Dir15 Puerto Rico

Puerto Rico

A feature from the IAGTO Directory 2015

Puerto Rico

Puerto Rico The all-star island golf experience!

Known as the “Island of Enchantment”, Puerto Rico has so much to offer visitors – whether they come for golf or to experience its perfect year-round weather, rich cultural heritage, glorious white-sand beaches, natural attractions, Caribbean rhythms or delicious criollo cuisine. A varied and vibrant destination full of exuberant natural beauty, it is a veritable golfer’s paradise that has been home to the Puerto Rico Open presented by the Puerto Rico Tourism Company since 2008.

The first surprise for many will be that in Puerto Rico golf resorts with one or more golf courses are the norm. Out of the island’s total of 25 golf courses there are 14 different courses open and attractive to golf visitors in nine golf facilities, of which eight are integrated golf resorts.

There are four distinct golf experiences to be enjoyed in Puerto Rico: • Simply staying and playing at one golf resort has never been easier with eight golf resorts to choose from.

• Puerto Rico’s premier golf experience is also second to none, incorporating three spectacularly-appointed resorts and award-winning courses.

• A cluster of six great courses can be found within 20 minutes’ drive of the hotels along the north-east coast, presenting a veritable golf feast for avid golfers.

• And finally, the drivability of Puerto Rico provides golfers with an opportunity to enjoy a complete island golf experience, visiting all courses around the coastline. What better way to get to know this iconic Caribbean getaway?

Puerto Rico Premier Golf Experience The top-end golf and holiday experiences on offer in Puerto Rico are truly second to none. For the golfer looking for a spectacular oceanside course with challenging yet rewarding holes, all coupled with a deluxe or exclusive resort experience, there is more than one choice in Puerto Rico.

Royal Isabela Golf Resort is a jewel carved into a stunning cliff-top setting with more remarkable views and awe-inspiring holes than you can shake a golf club at… Just as importantly, the individual casitas are idyllic and the personal service and catering are of the highest calibre while at the same time being understated and friendly. You are just as likely to find yourself enjoying a glass of wine with the owner as you are wandering around the grounds enjoying the views. Getting back to the golf, Royal Isabela is a genuine one-off. Make no mistake that this is a challenging course but it is also likely to be one of the most spectacular, entrancing and memorable that you will ever play.

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Royal Isabela Golf Resort

Puerto Rico

Royal Isabela Golf Resort

Royal Isabela is a two-hour drive from San Juan but is also only a short drive from Borinquen’s Rafael Hernandez Airport, that doubles as a private aviation terminal. Guests will also be able to enjoy a visit to the nearby town of Isabela or a drive around the winding coastal roads through this surfers’ haven.

In total contrast to the immaculate creation of Royal Isabela, the nearby Punta Borinquen Golf Club manages a low-maintenance course which visitors can play for less than $35, but it too is perched atop a cliff with a tremendous view of one of the Caribbean’s most popular surfing bays down below.

The first public golf course in Puerto Rico, it was a favourite of President Eisenhower.

Driving east from Royal Isabela, about 30 minutes before reaching San Juan is the well-established resort of Dorada. There is a village atmosphere here and it is easy to see why many visitors have made it their home. The stand-out resort is the Ritz Carlton at the Dorado Beach Resort & Club.

A beach resort with three golf courses on site and the most comprehensive gym and spa facilities that you are likely to find, the Dorado Beach Resort & Club provides the golfer and golfing family with everything they need without needing to break sweat!

Dorado Beach Resort & Club

Dorado Beach Resort & Club 67

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The old town of San Juan is only a short drive away and for those wishing to have an extra night here, the Convento Hotel is not only within walking distance of San Juan’s world-class museums, historic landmarks and vibrant nightlife, it is the city’s finest boutique hotel, combining old-world charm and elegance with contemporary comfort.

San Juan’s international airport is located just to the east of the city, and continuing in that direction a further 30 minutes along the winding coastal road, or 20 minutes on the highway, takes you to the wonderful Bahia Beach Resort & Golf Club. Another stunning deluxe eco-friendly resort, the Bahia Beach Resort & Golf Club, along with the St Regis Bahia Beach Resort, has a comprehensive nature conservation programme.

