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Photo:The 11th hole at the Four Seasons Resort Course on Nevis Island with St. Kitts in the background.
Destination
St. Kitts!
A look at this emerging golf destination in the Caribbean
The 18th ho
Spectacular golf in St. Kitts And it’s only going to get better as two new courses are coming on board By STEVE HARRON Grey-Bruce Golf
W
ith the golf season in Grey-Bruce now finished it’s a good time to start thinking about winter golf destinations. And one that may not be on your radar right now, but you will be hearing more about soon is the St. Kitts-Nevis area in the Caribbean. The two tropical islands, about 2.5 miles apart, offer beautiful beaches, rainforests and dramatic scenery, making them popular getaways. But with recent new developments they are bound to attract the attention of golfers looking for great places to play in reliably warm weather. The golf product now consists of two terrific courses - Royal St. Kitts Golf Club at the Marriott Resort in Basseterre and the Four Seasons Resort Course on Nevis Island. But soon it will expand to include Irie Fields on Kittitian Hill, an 18-hole Ian Woosnam design built high above the Atlantic Ocean as part of a luxury resort. And within the next few years a fourth course - a Tom Fazio design overlooking the Caribbean Sea - is expected to be open in the Christophe Harbour area on the other end of the island. Both of these courses are in spectacular settings and together Steve Harron Publisher/Editor Grey-Bruce Golf is a publication of Harron Marketing, 200 Beattie Street, Owen Sound, Ont. N4K 6X3 Telephone: 519-374-5759 E-mail: steveharron@sympatico.ca
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Infinity pool at Belle Mont Farm on Kittitian Hill. they should amp up the excitement for St. Kitts Golf.
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hole at the Four Seasons Resort course on Nevis Island.
Irie Fields on Kittitian Hill - a golf course good enough to eat!
The 10th hole at Irie Fields on Kittitian Hill offers stunning views of nearby islands. Irie Fields will offer golfers a truly unique experience as it is the first course purposely designed to be fully organic and edible. Yes, that’s right - an edible golf course. That means golfers making their rounds can munch on fruit grown on the course, which covers 200 acres of a 400-acre tropical farm. The 18-hole par 71 course will use only natural fertilizers and no pesticides. Weed control will be achieved by shutting down the course once a week so locals can hand-pick the weeds. “This will never be like Augusta (National Golf Club) because we won’t use pesticides to make it look pristine,” said Carlos Salazar, general manager of Belle Mont Farm on Kittitian Hill. “But there is a story behind it - it is consistent with what we do.” What the new course will be is a natural golf experience where hundreds of grazing sheep will be unofficial members of the grounds keeping crew. Located within hiking distance of the highest point on St. Kitts the 3,792-foot Mount Liamugia - the course offers stunning views of the Atlantic and the islands of St. Barths, Saba and St. Eustatius. The resort also provides luxury accommodations, an infinity
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pool, el fresco dining, beach access and much more. For more information, go to www.bellemontfarm.com/discover/golf/ At Christophe Harbour, there is plenty of excitement about a planned community that will include a super yacht marina and village and a golf course overlooking the Caribbean Sea and nearby Nevis Island. Like Kittitian Hill, it will offer water views on every hole. Golfers will start along the harbour then climb 450 feet to the peak. Developers have high expectations for the course and Real Estate Sales Executive Martin Roache, an accomplished golfer himself, believes the scenic values are going to be the best in the Caribbean. The 600-acre development is a project of the Darby family, developers of Kiawah Island Resort near Charleston, South Carolina - location of the Ryder Cup in 1991 and the PGA Championship in 2012. The family sold the Kiawah Island Resort and is now focusing on the St. Kitts development. Continued on next page
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The gorgeous sand beach at Christophe Harbour where a master planned community will include a Tom Fazio golf course.
New course at Christophe Harbour expected to be among top in the world Continued from previous page Roache says the Christophe Harbour course will be more golfer-friendly than the notoriously tough Pete Dye Ocean Course at Kiawah. But he also said they want the course, like Kiawah, to be ranked among the top courses in the world when it opens in 2017 or 2018. A lot of the new course’s business is expected to come from the Park Hyatt Hotel, which is under construction nearby. When the luxury hotel is fully open it will offer 125 rooms, 50 residential condos, an infinity pool, spa, gym and a sand beach on Banana Bay.The hotel is expected to open sometime this year. For more information, go to www.parkhyattstkitts.com. The Park Hyatt is only a 10-minute boat ride from Nevis where you will find the fabulous Four Seasons Resort Course. The Robert Trent Jones II designed course is at the base of Mount Nevis - a dormant volcano that provides a stunning backdrop. The routing takes you partway up the mountain, providing spectacular views of the Caribbean Sea and St. Kitts. In addition to the great scenery, chances are good you will be entertained during your round by Mount Nevis provides a spectacular background on the first hole at monkeys swinging through the trees or crossing the fairways. the Four Seasons Resort course. My favourite hole is the 11th, a downhill par 4 that provides a breathtaking vista as you round the corner are challenged to play from the Coconut (back) tees. The only of the dog leg. catch is it’s a 245-yard carry over thick bush to a fairway that The hole was memorable for another reason as one of my can barely be seen (the red flag in the middle of the fairway playing partners - golf writer Tom Harack - jarred his second shot helps a bit). for an eagle. I recommend you take an old ball and try it, then do the sensiAnother unforgettable hole is the 663-yard 15th where golfers ble thing and play from the middle tees.
