Best places to golf and dive

[shakeybrainsurgeon]

I love to golf and when travelling, look for places that can provide both good golf and good diving. In Aruba, I stay at Tierra del Sol, a golf community with an excellent course surrounded by the ocean on both sides. The course is used for senior tour events and is top notch, but hot and very windy. And they have limited clubs for rent, and it's hard enough lugging scuba gear AND golf clubs on a trip, especially if travelling alone. I'd rather golf with rented clubs then dive with rented equipment.

Grand Cayman's course is not yet operational, at least it wasn't last year. The Keys don't seem to have ready access to any courses nearby, but I may be wrong.

I've not been to the Bahamas yet, but plan to soon --- is there a given area with ready access to good golf as well as diving?

Golfing does pose certain problems, in that it can cut into dive time. I generally golf in the am and dive in the afternoon, since to do the opposite in dive locals means golfing in the heat of the day.

Anyone else like to mix the two sports?

 

[diversteve]

Anyone else like to mix the two sports?

I do. The best I've found for both: Hawaii - Maui, Kauai, Big Island or Lanai all have both. I prefer Maui, the Wailea courses in the south and Kapalua up north. The Kapalua Bay course is exceptional. Or Kauai, they play a Senior tour event there often.

Most of the Caribbean islands seem to be either/or but not both. Exception maybe being Canouan Island - Trump built a course there. Not sure about the diving though.

 

[jeffrey-c]

I'd strongly echo sjspeck's comments about Hawaii. It's hard to imagine anywhere in the world that could come close to how the two sports/activities can mesh together in Hawaii. Maui and Hawaii (Big Island) probably do the best, with numerous resorts that have world-class golf and great diving on site. One of my favorites is the Mauna Lani on the Big Island, with top courses and a decent dive operation on site. It's fun to do the dive site at the 16th hole and look for the ball you lost the previous afternoon!

 

[RJP]

#1 - Hawaii
#2 - There is no #2

 

[shakeybrainsurgeon]

Thanks -- the last time I was in Hawaii was tweny years ago, when I didn't dive and couldn't afford to golf a decent course. My daughters have been after me to take them there, but it's a long haul from Pennsylvania.

But can you think of a day better spent than playing a championship course in the am, diving some reefs in the afternoon, having fresh local seafood for dinner and watching the sunset on the beach? Well, maybe, but not doing anything we can discuss here...

In Aruba, a good diversion while waiting behind a slow foursome is to cut the lizards that have been smashed by the golf carts. But, unlike Fla, no gators sitting in the bunkers.

 

[shakeybrainsurgeon]

Correction -- "count the lizards" not "cut the lizards" please, no PETA complaints

 

[DocVikingo]

Hi shakeybrainsurgeon,

HI is certainly a top notch suggestion.

Other possibilities are Puerto Rico, which has over 15 courses, several of them
world- class. Good diving off the west ( http://www.tainodivers.com/ ; http://www.pargueradivers.com/ )and east coasts ( http://www.divepuertorico.com/ ).

Dominican Republic. The course at de Campo ( http://www.casadecamporesort.com/golf.html ), "The Teeth of the Dog," is lots of fun. Best diving in the DR is just south of there in the La Romana/Bayahibe area ( http://www.scubafun.info/ ).

Grand Cayman has a couple of very nice courses, and the Jack Nicklaus-designed Grand Cayman-Brittannia is a hoot as you have to play with a special, and challenging, ball.

Regards,

DocVikingo

 

[jeraldjcook]

Another vote for Maui.

 

[Hank49]

Caye Chappel just south of Caye Caulker in Belize is a golf course. It takes up the whole island. I've never seen a crowd there either. Lots of water holes.

 

[LI Diver]

Am I mistaken or does Paradise Island/Nassau have a nice golf course? Cable Beach maybe? How is the diving there?? Must be passable right???