Curacao Golf - Blue Bay or Santa Barbara?

Reif · June 28, 2017

Anyone been down there and played both?

Going in a couple of weeks.

Thanks.

DrDon · August 22, 2017

I’ve been to Curacao twice, and I’m going again next winter. I did not play golf, but I did check out the Old Quarry Golf Course (a Pete Dye design).

Old Quarry appeared to be an upscale golf course. There weren’t many players on the course when I visited during a weekday. Reviews for the golf course on tripadvisor are very good.

Please be aware that Curacao is quite windy (it’s in the Easterlies). By noon each day, the wind has cranked up to 25 mph. Green fees for Old Quarry are lower as the day progresses (and the wind picks up).

Also note that you don’t have to stay at the hotel on the Santa Barbara plantation to get discounted green fees. Old Quarry also has a deal with the Avila Beach Hotel for discounted fees. I stay at the Avila. It isn’t as isolated as the Santa Barbara plantation. The Avila is in the Pietermaai district of Willemstad, which has numerous top-notch restaurants. The Avila hotel is also a good location for snorkeling, right from the hotel beach. The hotel was a former governor’s mansion.

I_HATE_SNOW · January 23

Just got back, played 6 rounds at Blue Bay and one at Old Quarry. Both featured slow greens as the wind would blow a ball off a fast one. Loved both courses, Old Quarry is just bigger, spread over a huge tract. Lots of terrain on both and blue Bay #6 may be the prettiest hole ever, especially when the wind is blowing wave spray on you. Rough at Old Quarry featured a bush with more thorns than the cactus, do not enter!