Golfing in the Dominican has long been a popular pastime for holidaymakers. Featuring regularly on the PGA tour, golf courses in the Punta Cana region attract golfers with their stunning locations and exquisite designs, not to mention that there’s plenty to do while not sinking birdies.
We now offer golfing experiences as part of our product offering in the Dominican Republic, creating customisable itineraries that feature a round or two for your customers.
Discova recently became a member of IATGO, a global golf tourism organisation, giving us the license to put together these packages.
Let’s look at what a golfing holiday in the Dominican with Discova could look like.
At this time, we can feature two magnificent courses in our itineraries – Punta Espada and Punta Blanca.
Punta Espada is a visually stunning, picture-perfect golf course nestled neatly beside the Caribbean Sea in Cap Cana.
Designed by the great Jack Nicklaus, this course has been voted #1 golf course in Mexico and the Caribbean by Golfweek magazine for 8 years running. It ranks at #35 on GolfDigest’s prestigious list of courses worldwide.
The challenging par-72 course truly is a sight to behold. From wherever you are on the course, you’ll get breathtaking views of the crystal-clear Caribbean Sea, contrasting pleasingly with the lush emerald-green fairways that roll majestically along the coastline’s natural contours.
After a pleasant jaunt, celebrate a fine round or bemoan your bad luck with a drink or meal at the club lounge. Here, players can taste typical Dominican food or international cuisine in a refined setting. The viewing platform offers panoramic views of the course.
Punta Blanca course offers up a tricky 18-hole challenge for golfers with a dangerous maze of lakes and bunkers to navigate. The wide fairways thankfully compensate in some areas, but rest assured this course provides a test!
Set inland, while visitors here don’t benefit from those glorious sea views, they are treated to some exquisite landscaping to admire.
The course here offers a pro shop selling a broad range of golfing equipment and an on-site restaurant in which to relax after a day’s play.
The emphasis here is very much on customisability.
Depending on your customer’s needs, we can combine a few rounds at the golf course with some of our fantastic, innovative experiences that celebrate Local Life in the Dominican into a week-long itinerary.
Or, alternatively, we can keep it golf-focused with some time to relax at the luxurious resort to reflect on the morning’s play. If a group includes some golfers and non-players, we can organise spa treatment packages for those not teeing off.
And, speaking of teeing off, we offer complete flexibility regarding tee-off times so that we can accommodate the desired schedule for your customers.
Whichever itinerary we create for your customers, all transportation needs will be taken care of, with transfers organised to and from the course with space for the customers’ own golf clubs if necessary.
Start a conversation with our team to explore the endless possibilities and see if we can arrange an itinerary that is perfect for your customers’ needs.
That being said, let’s examine a sample 5-day golfing itinerary recently tailored for one of our partners.
On arrival in Punta Cana, guests check in at the Golden Bear Lodge situated right next to the Espada golf course. It’s a sprawling luxurious complex with spacious condominiums that offer sea and course views. The ‘Golden Bear’ refers to the nickname of golfing legend, Jack Nicklaus, who designed the golf course.
There’s an on-site spa featuring a broad range of pampering services, and a variety of restaurants offer an excellent choice of Dominican or international cuisine. Settle in for an evening by the pool and soak up the sun.
Over the next three days, the itinerary takes on the structure of golf in the morning followed by an activity in the afternoon.
Begin with the stunning Espada golf course. After a hopefully thrilling and satisfying round, refresh with some lunch before heading on a tour of the Dominican countryside.
With our expert guide, gain insights into local life in the Dominican by visiting various plantations in the countryside. Learn about the processes of coffee, cacao, and vanilla from the farmers themselves. For an extra special treat, learn about the local spirit ‘mamajuana’ – a Dominican delicacy that allegedly holds aphrodisiacal properties.
Throughout the trip to the countryside, admire the idyllic, charming villages and see plenty of examples of typical Dominican houses. All the while, our knowledgeable guide is keen and equipped to deal with any question you may have.
On to the second day, and it’s time to get to grips with the tricky Punta Blanca course. After a potentially stressful morning getting out of bunkers and water hazards, the afternoon goes at a slower pace with a glorious sunset cruise out into the Caribbean.
On this trip, the emphasis is on relaxation. Kick back with a cocktail or two and admire the beautiful vistas of the Caribbean. We make a stop by a calm, natural pool for travellers to jump off and take a refreshing dip before heading back to the hotel for dinner.
On the final full day, another chance to tackle the stunning Punta Espada course – try to correct those errors from the first round. We then left the afternoon free for leisure time for this particular itinerary so that travellers could either enjoy the hotel facilities or head out into the Punta Cana surroundings.
Remember that this was the customised itinerary for one particular partner. We can offer more free time or more experiences – we’re all ears, and the look and feel of the itinerary entirely depends upon your brief. This way, we know we can ultimately satisfy your customers.
We are currently negotiating with other golf courses to expand our offering in the Dominican. We are also in discussions with partners in our other destinations to offer golfing experiences across the Americas and Asia.
We are always looking to innovate and expand our product offering for partners – the addition of golf in the Dominican is the latest development and the first step toward a broader foray into the world of golf.
To hear more about how we can offer fantastic golfing experiences in the Dominican, don’t hesitate to reach out to our teams.
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and stay at the forefront of new product offerings, Discova behind-the-scenes, destination news, travel trends and thought leadership articles from our on-the-ground experts