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Nevis Island is a tropical paradise where you’ll find the Four Seasons Resort course.
Nevis Island is popular with celebrities like Oprah, Jay Z and Beyonce Even from these tees, the hole offers plenty of challenge with bush on the right and a steep drop off on the left. I should also mention that the ride from the elevated Coconut tees to the middle tees is about as spectacular as you’ll find on any golf course. While the 15th is definitely a tough hole, it’s not indicative of many of the others at Four Seasons. In fact, the course has relatively generous fairways and several short par 4s. The 5th plays only 266 yards from the white tees but it’s uphill and protected by large bunkers on both sides of the fairway. It’s a fun hole that offers bombers a chance at glory and the rest of us a chance at par. The 18th hole is a beautiful way to finish. It’s a par 4 with water on the left and a green that sits on the edge of the beach only metres from the beautiful Caribbean Sea. After your round you’ll want to check out the 5-star resort, which has attracted celebrities like Oprah, Jay Z and Beyoncé. It offers 196 rooms, 17 luxury suites, 40 villas for rent, three pools, spa, watersports and much more. Standard rooms start at $375 per night during low season For more information go to www.fourseasons.com/nevis/ Continued next page
An oceanview room at the Four Seasons Resort. Grey-Bruce Golf
Grey-Bruce Golf Editor/Publisher Steve Harron attempts a 245-yard carry from the Coconut Tees on the 15th hole at the Four Seasons Resort Course. The ball was never found. The par 5 hole plays 663 yards from this tee. www.greybrucegolf.com
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The view from behind the 14th hole at the Royal St. Kitts Golf Club. The 16th and 17th holes, which run along the ocean, can be seen in the background.
Fantastic finishing holes at Royal St. Kitts Golf Club Continued from previous page Back on the main island you’ll find more great golfing at the Marriott Resort course - a par 71 track that opened in 1976 and was redesigned by Canadian golf course architect Thomas McBroom before re-opening in 2004. The course is a whole lot of fun to play, with generous fairways, some short par 4s and spectacular holes along the ocean. But with 80 bunkers, water hazards on 10 holes and challenging Bermuda rough, it’s not a walk in the park. The course takes you out toward the Caribbean Sea and on the third hole you get your first glimpse of the water. This is also one of the those short par 4s (283 yards from the white tees), that invites you to go for the green. The par 4 17th hole at After the third, the course winds its way back toward the Atlantic where you’ll find the most picturesque holes. You get glimpses of the ocean on the 11th but the eye candy really starts at the 14th - a short uphill par 4 that rises high enough to give you a stunning panoramic view of the ocean, the 16th and 17th holes and the coconut palm trees swaying in the breeze. The par 3 15th is another stunner. The shot from an elevated tee is only 133 yards but the wind off the ocean can add greatly to the challenge. The par 4 16th runs parallel to the ocean and that makes it an intimidating tee shot but there is plenty of bail-out area on the right. The tee shot on the 17th is very similar but the big difference is the hole dog legs left toward the ocean, making for a scary second shot to a green that sits on the edge of the ocean.
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Royal St. Kitts is full of challenge and beauty. Although it’s a par 4, it reminds me a bit of the iconic par 5 18th at Pebble Beach Golf Links. For me, this hole was the highlight of a terrific collection of finishing holes. I played three rounds on the course during my week-long stay and loved every minute of it (well, except for those double-bogey holes). I even got to witness Toronto resident Lindsay Knowlton setting a new women’s course record with a sizzling 66 (-5) during the St. Kitts 2Ball Invitational. Awesome display of golf! The terrific golf, combined with the surrounding beauty and warm ocean breezes, made for a memorable week. And with the golf offerings getting even better in the near future, watch for St. Kitts to become an increasingly popular golf destination. For more information on St. Kitts, go to www.stkittstourism.kn
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The view from the top floor of the St. Kitts Marriott Resort and Royal Beach Casino.
IF YOU GO Listed below are some other options for accommodations, as well as some restaurants worth checking out and flight information. ACCOMMODATIONS: Marriott Resort & Royal Beach Casino 320 guest rooms, 69 suites, 8 restaurants, 3 lounges, 35,000 sq. ft. Royal Beach Casino, 15,000 sq. ft. spa, pools and beach. www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/skbrb-st-kitts-marriottresort-and-the-royal-beach-casino/ Royal St. Kitts Hotel - a recently renovated facility across the road from the Marriott. 1-869-465-8651 www.royalstkittshotel.com Silver Reef at Frigate Bay - another recently renovated property overlooking the third hole at Royal St. Kitts Golf Club. 1-869-762-5151 www.indigopropertiesplus.com
The Salt Plage restaurant at Christophe Harbour is not to be missed.
Ocean Terrace Inn - Yet another renovated facility, this one a 4star boutique hotel overlooking the Basseterre harbour with 50 rooms and a "fantasy pool." www.oceanterraceinn.com RESTAURANTS Salt Plage restaurant at Christophe Harbour on the Caribbean Sea is not to be missed. It offers a spectacular setting with funky music, a dock for lounging and watching the sunset and checking out the lights of nearby Basseterre. https://www.facebook.com/SaltPlage
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Other Options: Spice Mill on Cockleshell Beach www.spicemillrestaurant.com Carambola Beach Club on South Friar’s Bay www.carambolabeachclub.com Boozie’s on the Beach on the Frigate Bay Strip www.booziesonthebeach.com FLIGHTS Air Canada offers direct flights from Toronto (4 hours, 45 minutes flying time). www.aircanda.com
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