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Vacationing in Jamaica? Find excellent
championship courses to play golf in Jamaica especially in the resort towns of Montego Bay, Ocho Rios and Kingston.
 With more championship courses to swing away
at than in any other Caribbean destination, golfers will find layouts
challenging enough to make even Tiger Woods determined. Jamaica is at the
top of the leader board among Caribbean islands for courses that not only provide
a true test of the game, but are picturesque as well. Let's just say that
scenic drives are not limited to the coastal highways. Some holes may be
bedeviling, but views from the hills and valleys are heavenly - definitely worth
the price of the green fees.
Hotels with Golf Course or Access
 Ritz Carlton All Inclusive Resort
Half Moon Resort
Rosehall Country Club and Resort
Grand Lido Braco Resort
Grand Sport Villa Inclusive
How good a test is the golf? The elite in the golf world (PGA, LPGA and PGA
Senior tours) have made regular stops. Noted golf-course designers like
Robert Trent Jones Sr. have created premier layouts that fit any game,
from scratch to high handicapper. Even if you occasionally have trouble
getting your shot airborne, you can learn how to play the game on your
all inclusive golf vacation.
With so many things to
see and do in Jamaica, you can play a round of golf in the morning and be back
in time for an enjoyable afternoon sunset cruise or a visit to a historic Great
House. And even if golf isn't a family affair, mom and the children can
bask on the beach or shop while dad tees off.
Golf on the island is convenient and there are
golf resorts that offers everything you need and is accessible. Four championship courses near the sea are practically within
a wedge shot of each other. Ironshore Golf & Country Club, Half Moon Golf,
Tennis & Beach Club and Wyndam Rose Hall Country Club are in the same vicinity ,
east of Montego Bay. Golfers now can tee off at the new 6,8000-yard White
Witch Golf Course at the Ritz Carlton Rose Hall. Carved out of 4,000 acres
of the foothills and countryside of Rose Hall, the Robert von Hagge design is
both breathtaking and challenging. Named after Annie Palmer, the bewitching
sorceress of Rose Hall, the course has 16 of 18 holes overlooking the sea,
definitely a blessing and not a curse.
Want tradition? Courses have that too. Tee
off near a historic water wheel on the he site of a former sugar plantation at
Tryall Golf, Tennis & Beach Resort, west of MoBay, where the best of the world's
professionals have tested their skills. Or play at the Manchester Country
Club in Mandeville, built more than 100 years ago not long after the game was
invented in Scotland.
You still
may see a startling sight at some Jamaican courses, made famous by a caddy at
Tryall Golf Club, where caddies carry golf bags on their heads. A word of
advice; use their head more than yours. Caddies know the layout and can
impart local knowledge. At most courses, hiring a caddy is required.
Carts are available at most courses, allowing you to ride while your caddy
walks. The privilege of having a caddy is rarely available to
golfers playing U.S. Courses.
Green fees may vary during the seasons but generally range from US$15-125.
Fees are subject to change without notice. Clubhouse privileges are
available. Serious golfers may want to bring their own sticks, but you can
rent top-name clubs like Calloway and Taylor Made, from about US$12-$35 per
round. Using a caddy costs from US$10-$18 per round (18 holes).
Rental carts range up to US$40. It's advisable to bring several sleeves
of golf balls; buying them in Jamaica's pro shops will be costly.
If you begin to feel like explorers Lewis and
Clark because you can't keep the ball in the fairway, golf lessons are available
from resident professionals at most of Jamaica's courses. From beginner's
to advanced, teaching is available for half-hour, hour and extended sessions.
Want to really fine tune your swing? Or get p
an down from the he bunker more often? Not a problem. In-depth
instruction is available at Half Moon Golf, Tennis & Golf Club through the noted
David Lead-better Golf Academy. Options include video and computer
analysis of your swing. Instruction on your short game (putting, chipping,
bunker play) is also provided at the academy created by teaching guru Ledbetter.
Jamaica is the perfect venue for multi-option
golf packages. All-inclusive may include golf green fees in their
package. Accommodations offer a wide range of activities in addition to
golf and meals. Remember that Jamaica is the "land of wood and water" but
your job is to land the ball on the green. Go ahead, tee it high and let
it fly.
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