P.B. Dye's La Cana Course is the founding father of the golf boom in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic

PUNTA CANA, Dominican Republic -- P.B. Dye, the youngest son of the legendary golf course architect duo of Pete and Alice Dye, designed the La Cana Course at Puntacana Resort and Club in 2001, launching a golf boom on the eastern shores of this small Caribbean Island.

This region now boasts courses by Jack Nicklaus, Tom Fazio and Nick Faldo and two of the top courses in all the Caribbean and Mexico: Corales, La Cana's more exclusive sister course, and Punta Espada Golf Club by Nicklaus.

La Cana is extremely player friendly and a great value considering there are four holes that touch the Caribbean Sea and 14 with ocean views. There are two island greens, plenty of mounding, randomly placed pot bunkers and several semi-blind shots on La Cana, all concocted by Dye's wild imagination. The 154-yard par-3 fifth is the most scenic of the coastal holes.

Nine more holes of P.B. Dye golf will open across the street when the Hacienda nine debuts by spring 2012. The Puntacana Resort and Club was honored as the Golf Resort of the Year by the International Association of Golf Tour Operators in the "world" category in 2010.

La Cana golf course - Puntacana Resort - hole 5

The 154-yard fifth on the La Cana golf course at Puntacana Resort and Club introduces the ocean.

Jason Scott Deegan/TravelGolf

La Cana golf course - Puntacana Resort - hole 3

The tee shot of the 200-yard third on the La Cana Course at Puntacana Resort and Club must sail over water.

Jason Scott Deegan/TravelGolf

La Cana golf course - Puntacana Resort - hole 4

The par-5 fourth on the La Cana Course at Puntacana Resort and Club plays toward the ocean.

Jason Scott Deegan/TravelGolf

La Cana golf course - Puntacana Resort - hole 7

The short par-4 seventh hole on the La Cana golf course at Puntacana Resort and Club doglegs to the left.

Jason Scott Deegan/TravelGolf

La Cana golf course - Puntacana Resort - hole 12

An island green resides at the par-3 12th hole on the La Cana Course at Puntacana Resort and Club in the Dominican Republic.

Jason Scott Deegan/TravelGolf

La Cana golf course - Puntacana Resort - hole 14

The par-3 14th hole on the La Cana golf course at Puntacana Resort and Club plays 239 yards from the tips.

Jason Scott Deegan/TravelGolf

La Cana golf course - Puntacana Resort - hole 16

The 484-yard 16th on the La Cana Course at Puntacana Resort and Club features an elevated plateau green.

Jason Scott Deegan/TravelGolf

La Cana golf course - Puntacana Resort - hole 17

Wood planks, a Dye family signature, are found on the par-4 17th hole on the La Cana golf course at Puntacana Resort and Club in the Dominican Republic.

Jason Scott Deegan/TravelGolf

La Cana golf course - Puntacana Resort - hole 18

The 18th hole on the La Cana Course at Puntacana Resort and Club plays 574 yards along the ocean.

Courtesy of Puntacana

La Cana golf course - Puntacana Resort - 7th hole

Sand surrounds the seventh green on the La Cana Course at Puntacana Resort and Club in the Dominican Republic.

Courtesy of Puntacana