With cold weather settling over most of America, the golf season is officially in hibernation. This doesn’t mean that your golf game needs to hibernate as well… it is time to break for warmer climates. I decided against the familiar escapes of California, Arizona, and Florida and went international. Today we explore two opportunities in the Dominican Republic and Mexico for summer golf in December.
PGA Oceans 4 - The Dominican Republic
This little gem is just a short plane ride away from America’s eastern seaboard and is well worth the journey. As you can tell from the name, the golf course isn’t shy about letting you know that it has 4 holes along the ocean. Let’s break down this aqua-quad action.
Hole #7: The ocean front golf kicks off with a mid to short par 3 that may just be my favorite of the four. These were certainly some of my favorite photographs from the trip. Even with bunkers surrounding the golf hole, there is still room to bail out left. The smart and bold golfer fires one right at the flag.
Hole #8: With a double fairway fronting the ocean, the par 5 8th hole is truly unique. After playing the hole twice, I still haven’t figured out what side of the fairway is more advantageous. The right side offers a more direct route and can allow the golfer to reach the green in 2. The left side isn’t necessarily any safer, but does offer a good opportunity for drone selfies.
Hole #16: The finishing stretch of golf begins on the par 3 16th and sends the golfer playing directly towards the ocean. A lengthy shot is required to find the green, but be careful, you will need to blend power with control as recovery from the rocks along the ocean is a near impossibility.
The 16th hole with the 17th looming in the distance
Hole #17: The 4th and final hole along the ocean is a solid par 4. To catch this beauty in action, be sure to check out this exclusive two hole duel with Brodie Smith. Since retiring from golf and moving over to disc golf, Brodie’s flat stick is just a tad bit rusty.
The good stuff doesn’t end with the 4 holes alongside the ocean. The resort has incredible restaurants, pools, and just about everything else that a visiting golfer could want. Most importantly, the resort also features a par 3 course. The short course is ideal for those that desire a quick and fun round of golf.
Par 3 party at Ocean’s 4.
When in the Dominican Republic, it is important to check out the local industries that breathe life and flavor into the country. Since the Dominican was the first place in the world where sugar cane was grown and rum is made from sugar cane, a trip to the Ron Barceló rum distillery was in order. Even with 17 years of sobriety, it was cool to see the process and appreciate the history behind the legendary Dominican brand.
Barceló has approximately 110,000 barrels of rum being matured in its warehouses.
The Barceló production floor bottles, labels, and ships rum.
PGA Riviera Maya - Quintana Roo, Mexico
If the Dominican didn’t warm you up sufficiently, Mexico will certainly fire up your golf juices. The Cancun area is filled with several exciting golf options. Mayakoba receives most of the attention due to the PGA tournament, but PGA Riviera Maya is not to be missed. With 18 solid holes on the property I have done the hard work and narrowed it down to my favorite 5. It is time to hand out some golf medals.
5th Place - #14 - Par 5 - 584 yards
Everyone knows that the quickest way into a top 5 list is through clever use of exposed rock and the 14th hole provides plenty. It feels as if you are in a rock quarry as the golfer approaches this undulating green. While it is much more manageable from the correct set of tees, this beast is a true beauty.
4th Place - #11 - Par 4 - 351 yards
Just about any short par 4 will be a favorite of mine as this hole is actually drivable from the correct set of tees. The water might feel like it is in play off of the tee box, but the strong golfer ignores this visual deception and pounds one towards the green.
The Podium - Only the following 3 golf holes will go home with official hardware.
BRONZE MEDAL - 3rd Place - #4 - Par 5 - 521 yards
Derived from the native Mayan language, the “Kan Haa,” the water snake hole at PGA Riviera Maya, slithers into the #3 spot. This spectacular par 5 provides plenty of scenery as well as options. The smart golfer will play it safe with two iron shots down the middle and a short iron into the green. The idiot golfer will attempt to reach this green in 2 and play their 4th from the drop area.
The water snake hole from above.
SILVER MEDAL - 2nd Place - #15 - Par 3 -245 yards
It’s hard to keep the “signature hole” off of the podium and the 15th hole at PGA Riviera Maya is no exception. Playing 245 yards from the back tees, this par 3 is for serious golfers only. Requiring a forced carry over water with a 3 wood or long iron will make any golfer think twice before ripping one at the green. The bail out area to the left delivers options for those intimidated by the tee shot and the scenic views from the tee box lock up the second place finish.
GOLD MEDAL - 1st Place - #6 - Par 4 - 432 yards
With jungle left and right, a well positioned tee ball is necessary to set up your approach into the 6th hole. From the fairway, the gofer is presented with one of the best second shots in Mexico. The green is perched above a dramatic cenote which presents a truly unique view and unless you brought scuba equipment, the golfer will take extra care to not go left. There is some room to bail out right but the jungle comes into play pretty quickly. It is a freaking good golf hole. There is simply no way to keep #6 out of the gold medal position.
After the applause from the awards show had subsided, we began our journey to explore the local culture and history in the Yucatan Peninsula. This took us just outside of our luxurious accommodations at Bahia Principe and over to the spectacular Tulum Ruins.
On top of the sheer limestone cliffs lies the ancient Mayan city of Tulum. Serving as a seaport that mainly traded in turquoise, obsidian, and jade, Tulum was the only Mayan city built on a coast. A 784 meter wall encloses the city on 3 sides. What was once a powerful fortification is now guarded only by iguanas.
Visitors are free to walk around the property which is mostly fields with ruins sprinkled throughout. The building remains give a glimpse into what was once a robust civilization. There are also several luxurious resorts in Tulum that offer stunning views of the Caribbean Sea and easy access to the ancient ruins. Piecing together what Tulum must have been like a millennium ago is a trip into the imagination .
In addition to the top tier accommodations at Bahia Principe, PGA Riviera Maya also boasts a nine hole par 3 course. With a mix of long and short holes around several ponds the short course is an equal mix of challenge and pleasure. After we loaded up on the birdies, we headed back to the United States with our cup filled to the brim with summer time vibes to combat the cold temps back in America.
