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Old Quarry Golf Course named best in the Caribbean

Punta Espada Golf Course takes second place

Laidback, fun, insanely beautiful – these are a few of the phrases you could use to describe the experience of golfing in the Caribbean, and there are more choices than ever for teeing off in the tropical sun. 

  • Old Quarry Golf Course
    Curacao

    The Pete Dye-designed Old Quarry course at the Santa Barbara Golf & Beach Resort in Curacao affords views of both the Caribbean and the craggy limestone formations of Mount Tafelberg. The course itself is characterized by wide, rolling fairways, raised greens and a sense of seclusion thanks to separations between holes.
    Photo courtesy of Old Quarry Golf Course / Facebook

  • Punta Espada Golf Course
    Punta Cana, Dominican Republic

    Punta Espada, a course designed by the legendary Jack Nicklaus, is a par-72 course that follows the natural contours of its coastal setting while offering spectacular ocean views. Its signature 13th hole is a memorable one, with a tee shot over the water to an island green.
    Photo courtesy of Punta Espada Golf Club

  • Teeth of the Dog at Casa de Campo
    La Romana, Dominican Republic

    Carved from the natural rock and coral of the Dominican coastline, Teeth of the Dog is a Pete Dye signature 18-hole course with seven holes right along the ocean. It's consistently ranked among the best courses in Latin America.
    Photo courtesy of Leading Hotels of the World

  • Apes Hill Club Course
    Barbados

    The par-72 course at Apes Hill Club in Barbados opened in 2009 and has since been rated among the best courses in the world. The course is also one of only 913 courses in the world to gain designation as a Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary. 
    Photo courtesy of Apes Hill Club / Facebook

  • Provo Golf Club
    Providenciales, Turks & Caicos

    This natural, rugged course surrounded by the flora and fauna of Provo offers 18 holes of "target-style" golf, including a challenging par-5 lake hole. Colorful native birds inhabit the course's many lakes, offering a pleasant distraction between swings.
    Photo courtesy of Provo Golf Club

  • Corales Golf Course at Puntacana Resort
    Punta Cana, Dominican Republic

    Opened in 2010, this Tom Fazio-designed course includes six oceanside holes, as well as abundant natural features, like cliffs, ocean coves and inland lakes. The last three holes, known as Devil's Elbow, involves a forced carry over the Bay of Corales. 
    Photo courtesy of Leading Hotels of the World

  • The Country Club at Sandy Lane
    Barbados

    Five lakes, lush greens and impeccable fairways await golfers at The Country Club course at Sandy Lane. This par-72, 7,060-yard course from Tom Fazio offers incredible sea views from several holes.
    Photo courtesy of Sandy Lane

  • East Course at Dorado Beach
    Dorado Beach, Puerto Rico

    When Robert Trent Jones Jr. restored the East Course at Dorado Beach, he elevated it to one of the best courses in the region. Fifteen of the 18 holes enjoy ocean views, and the bunkers are filled with native sand harvested from the nearby beaches.
    Photo courtesy of Dorado Beach

  • Ocean Club Golf Course
    Paradise Island, Bahamas

    Situated on the grounds of Atlantis Paradise Island, the the Tom Weiskopf-designed Ocean Club Golf Course stretches for 7,100 yards along a peninsula. Crosswinds create a challenge for even expert players on this par-72 championship course.
    Photo courtesy of saramarielin / Flickr

  • Cinnamon Hill at Rose Hall
    Montego Bay, Jamaica

    Blending elements of links and inland golf, Cinnamon Hill is a diverse course with seaside greens and holes set 350 feet above sea level. Situated on a former sugar plantation, the Von Hagee and Baril-designed course preserves the historic sites, flora and fauna of the historic Rose Hall estate.
    Photo courtesy of (c) 2018 Hilton Hotels & Resorts

The top 10 winners in the category Best Caribbean Golf Course are as follows:

  1. Old Quarry Golf Course - Curacao
  2. Punta Espada Golf Course - Punta Cana, Dominican Republic
  3. Teeth of the Dog at Casa de Campo - La Romana, Dominican Republic
  4. Apes Hill Club Course - Barbados
  5. Provo Golf Club - Providenciales, Turks & Caicos
  6. Corales Golf Course at Puntacana Resort - Punta Cana, Dominican Republic
  7. The Country Club at Sandy Lane - Barbados
  8. East Course at Dorado Beach - Dorado Beach, Puerto Rico
  9. Ocean Club Golf Course - Paradise Island, Bahamas
  10. Cinnamon Hill at Rose Hall - Montego Bay, Jamaica

A panel of experts partnered with 10Best editors to picked the initial 20 nominees, and the top 10 winners were determined by popular vote. Experts Melanie Reffes and Larry Olmsted were chosen based on their knowledge and experience of Caribbean travel and golf.

Congratulations to all these winning golf courses!

A note on Irma and Maria: The 2017 hurricane season greatly impacted the Caribbean, with hurricanes Irma and Maria leaving destruction in their wakes. Where some islands were able to bounce back quickly, recovery continues on others. Each of our nominees in this contest is either currently open to visitors or has an expected opening date in 2018.

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AlertThe Experts

Larry Olmsted

Larry Olmsted

Larry Olmsted is the weekly Great American Bites columnist for USA TODAY, covering regional cuisine and restaurants across the nation. He also writes frequently on culinary travel topics for his Forbes.com Great Life column. He is the Contributing Travel Editor for Cigar Aficionado magazine and has written extensively on food and travel topics for a wide variety of publications, including American Way, Celebrated Living, Rhapsody and Hemispheres. His New York Times bestselling book Real Food/Fake Food takes readers on an enlightening (and sometimes disturbing) journey deep into the food industry. Larry has traveled extensively all over the globe; attended cooking classes in Italy, England, Mexico and the United States; and is certified as competition barbecue judge by the Kansas City Barbecue Society.

Melanie Reffes

Melanie Reffes

Melanie Reffes is a seasoned travel journalist specializing in the Caribbean. She is often circling the globe in search of a good story or racing through airports trying to make a flight. Melanie is a contributor to USA TODAY Travel and CaribbeanTravel.com , she covers the Caribbean for Montreal's The Suburban newspaper and she is the author of the blog ' The Caribbean Romance Report' on MarryCaribbean.com. When she she's not taking five the under a palm tree, you'll find her at home on the sunny island of Montreal. Follow her on Twitter and Facebook.