2013 Golf Chic (pdf version) - Ladies European Tour

ByAndrewMarshallDuring the last decade, golf courses havebeen growing in the Caribbean faster thanthe island’s lush tropical vegetation. FromBarbados to the Bahamas, top-drawer layoutsbear the stamps of noted architects such asRobert Trent Jones, Pete Dye and Tom Fazio.All the key ingredients are here; sugary sand beaches, turquoise waters,cheek-caressing trade winds and golf sunny-side up. No two islands arealike and the mix of cultures and races give the Caribbean a unique style incuisine, music, architecture and language.You can almost choose a golfing destination by your cultural preferences,and with around 50 top-quality layouts, the Caribbean presents a delightfuldilemma. Many courses are linked to luxury resorts where you’re guaranteedthe ultimate beach vacation lifestyle with romantic sunsets, pamperedservice and gourmet dining. Here’s five of the best:JAMAICA - Ritz CarltonPicture this: You are at one of the Caribbean’s most stunninggolf courses, carved out of 600 acres of lush greenery and rollingcountryside, with panoramic views of the Caribbean Sea from 16 of the18 holes. Golf clubs, balls, scorecard, tees, beverages and snacks areneatly arranged in your cart as your survey the surrounding landscape.This is the eye-opening 500-metre, par-5 first hole at The White Witchgolf course at Jamaica’s Ritz-Carlton Golf & Spa Resort.The par-71, 6,113-metre course was so named by its creators, golfcourse architects Robert von Hagge and Rick Baril, in reference toAnnie Palmer, the notorious ‘White Witch,’ who was mistress of RoseHall Plantation in the early 19th Century on which the course is built.She was purported to be beautiful and beguiling and to have done awaywith three unsuspecting husbands.Says co-designer Rick Baril: “We have tried to create a course that willgive you a different experience each time you play. We have done thatat The White Witch by creating multiple tees throughout. Whereasthe low handicapper might have to carry a yawning ravine to reachthe green, there are also tees allowing the shorter hitter to get thereas well. The topography is unique, making each hole memorable anddistinctive in its own right.”From pewter golf bag tags inscribed with each player’s name, to theelegant dining veranda of the clubhouse, to the luxurious changingrooms and well-trained white-suited caddies called golf “concierges”,everything about the White Witch is decidedly top-drawer.The golf concierges are a unique service offered exclusively at TheWhite Witch, that provides traditional caddie services in addition toother services such as restaurant reservations, ordering flowers forloved ones or making spa appointments. “Their knowledge of the golfcourse includes everything needed to negotiate the gusty winds,drastic elevation changes, and deceptive greens,” says head golfprofessional Mike Cole. “All of our guests needs are attended to,leaving them to just swing the club.”DOMINICAN REPUBLIC - Casa De CampoA tempting-trio of Peter Dye designed courses await golfers staying atCasa de Campo- one of the Caribbean’s most luxurious resorts. Dye saidthat he actually only created eleven holes on the Teeth of the Dog, Godcreated the seven skirting the Caribbean Sea. Usually appearing in theworld’s top 100 courses Pete Dye’s masterpiece skirts a jagged, rockycoastline, so close you can feel the salt spray.The first of the coastal holes, the 143-metre 5th, is a par-3 to rememberand one scary looking hole. The only option is to hit the green becauseshort, left or long is definite shark food. The signature holes on theback nine are nos. 15 and 16, a medium length par 4 and long par 3. Indirect contrast to the front nine, these holes are lined along the entireright side by the Caribbean and are elevated above a coral cliff.Inland lies the designer’s clever, lake-studded Links Course, and histhird track, Dye Fore is a 6,943-metre monster that marches along aplateau perched 150-metres above the mesmerising Chavron River.With a collection of forced carries over yawning chasms, plus the speedand severity of many of the putting surfaces, Dye Fore is a real testeven from the front markers.Casa de Campo is so extensive that guests are provided with a mapand golf cart to help them get around. Besides the golf, there’s tennis,clay pigeon shooting, a marina, horseback riding, charter fishing, ninerestaurants and the remarkable Altos de Chavron. Built entirely by handin the 1970s, it’s an exact recreation of a 15th-century Mediterraneanvillage, complete with cobbled streets. A collection of fine restaurantswith enviable settings, add to the plethora of options.142143