What do the best golf courses in the world have in common? The answer to this question must go beyond the technical peculiarities, the design or the location of the courses. Because, in addition to a physical dimension, there is always a part of mystery and magnetism in golf that cannot be explained: it is the emotion of falling in love again with your favourite sport while reaffirming your passion from the perfect place. That place you will want to return to again and again. Perhaps, in one of those encounters, there will come a moment when you look around you and realise that everything has aligned for you. In that instant, your senses will be fulfilled. The colour green will have become a metaphor for the wellbeing that takes over your body and mind. You will connect with nature and with yourself. You will finally feel at peace.
For these and other powerful reasons, golf is part of the Iberostar experience, with your happiness as a priority in each one of the plans you choose during your holiday. Thus, outdoor life, wellness and pleasure converge in the same way of understanding travel, always with movement at the centre. The good news is that you can combine this discipline with other active activities such as surfing, cycling or diving. It will be difficult to choose just one sport per destination! From the beaches of the Caribbean to the most special coastal spots of the Mediterranean, golf will accompany you on your getaways all over the planet, with clubs that are part of hotels and resorts you won't want to leave. Ready to discover them?
The best places to play golf in the Caribbean
The magic of golf in Riviera Maya
If you are looking for a place to play golf in the Caribbean, you may have considered Riviera Maya and Cancun, in Mexico, as destinations to combine meditative exercise and relaxation during the same stay. Iberostar Playa Paraiso Golf Club, in Riviera Maya, is part of the Iberostar Playa Paraiso Resort, made up of five hotels that cater to all types of travellers, from couples and groups of friends to families with children. Its course has been in full swing for more than a decade, during which time it has hosted important events such as the 2016 World Amateur Team Championships, Big Break Mexico, the 2012 Iberostar Riviera Maya Open, the 2018-19 Bupa Match Play-PGA Tour Latinoamérica and the PGA TOUR OHL Mayakoba Golf Classic, hosting the qualifying round of the latter eleven times.
It's the work of world-renowned golf course designer P. B Dye and, in addition to framing your most brilliant shots, whatever your experience (its multiple tees and slopes, with Paspalum grass and a wide variety of obstacles, favour athletes of all levels), it will help you to integrate into the landscape with its location in the heart of the jungle and next to some of the most important archaeological sites of the Yucatan Peninsula, such as the Pyramid of Chichen Itza, which transmits its sacred energy to the area. In addition, if you stay at the Iberostar Playa Paraiso complex, you will have different golf packages to choose from, with transfers from your accommodation to the course, use of carts, tees and access to the practice area before the game, as well as snacks and drinks to recharge your batteries.
Greens and beach in Cancun
Without leaving Mexico, Iberostar Cancun Golf Club also invites you to live a golf and beach experience in Cancun that you will never forget. The club is located between the Caribbean Sea and the Nichupté Lagoon, bordered by a spectacular mangrove swamp, home to numerous species of animals and native plants that you will have the opportunity to admire. Designed by Japanese golfer Isao Aoki, this 150-acre championship course offers 18 par-72 holes. The natural inlets of the lagoon have been integrated as water hazards, respecting the emblematic geography of the area. Next to it, the Iberostar Selection Cancun and Iberostar Selection Coral Cancún hotels, inspired by the culture and the environment, complete this idyllic trip with unique coastal corners, exclusive services and good weather all year round. Add the golf package that best suits you while booking or at the accommodation itself to take advantage of all its benefits!
A paradise for golfers in Punta Cana
Iberostar Bávaro Golf Club, located in Punta Cana, in the Dominican Republic, is part of the Iberostar Bávaro Resort, considered one of the best All-Inclusive resorts in the Caribbean. From its five hotels, including Iberostar Selection Coral Bávaro, which has suite-style rooms and premium service, you will have access to this spectacular course that is open every day of the year.
The course was designed by P.B. Dye. It has 18 par 72 holes, and you can enjoy panoramic views surrounded by lush tropical vegetation from every angle. Its 105 white silica sand bunkers contrast with the green of its perfectly manicured lawns, certified Supreme Paspalum. If you want to get started in the practice of this discipline, qualified teachers will teach you everything you need to know to get started. In addition, the course has a practice area and a putting green for you to practise, which are also ideal for children to learn in a relaxed family atmosphere.
A new hotel in Eagle Beach that includes a golf club
The five-star JOIA Aruba by Iberostar, a luxurious adults-only golfing paradise, will soon open its doors in Eagle Beach. In addition to relaxing in one of its ocean-view suites and enjoying the best of local and international cuisine at its three restaurants and five bars, you'll also have the chance to play your favourite sport at Tierra del Sol, the island's only professional golf course. The 18-hole course, which has hosted numerous championships, is suitable for golfers of all levels, including beginners. It was designed by the prestigious architect and landscape designer Robert Trent Jones II, creator of some of the best clubs in the world.
The island, located in the Lesser Antilles and just off the coast of Venezuela, enjoys good weather all year round and, of its 111 square miles, 42 are coastal. For all these reasons, Aruba's idyllic landscape is also the ideal destination for a romantic holiday during any time of year, especially when it combines movement and moments of calm and disconnection. You'll love it if you and your partner love golf and other dynamic activities such as water sports, walking and cycling. And if your thing is to travel the world with your friends through sport, this and other corners of the Caribbean will also welcome you with open arms.
