Playa de Bavaro,
nr Bavaro, Punta Cana
Office
+1 (809) 687 4653Pro shop
+1 (809) 221 1290 (ext 2000)Fax
+1 (809) 688 6639Website
Visit websiteGolf pro
Samuel Bello (Director of Golf)Academy
Sol Melia Golf AcademyThe Course:
27 holes. Tree-lined & open parkland. Relatively flat terrain - no effort to walk.
Surroundings:
Residential setting.
Designer:
Jose (Pepe) Gancedo
Above distances/ratings are for the Hibiscus/Bougainvillea combination. At 3203 yds (from the back-tees) the Benjamina-nine is similar in length to the Hibiscus-nine and 450 yds shorter than the Bougainvillea-nine.
18.671414
-68.423291
4 km SE of Bavaro / 18 km NW of Punta Cana.
From the Texaco gas station in the centre of Bavaro (Friusa), head east towards the coast. After 1.7 km turn right. After 1.8 km follow the road as it bears sharply right. After 1 km turn right. After 1.8 km, at roundabout, turn right into Cocotal (directly opposite entrance to the Paradisus Palma Real and Melia Caribe Tropical hotels).
Cocotal Golf & Country Club: contrasting with Punta Cana's newer, high-octane oceanside golf courses, the 27-holes of Cocotal Golf & Country Club will also give your game an excellent work-out, although in a more gentile, tropical parkland setting.
The Hibiscus and Bougainvillea nines are usually paired for competition purposes, although the Benjamina-nine, equal in length to the Hibiscus, is also pleasantly challenging. The entire course is laced with a wonderful variety of indigenous tropical flora, which allows any housing to merge unobtrusively into the background.
The garden-like naturalness of the course remains throughout, with coconut palms, smaller cana trees and a host of other trees and bushes defining the generally good-width fairways. In typical Gancedo style, you'll also find the occasional tree out in the middle of the fairway. There is even a rockery and old well to skirt around on the par-4 5th (Bougainvillea).
At the very good par-5 17th, a veritable forest of palms seems to occupy the tee-shot landing area, making this a somewhat intimidating and at first-sight, a bewildering hole. The par-3 16th and par-4 18th (also on Bougainvillea) ensure that this well-designed, enjoyable parkland course delivers a rousing and challenging finish.
Visitors welcome on weekdays and weekends.
Must book in advance. Maximum handicap: 36.
Non-metal spike facility. Golf carts compulsory
Good
Situated just 1 km back from the ocean, Cocotal is located in the heart of the Bávaro area, in close proximity to many top level resort hotels. This is where Dominican's famous palm-fringed, white sand beaches overlook calm, turquoise waters, which are protected by a natural coral reef that runs along the entire coast. A UNESCO report highlighted these as some of the best beaches in the world.
Playas de Bavaro (Bavaro Beach), Punta Cana
+1 (809) 221 1290
Visit websiteAs part of the Meliá All-Inclusive group of hotels in Punta Cana, Meliá Caribe Tropical is an excellent choice for your next family or golfing vacation. The Resort enjoys a spectacular beach front location, an exciting casino and includes over a dozen restaurants, offering a wide variety of international dining experiences. The very enjoyable Cocotal golf course is right across the street, and many other top quality Punta Cana courses are in close proximity.
Cocotal
Barcelo de Bavaro; Punta Blanca; Catalonia Caribe
Puntacana (La Cana and Corales courses); Cap Cana (Punta Espada and Las Iguanas courses); Roco Ki
Playa de Bavaro, Dominican Republic
+1 (809) 688 5000
Visit websiteLocated alongside the Melia Caribe Tropical resort and casino, Sol Melia's Paradisus Palma Real offers one of Punta Cana's superior luxury resorts. It combines a prestigious ocean-front setting with world-class facilities. The Royal Service provides the ultimate in spa treatments. Also included is a top-quality fitness program, a relaxed Caribbean ambience and excellent dining options.
Cocotal
Barcelo de Bavaro; Punta Blanca; Catalonia Caribe
Puntacana (La Cana and Corales courses); Cap Cana (Punta Espada and Las Iguanas courses); Roco Ki
Sony Open in Hawaii: played at Waialae Country Club near Honolulu, the Sony Open takes over the spotlight from The Sentry as the PGA Tour’s calendar-year opening event (Jan 15-18). The Sentry (not being played in 2026) was formerly known as the Tournament of Champions, with a field typically restricted to golfers who won a PGA Tour event in the previous calendar year.
Dubai Desert Classic: the DP World Tour’s first Rolex Series event of 2026, is contested for the 37th time (Jan 22-25). First won by Englishman Mark James in 1989, it now boasts a four-time winner, Rory McIlroy. Played on the Emirates Golf Club’s Majlis course, this once desert-surrounded course is the long-time flagship for Golf in Dubai.
Our visit last month included two rounds at Golf de Chantilly, one of France’s most prestigious clubs.
It offers two superb layouts: Le Vineuil, a five-star championship course with a rich history, and Longères, an excellent four-star course that provides a strong and enjoyable test.
The wider Paris region offers plenty more. Courses such as Fontainebleau, Golf de Saint-Germain, and several other top-rated layouts make this area one of Europe’s most rewarding golf destinations, offering a mix of woodland, heathland, and parkland designs.
The Dutch: "It's no' just a game", as they say in Scotland, and that's certainly true at The Dutch. With 5-star services throughout, a lavishly comfortable Loch Lomond-inspired clubhouse, and a superbly designed and presented golf course, one could not ask for more from this top-end private club.
Join us at The Dutch from August 21–24 for the Festival of Golf, featuring the HotelPlanner Tour. Experience four days of top-tier sport, live music, incredible food, and unexpected surprises. Explore the grounds, connect with others, embrace new challenges, and dive into an unforgettable celebration. Click here to buy tickets.
Here at Prince’s Golf Club you'll find 27 excellent holes of links golf. Just over the fence and sharing similar terrain is Royal St George’s; but Prince’s is far from overshadowed by its venerable neighbour. The three nine-hole loops at Prince's, laid out over gently undulating terrain, are sure to bring a smile of satisfaction to all lovers of links golf.
Stay&Play at Prince's: excellent onsite Lodge accommodation available
You can subscribe to the Where2Golf channel on YT if you like to see more video content. You'll find a "Subscribe" button on any of our YouTube videos. Or if you want a quick and direct access subscribe here. Once done, any new published videos will show up in your Subscriptions feed.
