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You'll enjoy spectacular views of the water during your round of golf at Riddell's Bay in Bermuda. (Tim McDonald/GolfPublisher.com) |
"Bermuda," observed Mark Twain, is "the right country for a jaded man to loaf in." A jaded man, maybe. A golfer, certainly not.
Stretching a little more than 20 miles, Bermuda has only 10 golf courses, and an ambitious golfer without much love of the beach and drinks with little umbrellas floating in them can play all of them in a two-week stretch. After all, why loaf when you can play a golf course like Riddell's Bay, which is filled with some of the most beautiful scenery you'll see on any Caribbean island golf course?
Here's a rundown of the absolute "must-play" Bermuda golf courses, where it's golfing weather year-round.
Riddell's Bay: This is just the kind of golf course you'd want to play on a Caribbean golf vacation, when you're not exactly in the mood to get your butt kicked. Measuring just under 6,000 yards, Riddell's Bay is a short course, making it accessible to a wide range of players. It has some pretty tame drivable par-4s and a low 121 slope rating.
Maybe it's good you won't have to expend much energy on Riddell's Bay, because that would take your attention away from the beautiful scenery.
"The golf course plays through Bermudian flowers, blooming bushes and Australian pine, winding along a peninsula that is only 600 yards at its widest point," Tim McDonald writes in a review for CaribbeanGolf.com. "Nearly everywhere you look, there's that sparkling turquoise water again."
Port Royal Golf Course: Designed by Robert Trent Jones Sr., this is a good course to play after your warm-up at Riddell's Bay. Port Royal is relatively long for Bermuda, at 6,561 yards, and it is full of risk-reward opportunities. One of the best examples is the 325-yard 10th hole, a dogleg left with a massive bunker on the other side of the trees.
Most of the greens are elevated, providing stunning views of the bright blue Bermuda sky. Overall, Port Royal is an excellent public course that won't lighten your wallet quite as much as other Bermuda golf courses. And, while it may not be fancy, it's got an imaginative layout that's well worth a play.
Tucker's Point Golf Course: If you're a bird lover, Tucker's Point is the place for you. It's home to the largest concentration of happy bluebirds on Bermuda. If not, you're still in for a treat, as Tucker's Point is one heck of a round of golf.
A 2002 redesign by Robert Trent Jones Sr. protégé Roger Rulewich has returned Tucker's Point to excellent condition. The course is best known for its stunning views, particularly of the Harrington Sound. It's very hilly, with flat fairways that tend to keep the ball in play.
In terms of length, Tucker's Point runs between those of Riddell's Bay and Port Royal, at 6,361 yards. Many of its holes will command your attention.
"The holes slither like snakes through oleander and palm, rubber and spice trees, and most of the fairways and greens are bordered by thick, nasty Bermuda rough," McDonald wrote in another review.
Riddell's Bay
Riddell's Bay Rd.
Warwick WK 04
Phone: (441) 238-1060
Port Royal Golf Course
5 Middle Road
Southampton SB 02
Phone: (441) 234-0974
Tucker's Point Golf Course
Tucker's Point Club
Tucker's Town
Hamilton Parish
Phone: (441) 298-6915
October 10, 2007