Golf in Spain, a green for every type of player
Cádiz or golf as a way of life
Some of Spain's most prestigious golf courses are concentrated in the south, in the province of Cadiz in Andalusia. There, this sporting discipline has become a whole philosophy of life, intimately linked to nature. A five-minute walk from the Iberostar Waves Royal Andalus and Iberostar Selection Andalucía Playa hotels, the Real Novo Sancti Petri Golf Club will allow you to enter its elegant, sun-kissed universe, where golf is a fundamental part of the game. Nearby you can also play tennis, paddle tennis or croquet, combining sport, well-being and gastronomy during your stay. The professionals at the Novo Sancti Petri Golf Academy will guide you at all times, even if you have never played golf before. And, as in other Iberostar hotels, at these accommodations you can also add the package that best suits your practice to your booking.
The club is located on the shores of the Atlantic, next to the Barrosa Beach in Chiclana de la Frontera, which has been awarded the Blue Flag and other prizes for its sustainability. It has a total of 36 par 72 holes divided into two 18-hole courses, as well as a practice area and more than 5 square miles of driving range. It was designed by the international champion Severiano Ballesteros with attention to the smallest detail: ponds and palm trees line the wide fairways overlooking the sea, with an aesthetic inspired by American courses. The club has participated in the Golf Environment's OnCourse® programme, which is committed to caring for the environment. It has also obtained the Recommended Certificate, awarded by the readers of Leading Courses, a benchmark among the specialized media.
Active holidays in Mallorca
There are 26 golf courses in Mallorca and all of them are excellently connected to each other. They are also close to the Balearic island's most beautiful beaches and coves, as well as its most interesting cultural and artistic sites, so the choice is endless. How would you like to enrich your golf days at your favourite club with visits to the beach and strolls of all kinds? Just ten minutes from the Iberostar Selection Llaut Palma hotel, Golf Son Gual, created by Thomas Himmel, combines classicism and avant-garde in a course considered to be a champion, with 4 miles in length and 18 holes that blend in with the impressive Mediterranean landscape. At the end of the day, you can toast to a job well done with a signature cocktail at sunset on the hotel's rooftop terrace and enjoy a delicious fusion meal with show cooking in its Katagi Blau restaurant.
Golf Son Vida, one of the most special golf courses in Spain and the oldest in Mallorca, opened in 1964. It was designed by F.W. Hawtree, inspired by the island's wooded and coastal ecosystem. Its undulations, combined with the combination of narrower holes and wider ones, create a challenging and enjoyable orography. The five-star Iberostar Selection Playa de Palma hotel is located just ten minutes from the club and is open all year round, so you can indulge in its Spa Sensations and its Aliveness programme after hitting your best shots. In this guide to golf courses in Mallorca you will find many more options close to your accommodation!
Other golf destinations around the world
Nature and golf in its purest form in Praia do Forte
Iberostar Praia do Forte Golf Club, located next to a nature reserve in Brazil, is guarded by a landscape of dunes and lagoons. Its views of the Atlantic Ocean will keep you inspired throughout the entire course. In fact, the last three holes of the 9 par 17 that it has at the moment (it previously had 18 and was redesigned) run parallel to the beach, offering players an exceptional postcard.
The greens are wide and very undulating, with challenging bunkers suitable for all types of golfers. Like other top Iberostar golf courses, Praia do Forte was designed by P.B. Dye, which is always a guarantee of excellence. Add your golf packages to your booking at the Iberostar Selection Praia do Forte and Iberostar Waves Bahia hotels and get ready to delve into your hobby in this lush ecosystem intimately linked to the power of the oceans, perfect for getting closer to active tourism through your swing.
Montego Bay, a different kind of destination for golf lovers
On the island of Jamaica, the Montego Bay area is home to other golf courses in the world as special as Tryall Golf Club, with 18 holes and a view of the turquoise and crystalline sea of what has been named one of the best beaches in Jamaica. It was designed by Ralph Plummer in 1958 and, since then, its prestige has only grown. The layout, with its 100% personal atmosphere, keeps you interested throughout the game thanks to its undulations and fun and challenging greens. A fact? The wind usually blows with more or less intensity in the area, something that adds a few extra points to the challenge of playing golf on this course. And then? JOIA Rose Hall by Iberostar, Iberostar Selection Rose Hall Suites and Iberostar Waves Rose Hall Beach are three hotels that make up an exclusive All-Inclusive resort very close to Tryall Golf Club, conceived by and for the enjoyment of guests (and with all the amenities for you to rest after your most demanding sessions). Their advisors will take care of booking your green fee so that all you have to worry about is having a good time.
Whether you've been playing for years or you're getting ready to play for the first time and want to book a private beginners' lesson with Iberostar's PGA professionals, in all these destinations there is a renowned club waiting for you, ideal for your tastes and needs. Combine it with the accommodation of your dreams and experience the full package. At this point, you may already have a concrete answer to the question we posed at the beginning of the text. Or, perhaps the key has always been within you, and now you just have a clearer vision of it. The vision may vary from one destination to another. But the link between body, mind and holiday on the best golf courses on the planet is universal. And no matter how long it lasts, it will stay with you forever.
