Club Med Punta Cana

[JMO TO]

After having 26 people for Christmas dinner, my father has declared that we're going to Club Med Punta Cana next year (without the 16 extended family). I have 2 questions:

 

1) Any advice for golfing guest of Club Med to get as many rounds in as possible? It worries me that they don't have their own course (I am the only one from my family that plays, but want to try and get as much in as possible).

 

2) Where can I get the best deals on golf in Punta Cana? Some of the greens fees are pretty crazy!

 

Thanks!

[Itsjustagame]

See what the hotel can do for you. Looks like they may have some golf packages available once you are there.

[dpb5031]

I've been going to the DR on winter golf trips for the past 10 years. We started at Casa de Campo, home of Teeth of the Dog and Dye Fore. Both courses are awesome. A new highway has recently been completed that will take you from Punta Cana directly to Casa de Campo in about 45 minutes, so these courses are an option for you.

Since you'll be in Punta cana already, the absolute "must play" is Punta Espada in Cap Cana. It can be expensive, but it's worth it. Consider it the Pebble Beach of the Caribbean, 8 holes on the ocean with the other 10 still having ocean views. Corales would be next in the rotation, but it is very expensive. La Cana is anotherto consider, and is more reasonably priced.

We stay in Cap Cana and play all of our rounds at Punta Espada and 1 round at Corales.

[JMO TO]

Thanks for the advice everyone! Has anyone had any experience with http://golfpuntacana.com ? Club Med does have arrangements with Corales (which is next door) and La Cana, but I really want to 1) Lock in tee times well in advance; 2) Guarantee that I can get on Punta Espada.

I think I'm going to save Teeth of the Dog for another time since playing would mean ditching the family for a full day.

[dpb5031]

Punta Espada is a ten minute ride. Punta Espada, Corales, and La Cana would be an awesome rotation. I'm heading down Super Bowl week for a 9 day buddies trip.

[JMO TO]

Have you already booked your rounds? That's what I'm really having trouble with (I may be missing something obvious, but like I said, I don't want to run the risk of missing out on any golfing opportunities)

[BG5]

I am also curios about golfpuntacana.com. From what I can tell they have things priced at the going rate. For those of you that suggest driving from punta Cana to "teeth of the dog" how does car rental work? What should I expect to pay to rent car for one day or are there other options. Also is it safe to drive?

[dpb5031]

[quote name='JMO TO' timestamp='1389130588' post='8417673']
Have you already booked your rounds? That's what I'm really having trouble with (I may be missing something obvious, but like I said, I don't want to run the risk of missing out on any golfing opportunities)
[/quote]

Two of my buddies are members at Punta Espada so they book the tee times and we get a member accompanied rate of approximately $125/round. We play one day at Corales at a special rate of around $200 since my buddies belong to Punta Espada. Punta Espada is so good we don't care about playing anywhere else, but on past trips we have played all of the courses at Casa de Campo and we also played a Faldo course in Punta Cana, the name of which escapes me at the moment.

[JMO TO]

Found out last night that golfpuntacana.com is legit, so unless I find that I can get better rates through Club Med I will be using it. The Faldo course is called the Faldo Legacy course (7100yds, par 73) but it's closed for "maintenance" and no reopening date is available according to the website.

[gr8blueheronbird]

If you are a Costco member, check out the back of the newest mailer sent out a week or 2 ago for January specials. The last page shows a special staying at an all inclusive resort called Paradisus Punta Cana Resort. Five nights/all inclusive/unlimited greens fees at Cocotal Golf and Country club for $598.00 per person. Cart fee not included but this looks like a nice package.

[dpb5031]

[quote name='JMO TO' timestamp='1389211056' post='8423539']
Found out last night that golfpuntacana.com is legit, so unless I find that I can get better rates through Club Med I will be using it. The Faldo course is called the Faldo Legacy course (7100yds, par 73) but it's closed for "maintenance" and no reopening date is available according to the website.
[/quote]

Yea...I just checked my email archives. That Faldo Legacy course used to be called Roco Ki. My buddies didn't love it. Many of the holes were had marsh type high native grasses on either side of the fairways. The conditions were pretty firm and the ball seemed to just roll off into that crap. I kind of liked it, but I'm the lowest HC in the group. It had a few really spectacular holes on the ocean...17 and 18 were pretty special if I recall correctly.

[Ninja]

Here's another booking site....

[url="http://www.golfreservationcenter.com/golf-courses/inland/"]http://www.golfreser...courses/inland/[/url]

[JMO TO]

All my rounds are booked! 2 each at Punta Espada and Corales, 1 at La Cana.

[Socrates]

[quote name='JMO TO' timestamp='1408889950' post='9997441']
All my rounds are booked! 2 each at Punta Espada and Corales, 1 at La Cana.
[/quote]
You are going to enjoy yourself. I like La Cana. Not too difficult and fun to play. I had a funny experience there once (2009 I think). We were playing with an older couple from Holland and the course was dead quiet. On about the 10th hole I noticed a group gaining ground on us. On 11 we had a little hazard difficulty and the next hole is a Par 3. Would've been very easy to let them play thru.

A man suddenly appeared in a cart and told us we were playing slow and we needed to skip some holes to keep pace (WTF??). We finish the hole move to the next tee and all of a sudden he was back and insistant that we skip holes. I realized at this point he was the caddie for the 2-some behind us and he just wanted us out of the way so they could play faster.I let him know that if he said another word he was going into the pond and I was pissed at this point. Anyway, the two guys were from the US and didn't realize the guy was telling us to skip holes and not just asking if they could play through at the next hole. Oh, to be able to speak Spanish.

[FlopShotFred]

I'm going to DR in March, playing Punta Espada and La Cana.

With La Cana, it's 27 holes (Tortuga, Hacienda, and Arrecife) - which two 9s are best? Taking the wife and she needs ocean scenery.