There’s something impossible to resist about teeing off with the ocean on three sides: wind that insists you earn every shot, salt-scented air, horizon-to-horizon views and holes that hug cliffs, coves and coral. Island golf isn’t just about scenery — many of the world’s most inventive architects and tournament pros have shaped courses on islands and island-like headlands that reward imagination and strategy as much as power. Below is a globe-trotting guide to some of the most memorable island golf escapes, with the facts and travel tips you’ll want before you pack your clubs.
Indian Ocean Magic — Île aux Cerfs, Mauritius
Mauritius’ Île aux Cerfs is golf-as-paradise: an 18-hole championship course carved into a private island and framed by turquoise lagoon waters and volcanic outcrops. The layout was created under Bernhard Langer’s stamp, and the island course is only reachable by the club’s boat shuttle (or helicopter for a spectacular arrival), which turns a round into a full-sensory day trip. Expect parkland holes threaded with lakes and dramatic seaside tee shots — it’s a classic “play and stay” or “play and beach” option for anyone combining golf with a tropical holiday.
Pacific Grandeur — Kapalua (Plantation Course), Maui, Hawaii
Maui’s Kapalua Plantation Course is as tournament-tested as it is scenic. The long, sweeping layout features dramatic elevation changes, panoramic ocean vistas and the kind of finishing holes that have hosted elite fields — Kapalua was the long-time home of the PGA TOUR event traditionally known as The Sentry. It’s a par-73 that demands strategic tee placement and rewards creativity when the Pacific wind shows up. Even without a tournament, playing Kapalua feels like stepping into pro-level golf theatre.
Caribbean Jewels — Teeth of the Dog (Casa de Campo), Dominican Republic & The Ocean Club, Bahamas
The Caribbean punches well above its weight for dramatic seaside golf. Pete Dye’s Teeth of the Dog at Casa de Campo is carved into coral and coastline, with seven holes that play right along the Caribbean — the course’s name comes from the jagged coral that defines much of its shoreline and the way the sea can spray the greens. It’s routinely ranked as the Caribbean’s top course for both design and seaside drama.
In the Bahamas, The Ocean Club on Paradise Island — a Tom Weiskopf design — stretches long across a peninsula with Atlantic views, testing you with crosswinds and wide, classic resort architecture. Both courses pair beautifully with luxury resorts, deep blue water and easy island downtime.
Atlantic Cliffs — Buenavista Golf, Tenerife (Canary Islands)
On Tenerife, Buenavista Golf — a Seve Ballesteros design — sits on the island’s north-west cliffs, where views to the Atlantic are constant, and the Teno mountain backdrop gives the course dramatic depth. The combination of elevation, cliff lines and Canary microclimates produces a course that plays differently depending on wind and weather; it’s a favourite for players who want scenic variety without long travel from mainland Europe.
Scotland’s Island Links — The Machrie, Isle of Islay
Scotland invented links golf, and island links bring that tradition into concentrated, wind-blown beauty. The Machrie on Islay is a classic links course laid across dunes and shoreline where blind shots, firm fairways and natural contours reward craft and imagination. While not a tropical escape, Islay’s combination of raw coastal golf and the island’s whisky culture makes for a unique and deeply local island golf break.
Australia’s Island Course — Hamilton/Dent Island (Queensland)
Australia’s answer to island golf is striking: Hamilton Island’s championship course actually sits on nearby Dent Island and was designed with a feel of tropical challenge and panoramic seascapes. Peter Thomson’s routing across Dent gives you a compact island experience combined with easy access from Hamilton Island’s accommodation hubs and reef excursions to make the trip multi-fun. It’s a great option if you want reef time plus a memorable round.
Sustainability and Island Golf
Island ecosystems can be fragile. Many resorts and clubs are increasingly focused on sustainable water use, native vegetation and protecting coral and reef systems around coastal holes. If environmental impact matters to you, look for courses that publish sustainability efforts (water conservation, native landscaping, reef protection partnerships) and ask your host how they minimise ecological footprint during play and maintenance.
Final Tee: Building the Perfect Island Golf Escape
An island golf trip becomes more than a round when you layer experiences: plan a morning golf tee time, follow with a seaside meal and an afternoon snorkelling or cultural excursion, and finish with a sunset drink that looks back at the course you just played. Match the course character to the rest of your travel mood — seek rugged links and local culture in Scotland’s isles, dramatic cliffs and volcanic backdrops in the Canaries, or powder-soft beaches and luxury resort service in the Indian Ocean and Caribbean.
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