Consistent sunshine makes Golf in the Bahamas the ideal choice for a golf vacation or group outing. The islands regularly host world-class tournaments. There is no winter season to limit play, just year-round blue skies and warm weather. Nassau averages seven hours of completely sunny skies per day, and rain seldom lasts for longer than it takes to get under cover, even during the rainy season.
Spoiled For Choice:
Of all the 700-odd islands of the Bahamas, three spring readily to mind when our thoughts turn to golf vacations:
New Providence Island - Nassau
Grand Bahama Island - Freeport
Grand Bahama Island:
Of the three choices, I believe Freeport has the most to offer with its two spectacular courses: the Reef, designed by Robert Trent Jones, Jr., and the Lucayan, designed by Dick Wilson.
Both of these courses are operated by the The Westin and Sheraton at Our Lucaya Beach and Golf Resort, and this would be the obvious place to stay if you're considering a golf vacation.
Our Lucaya can be a little on the expensive side. So, if budgeting is important, a great alternative would be a small resort located just across the road from Our Lucaya, right in center of Port Lucaya:
Pelican Bay is centrally located with plenty to see, eat and do, all within walking distance of the Our Lucaya Resort, and it's affordable - every type of accommodation from the standard double room to a "grand suite" is available. A three-night golf package costs less than $1600 and includes three rounds on Lucaya/Reef golf courses, shared use of golf cart for each round, and pre-booked tee times, continental breakfast daily and round trip transportation between hotel and golf course.
The Reef Course at Our Lucaya:
The Reef Course, designed by Robert Trent Jones, Jr., is rated one of the Top 3 courses in the Caribbean.
The course features deceptively open fairways, rolling greens, and an assortment of tall grasses, treacherous bunkers and enormous lakes. A strong short game goes a long way here. The wide fairways may be forgiving but the huge bunkers around the greens are not. The greens are large and level, but they are fast, deceptive and three-putts are par for this course (no pun intended - you think?) and will quickly destroy an otherwise respectable score. Add to that the ever-present and unpredictable ocean wind and you have a formidable opponent.
But Jones did not quit there. He brought water into play on 13 of 18 holes. The inevitable sounds of the ball splashing into lake or ocean make for an interesting, often tortuous, but always enjoyable outing. And as the course is laid out on an island in the Bahamas, you wouldn't expect to avoid the odd water hazard, now would you? Check out The Reef Photo Gallery
The Lucayan Course at Our Lucaya
The Lucayan Course, designed by Dick Wilson, features heavy foliage, lush dogleg fairways, and fast greens guarded by cavernous bunkers.
The Lucayan is an Audubon-affiliated member of the USGA and The Metropolitan New York Golf Association. It is also a real test because you play against a combination of Dick Wilson's devious mind and the natural wonders of Grand Bahama Island. The Lucayan is a test of precision rather than distance. It's a links experience of doglegs, elevated greens and thick stands of tropical foliage.
Golf in Freeport is a sometime thing. Rarely is the Lucayan packed to capacity, so there's no tight schedule and no need to rush your round: you can take it easy. With wide target areas off the tee and well-protected elevated greens, it's a great place to enjoy the great game. You can view the course here in the Lucayan Golf Course Photo Gallery.
New Providence Island
Nassau - The Radisson Cable Beach Resort Golf Club
The Radisson's newly redesigned golf course plays 6,453 yards and features spacious, forgiving fairways guarded by a network of lakes. The greens are protected by a series of mounds designed to create containment and to assist the golfer who occasionally strikes a stray shot. The course has fewer bunkers than you might expect for a championship layout, thus it's a challenging but somewhat friendly course. This is rare these days, for most designers seem intent on making their courses as difficult as possible. It's a nice change to play a course that offers an enjoyable day out for golfers of all skill levels.
A golf shuttle runs between the hotel and golf club from sunup until sundown.
Where to Stay:
British Colonial Hilton Nassau
Wyndham Nassau Resort - Cable Beach
Three of these hotels are located on Cable Beach, the fourth - The British Colonial Hilton - is on the west side of Nassau just a short ride from the course. All four offer comprehensive golf packages.
The Exumas - Four Seasons Golf Club at Emerald Bay - Great Exuma
The Four Seasons Golf Club Great Exuma at Emerald Bay offers a spectacular new 18-hole championship course designed by golf legend, Greg Norman. This new course is, in my opinion, destined to become one of the world's most popular ocean-side clubs. Greg has used an environmentally friendly seashore paspalum grass, which offers a lush, deep green canopy upon which the ball sets high for a teed up shot almost every time.
The Course is a long Par 72 - approximately 7,200 yards - and was designed by Norman to bring into play the bump and run shots around the greens seen so often in championship play on the great links courses in Scotland. The layout is, as always on a Greg Norman course, tough with undulating bunkers guarding both fairways and green.
The fairways wind through seaside dunes along the oceanfront to finish on a rocky peninsula with a spectacular view of the ocean. Six signature holes hug the perimeter of Emerald Bay's scenic peninsula - the views across the bay and its turquoise waters are nothing short of spectacular.
The Four Seasons Golf Club Great Exuma at Emerald Bay is and expensive venue but, as always, you get what you pay for. The hotel is modern and well appointed. Golf & Spa packages for individuals and groups are available starting around $625 per night per person, depending upon the season.