The golf course is a certified Silver Signature Sanctuary within a 483-acre Certified Gold Audubon International Signature Sanctuary, and its commitment to environmental conservation won the Bahia Beach Resort & Golf Club the Nature Conservation category award in the 2015 IAGTO Sustainability Awards, run in conjunction with GEO (Golf Environment Organization). The course is an incredibly well-maintained and challenging layout that meanders through the oceanside woodland with rivers and inlets often left or right, with the final three holes set right on the ocean.

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Bahia Beach Resort & Golf Club (top & bottom)

Puerto Rico

Caribbean Golf has never been more convenient!

The three top-of-the-range golf resorts previously mentioned are a little bit spread out, with Dorado and Bahia Beach on either side of San Juan and Royal Isabela on the westernmost tip of the north coast.

The opposite is true for the courses on the northeast shoreline. Golfers who like to play a different course every day will be spoilt for choice with a cluster of six golf courses centred around the Rio Mar area, easily reachable within 45 minutes of San Juan’s international airport.

Trump International

The Bahia Beach & Golf Resort, mentioned above, is the closest to San Juan in this cluster of six. A further 20 minutes’ drive to the east are the 36 holes of Trump International, site of the Puerto Rico Open and another great run of golf holes including more spectacular oceanside vistas. While there is no management or ownership connection, the beachside Gran Melia Hotel sits perfectly adjacent to the two Trump courses, and is ideally located not only for the 36 holes but also for all other courses in the cluster.

Only a short distance further east is another twocourse golf resort on the beach, the Wyndham Rio Mar. Just to demonstrate the close proximity of the Trump and Wyndham properties, there is a private road that connects the two resorts in a matter of minutes, but only for property owners.

For hotel guests, a 20-minute journey is all that is required to get from one resort to the other.

The final golf course in this cluster of six is located on the easternmost point of the north coast – the Wyndham Rio Mar wonderfully-named El Conquistador Resort Golf Club. Another golf resort with a large familyorientated hotel, it perches on the cliff-top with spectacular views and a whole host of activities for the family to enjoy. El Conquistador golf course is the epitome of the variety to be found in this short stretch of coastline. Don’t forget your buggy because there are more ups and downs here than on many a roller coaster ride! There are some El Conquistador Resort Golf Club great tee-box views and the aspiring nature of the course means that you will be sure to want to have another go once the round is over. Just like a roller coaster…

These six great and quite different courses are all within easy driving distance from any one of the hotels mentioned, and all are at most an hour from San Juan airport.

But don’t forget the three-course cluster that is the Dorado Beach Resort & Club, 30 minutes west of San Juan. Here we have one resort with a choice of three golf courses and three hotels – the Ritz Carlton, Plantation Resort Residencies and the Hyatt Vacation Club – as well as countless rental properties nearby.

El Conquistador Resort Golf Club

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Puerto Rico

The complete island golf experience Driving around Puerto Rico is very easy to do with lots of hire car options and multi-lane highways connecting most points around the coast and across the centre of the island. Rental companies such as Hertz also include electronic toll-gate passes so the self-drive golfer never needs to stop to pay at a toll booth; they can just drive on through. There are also many opportunities to go ‘off-piste’ and explore some of the windy coastal roads to get that real island experience, using the onboard GPS to keep you on track.

Driving the fairways of Puerto Rico brings into play a few more golf courses. Heading south down the east coast from El Conquistador, you soon reach the Palmas del Mar Resort, an expansive resort estate with 36 holes of golf and some of the best tennis facilities on the island as well as everything that visitors might need, whether staying for a few days or a long break.

Costa Caribe Golf & Country Club

Approaching the south coast from the northeast takes you over the coastal hills which become the backdrop for the Costa Caribe Golf & Country Club and Ponce Hilton Hotel. The 27hole resort course has both mountain and sea views situated in a natural setting with attractive landscaping and very little real estate to interrupt the view. Here, the beach life can be enjoyed at Playa Santa and Playa Sucia as can the La Guancha boardwalk in Ponce some five minutes’ drive from the Hilton.

Golf the way you like it Puerto Rico is such an easy golf destination to enjoy. For the US market, there are no visa complications or passport requirements, airfare to Puerto Rico is 30% to 50% less than to many other Caribbean destinations, and for flight accessibility it could not be more convenient. The golfer can stay put and play up to three courses without getting into a car, or play six great courses within a 20-minute drive, tour the island or indulge in the luxury of one of the island’s premier resorts.

