The Dominican Republic Selected to Host Next PGA Golf Tour
The Dominican Republic, a Caribbean golfing mecca renowned for its scenic and challenging cliffside courses, has been chosen to host the next PGA TOUR in March 2018 at PUNTACANA Resort & Club’s Corales Golf Club – an exclusive, luxury facility featuring an 18-hole golf course designed by the legendary Tom Fazio.
The Dominican Republic’s uniquely lush, tropical setting and a pleasant, year-round climate has seduced both amateur and professional golfers for years. The island boasts a total of 26 courses, 18 golf courses recognized by the International Association of Golf Tour Operators (IAGTO) and 350 holes – 86 of which provide sweeping ocean views; while 39 are positioned directly seaside. This will be the Corales Golf Club’s second year hosting theWeb.com Tour, which has served as the tournament course for the PGA TOUR for four consecutive years. Designer Tom Fazio’s formidable trio of holes, “Codo del Diablo” (a.k.a. the “Devil’s Elbow”) form the finale of Corales Golf Club’s remarkable 18-hole course, which are famous for testing the mettle of professional and passionate golfers alike. This is just one example of the plethora of championship courses available throughout the Dominican Republic; other notable locations include designer Pete Dye’s Teeth of the Dog and Dye Fore courses, of the award-winning golf club Casa de Campo Resort & Villas.
“For us, golf is a key area of tourism in the Dominican Republic,” said Cosette Garcia, Director of the Dominican Republic Tourism Office in Montreal. “Our courses offer a paradisiacal backdrop for golfers, and the attractions are extremely appealing. The Dominican Republic also offers a wide range of additional activities to fit all budgets including water sports, wellness treatments and gastronomy.”
The Dominican Republic enjoys a prized reputation as a world-class golfing destination, seducing lovers of the game as well as their families with its attractive array of beachfront courses, luxury resort accommodations and historic city attractions.
“Golf is a great way to further connect with Canadian travellers,” explained Garcia, whose dedicated tourism team hosts a booth at the annual Expo Golf shows in Lévy – Quebec, Montreal-Laval and Ottawa. “The Dominican Republic shares Canada’s passion for this noble game, which of course makes our position as its Caribbean destination of choice all the more meaningful.”
The Dominican Republic is the undisputed ‘it’ destination for golf and is widely known as having the most magnificent golf courses in the Caribbean and Latin America. The country boasts a growing list of world-class golf courses designed by some of the game’s most acclaimed course architects including Pete Dye, Jack Nicklaus and Tom Fazio to name a few. Last year, several of Dominican Republic’s courses were featured in Golfweek Magazine’s Top 50 Golf Courses in the Caribbean and Mexico, with Punta Espada Golf Club taking the number one spot for the seventh year in a row.
The PGA TOUR will take place March 19-25, 2018. In the meantime, golfers looking to scope out the Dominican Republic’s community of award-winning courses can do so with its 360 video experience, which allows would-be travellers to view featured island attractions using Chrome, Opera, Firefox, Internet Explorer or on a smartphone using the YouTube app.
