Punta Espada Golf Course at Cap Cana - Hole Number 17
The 17th at Punta Espada is a relatively short par 4, into the wind, that allows you to bite off as much as you can chew. And the photograph shows, in my opinion, one of the most intimidating tee shots in golf. The back tees are set along the edge of the Caribbean requiring the player to hit over a bay and up the coastline to the green! The more ocean bitten off, the shorter and better the angle of the second shot will be to the green. The small, elevated green is surrounded by water on the right and rear with a small bunker left protecting the front portion of the green. The green is pitched out the front, left side and back making for some interesting pin placements.
Punte Espada is a brand new Jack Nicklaus signature golf course at the Sanctuary Cap Cana; it opened for play in April 2007 and is the first of three new courses - the second course, Las Iguanas, is well under way and should be open in mid-2009.
The Punta Espada course plays a tough 7,396 yards from the back tees (6,883 from the Gold tees) for a par of 72, a course rating of 77, and a slope of 137. A Caddy is mandatory and the cost included in the green fee - you will need to tip, however.
Green fees at the time of writing are from US$220 to US$320, which includes green fees, cart fees, caddie fees, taxes, range balls, yardage booklet, scorecard, pencil, two bottles of water per player.
Sanctuary Cap Cana is the Dominican Republic’s newest luxury resort. It first opened its doors in January of 2008, and now seems poised to become the Republic’s premier destination. With the first of three Jack Nicklaus signature courses already open for play, and having already hosted the PGA Champions Tour in April 2008, Cap Cana is also destined to become a major golf destination.
Please read my full review of the Sanctuary Cap Cana
