Golf in The Abacos

More people hit the beaches than the links when on a Caribbean vacation, but don’t discount the Out Islands for golf in The Bahamas if you’re looking for a challenging, championship-designed golf course. There are two premiere courses on the islands, nuzzled up to the beaches. Treasure Cay Golf Club and Abaco Club on Winding Bay offer the best of golf in The Bahamas.

Treasure Cay Golf Club

This 18-hole, par-72 golf course offers narrow fairways, challenging ocean winds, sand bunkers and even duck ponds, all which make Treasure Cay Golf Club a challenging course on a beautiful tropical island in the Caribbean.

Here’s a real surprise: You don’t need a tee time to play at Treasure Cay Golf Club. Just show up with your golf clubs, or rent clubs from the pro shop.

On the links, you’ll find the front nine runs parallel to the ocean at the north end of Treasure Cay Resort. There are two par fives of 555 and 500 yards. The back nine is tighter, requiring more precision and thought with slightly more water in play. A couple of duck ponds and interesting wildlife offer minor hazards, particularly on number 11, a 515-yard par five.

The course is 6,985 yards from the blue tees with 66 sand bunkers. While those can be a challenge, the ocean winds and tight fairways also present some obstacles for golfers. Despite its length, the course at Treasure Cay can be played in less than three hours. Golf carts are available, but this also is a great walking course.

Dick Wilson, one of America’s most renowned golf course architects, designed the course, but died before it was completed in 1968. His assistant, Joe Lee completed the course.

Treasure Cay Golf Club is located at the Treasure Cay Hotel Resort & Marina. Golf packages include unlimited golf, a shared power cart and round-trip transportation between Treasure Cay International Airport and Treasure Cay Hotel Resort & Marina.

Ritz-Carlton Abaco Club at Winding Bay

The private golf course at The Abaco Club in The Bahamas is the debut of the world’s first Scottish-style links course in a tropical location. Designed by Donald Steel and Tom Mackenzie, the greens offer an elegant and thrilling retreat. The Abaco Club attracts golf enthusiasts and professionals alike to this par-72 championship layout that blends each of the 18 holes into the natural setting of the Caribbean.

The Abaco Club is a 7,182-yard course that is getting rave reviews for its beauty and drama. For example, the 18th hole along the ocean is 60 feet above the crashing surf. Abaco Club at Winding Bay was developed by Peter de Savary, who is known for his courses in Bovey Castle in England, Carnegie Abbey in Rhode Island and Cherokee Plantation in South Carolina.

The Abaco Club was carved out of jungle and rocky terrain along the Abacos Island shores of the Atlantic Ocean. This $250 million private retreat offers more than golf, including every watersport you can imagine, lush surroundings and plenty of indulgences from lounging at the infinity pool to beachfront spa treatments.

This is a members-only club, although guests may play the course once before joining. Membership begins at $75,000. The same applies for those who want to rent a private estate, one of the suites or cabanas at the resort.