 3s are a highlight of this course and described by Ian Woosnam as among the best he seen anywhere. The Colonial style clubhouse has an open-sided dining room to showcase the views across the course to the sea.
The front nine is built on water table land and there are no homes around the course, while the back nine runs through expensive resort homes. Woosnam is one of those who has homes here, others include Gary Lineker, Andrew Flintoff, Joe Calzaghe, Michael Vaughan, Rio Ferdinand and Wayne Rooney. Those who are not staying at the five-star gated resort cannot play the course on Saturday, and have to tee off between 10am and 11am during the rest of the week.
Plans are underway to build a second 18-hole course. The architect for this will be Robert Trent Jones II’s brother, Rees Jones.
Tel: 001 246 419 0394, royalwestmoreland.com
Casa de Campo, Dominican Republic
Casa De Campo has three splendid courses designed by Pete Dye and his wife Alice Dye, a former Curtis Cup player. The couple met at college and have two sons, Perry and Paul, who are also golf course architects.
The highlight of the Teeth of the Dog course are the seven Oceanside holes, particularly the par-3 5th whose small green is surrounded on three sides by the ocean, and the stretch from 15 to 17 where the greens are perched above the azure waters of the Caribbean.
The Dye Fore! course uses its cliff-top location well and has many spectacular holes. Prime among them are the 235-yard 12th, where the tee shot crosses a chasm and the land around the green not so much falls away as disappears on three sides, as well as the equally memorable par-3 15th.
The third course is called The Links, and although, like many layouts, it’s not actually built on links land, that is on the strip of land running alongside the sea, but its design has been influenced in part by features of a traditional links.
Tel: 001 809 523 3333, casadecampo.com.do
