Since opening in 1971, Teeth of the Dog has been a bucket list layout for those seeking to play one of the premier golf courses in the world, with seven dramatic holes hugging the craggy coral formations rising out of the azure Caribbean Sea. Pete Dye himself once said he created eleven holes and God created seven — and standing on those oceanside tees, it is very hard to argue with him.

Built on a former sugar plantation and positioned 1,000 feet above sea level, Apes Hill surrounds players with the Caribbean Sea on one side and the Atlantic Ocean on the other. The renovation cut back overgrowth to expose grandiose rock formations and thrilling jungle corridors, with the par-3 16th flanked by a pond in front and a natural cave behind providing one of the most memorable holes in Caribbean golf.

Designed by Robert Trent Jones Jr. and set among rolling hills, ravines, and rock faces, Royal Westmoreland’s 7,045-yard par-72 layout features a challenging back nine preceded by tricky greens on the front, with dramatic walls of a former rock quarry on holes five and six and a forced carry over water and cliffs on the par-3 seventh. It remains the benchmark for traditional Caribbean resort golf.

With 18 holes situated along the sparkling shores of the Caribbean Sea, Cinnamon Hill is probably best known for its expert caddies, who have been featured in the Best In the World section of Golfer Magazine. The course blends challenging and more accessible holes in a stunning coastal setting, making it a favourite for golfers of all abilities visiting Jamaica’s north coast.

Aurora Anguilla is the only golf course on the entire island, and golfers can relish the beauty of Anguilla itself as they play while admiring the views of St Martin across the channel. Consistently rated among the Caribbean’s very best, it combines a world-class layout with the exclusivity and unhurried pace of life that makes Anguilla one of the region’s most coveted travel destinations.

Designed by Jack Nicklaus, Punta Espada flows along the natural topography with stunning cliffs, beautiful white sand beaches, and charming lagoons, with views of the Caribbean Sea throughout. Ranked 35th in the world, its eight Caribbean-edge holes make it one of the most visually spectacular courses on earth and a genuine challenger to Teeth of the Dog for the title of the region’s finest layout.

The Green Monkey is a 7,343-yard Tom Fazio design carved from an old limestone quarry, giving it dramatic exposed rock faces and an exclusivity that is reserved for Sandy Lane resort guests alone. Non-guests can play, but at green fees that reflect its status as one of the most sought-after and exclusive rounds in the entire Caribbean.

The White Witch Golf Course is a par-71 course designed by Robert von Hagge and Rick Baril, carved into the hills above Montego Bay with sweeping panoramic views of the Caribbean Sea from almost every hole. Named after the infamous Annie Palmer of Rose Hall Great House, it is one of the most dramatically routed and visually striking layouts in the entire Caribbean.

Named the Caribbean’s Best Golf Course at the 2025 World Golf Awards, Royal St. Kitts is an 18-hole championship layout that stretches between the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean — one of only a handful of courses in the world to border two bodies of water simultaneously. The trade winds make club selection a constant puzzle and the scenery makes every hole a genuine pleasure.

One of the oldest and most celebrated courses in the Atlantic, Mid Ocean Club is a Charles Blair Macdonald design that has hosted presidents, prime ministers, and some of the most famous rounds in the history of the game. The par-3 fifth, played over the crashing Atlantic to a green perched on the clifftop, is one of golf’s most iconic holes and reason enough alone to make the trip.

The Caribbean covers a wide range of price points, from competitive all-inclusive packages in the Dominican Republic to some of the most exclusive golf experiences on earth in Barbados or Bermuda. A week’s all-inclusive stay in Punta Cana with two or three rounds at courses like Punta Espada or Corales typically costs between £1,500 and £2,500 per person including flights.

The Caribbean offers genuine weather reliability from December through April across most islands, with Barbados being the most consistently dependable year-round due to its position south of the main hurricane belt.

The combination of world class course design and an extraordinary natural setting creates a golfing experience that simply cannot be replicated elsewhere. You are not playing courses that merely happen to be in a nice location — you are playing layouts where the ocean, jungle, and tropical landscape are integral to the design, where the architect has used the natural drama of the Caribbean as an active element of the golfing challenge.

Teeth of the Dog at Casa de Campo in the Dominican Republic is the obvious starting point — consistently ranked the number one course in the Caribbean and among the world’s finest, with seven holes along the ocean creating one of golf’s most dramatic stretches.

This depends significantly on your island and ambitions. Resort-focused breaks in the Dominican Republic’s Punta Cana or La Romana work perfectly well without a car, as Casa de Campo and Cap Cana are self-contained resort communities with shuttle services between courses, hotels, and facilities.

The Dominican Republic is the natural starting point for first-time Caribbean golf travellers. The all-inclusive resort model in Punta Cana and La Romana makes budgeting simple, the choice of courses is unmatched, and the infrastructure built around golf tourism means everything from tee time booking to transfers runs smoothly.