Puerto Rico allows for so many combinations, so whether the golf traveller is looking for a buddy trip, a romantic top-end break with mouth-watering golf, golf & spa, golf for families, golf & casinos, golf & fishing, golf & exploring or even golf & surfing, this all star island makes it easy…

Palmas del Mar Resort

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Puerto Rico

Featured golf courses & resorts/hotels

Palomino Beach

Punta Borinquen Golf Club A public course, Punta Borinquen is situated in a unique cliff top location which golf travellers venturing to the north-west coast of the island will enjoy just for its location and views and the winding coastal road between the course and the town of Isabela.

Holes: 18; Par: 72; Yardage: 6,633 Designer: Ferdinand Garbin www.puntaborinquengolf.com Royal Isabela Golf Club Without doubt one of the most spectacular and memorable golf courses in the Americas, not just the Caribbean. It is a challenging course and would definitely be most enjoyed by the avid golfer, although no golfer will leave without appreciating the views and aspects from tee to green.

Holes: 18; Par: 72; Yardage: 6,181 Designer: David Pfaff www.royalisabela.com Dorado Beach Resort & Club A well-established, iconic Caribbean golf resort with the unmistakeable signature of the Robert Trent Jones dynasty. The famous East and West Golf Courses are located in a secluded seaside sanctuary running along two miles shoreline, amidst lush jungle and oceanfront coconut groves. The resort has tremendous spa and family facilities.

Holes: 54; Par: 72 each course; Yardage: 7,119 / 7,190 / 7,030 Designer: Robert Trent Jones Sr / Robert Trent Jones Jr www.doradobeach.com Bahia Beach Resort & Golf Club The course is immaculately maintained and is in a glorious verdant setting of mature forest, rivers, lakes and the beach. The St Regis resort provides top-of-the-range luxury for its guests.

Holes: 18; Par: 71; Yardage: 7,014 Designer: Robert Trent Jones Jr www.bahiabeachpuertorico.com 71

Puerto Rico

Trump International Golf Club Located at the heart of the north-eastern cluster of golf courses, this has brought more high quality golf to the island and exists specifically to provide a great golf experience to the golfer – visitor or resident.

Holes: 36; Par: 72 each course; Yardage: 7,526 / 6,884 Designer: Tom Kite www.trumpgolfpuertorico.com Rio Mar Country Club Nearby the El Yunque Rain Forest, the two championship golf courses, designed by Tom & George Fazio and Greg Norman, are delightfully set in this 500 acre resort that includes a mile long beach front. No hotel or resort is closer to El Yunque Rain Forest.

Holes: 36; Par: 71 / 72; Yardage: 6,716 / 6,902 Designer: Tom & George Fazio / Greg Norman www.wyndhamriomar.com El Conquistador Resort Golf Club The unusually high elevation changes of El Conquistador make it a visual and challenging treat for any golfer looking for a special experience in the Caribbean. Avid golfers will love the challenge and the experience. It is an exceptional facility for hotel guests and a must-play for golf visitors.

Holes: 18; Par: 72; Yardage: 6,746 Designer: Arthur Hills www.elconresort.com Palmas Athletic Club Reminiscent of many large gated communities familiar to US visitors, visitors who pine for the familiarity of the American-style resort in a Caribbean setting will find the resort very tempting.

Holes: 36; Par: 72 each course; Yardage: 7,117 / 6,675 Designer: Rees Jones / Gary Player www.palmaspac.com Costa Caribe Golf Club This is a natural jewel of a golf course, offering 27 holes to visitors. Located on site at the Ponce Hilton Hotel, golfers will enjoy the serenity of this beautifully landscaped course in tranquil surroundings.

Holes: 27; Par: 72; Yardage: 6,937 Designer: Bruce Besse Jr www.costacaribe-resort.com The featured golf hotels are: Royal Isabela Ritz Carlton (Dorado Beach) Plantation Inn (Dorado Beach)

St Regis Bahia Beach Gran Melia Golf Resort Wyndham Rio Mar

by Peter Walton, edited by Peter Ellegard 72

El Conquistador Resort Wyndham Palmas del Mar Ponce Hilton Hotel

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Punta Borinquen Golf Club Royal Isabela Golf Club Dorado Beach Resort & Club Bahia Beach Resort & Golf Club Trump International Golf Club Rio Mar Country Club El Conquistador Resort Golf Club Palmas Athletic Club Costa Caribe Golf Club

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Cover Photo: Bunga Raya Course, Saujana Golf & Countr y Club, Malaysia • www.saujana.com.my

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