Golfing in Jamaica
While the beaches tend to steal the show as far as Jamaica‘s holiday scene goes, the golf courses here are, without a doubt, giving them a run for their money.
Steeped in greenery and with many featuring views of the sea, they’re not just an afternoon game but a full-blown experience. While some of the best courses in Jamaica are attached to hotels, you don’t need to be a guest to play there.
So if you’ve got your eye on a specific golfing spot, you can still grab a scorecard and get your swing underway. These Caribbean golf courses are sure to show you a good time.
Jamaica Golfing Holidays
Negril Hills Golf Club, Negril
Negril‘s uber-green golf course is a cross between a classic putting green and the backdrop for Jurassic Park.
When you see these rolling hills and palm tree-lined grounds, you’ll know what we mean. You’ll feel like you’ve truly stepped into Jamaica’s tropical landscape.
As for the golf course itself, it’s an 18-hole par 72 course that’s also privy to a tennis court, golf shop and a club house with a restaurant open for players and observers alike.
Sandals Golf & Country Club, Ocho Rios
The golf club at the Sandals resort in Ocho Rios is named among the best in Jamaica.
It’s an 18-hole course par 71 and located about 700 feet above sea level, primed for maximum views of the sea and mountains. There’s a facility here for every stage of one’s golf career – private PGA lessons for newbies, a driving range and practice range for nailing your swing, and then, naturally, the course itself to get the ball rolling.
Also on hand is a pro shop and a restaurant, not to mention a jerk chicken shack for quick bites between rounds.
Jewel Runaway Bay Beach & Golf Resort, Runaway Bay
The golf course at the Jewel Runaway Bay Beach & Golf Resort is championship status, an 18-hole par 72 course that first opened in the 1960s.
It’s played host to a number of worldwide golf tournaments, but is just as handy for a weekend player.
The course here is free to use for guests at the hotel, but is also usable for visiting players. Like many of the other top quality golf courses in Jamaica, this one is privy to a clubhouse and a restaurant, plus a pro shop, should you need a spanking new outfit to strut on the green.
The Tryall Club, Montego Bay
The Tryall Club in Montego Bay is where you’ll want to head for all things luxury – nestled in between rolling green hills and with the beach not far off, the course here is connected to a hotel of the same name.
Of the 18 holes here, a number incorporate local Jamaican flavour, with holes that require you to play through an aqueduct that fed the sugar plantation’s waterwheel, down to the beach and then back up again.
There’s also a first rate golf academy available here too, with four students for every instructor, ensuring you get the attention you need to up your skills.
Half Moon Golf Course, Montego Bay
If you’re looking for a golfing challenge, the Half Moon Golf Course will give you a run for your money. The greens here undulate and feature a tricky figure eight layout whose angles will force even the most well-versed golfers to bring their A game.
An 18-hole 72 par course, it too has been the host of a number of golfing tournaments, and even features a bar at the end of the course so that you can either celebrate a victory or the fact that your defeat is finally over. Also on hand is a clubhouse, practice bays and putting greens and a pro shop.