St. Maarten is a drop-dead gorgeous island, but there is only one place for
great golf, the Mullet Bay Golf Course on the Dutch side of St. Maarten:
The Mullet Bay resort was destroyed by a hurricane in 1995, but the golf
course has been kept open.
The people in the pro shop are super friendly and the golf in St. Maarten is
great fun, with great scenery and the course wraps around Mullet Bay:
The course is rough, and the greens can be quite challenging, but that just
makes golf at St. Maarten more fun:
The 17th green is set next to one of the most beautiful beaches
in the Caribbean:
The St. Maarten golf course is very well designed, with lots of water shots
over Mullet bay:
The green fees are a bit pricey (about $100 per person for 18 holes with
cart), but considering that Mullet Bay is the only Golf Course on St.
Maarten, it’s still great fun.
Their rental clubs (Golden Bear brand?) are new, but if you are a serious
golfer, bring your own weapons to St. Maarten.
Beware, don’t expect Pebble Beach quality!
The overall course quality is quite poor.
Much of the greens are little more than packed sand in places, there
are dead palm trees lining the fairways, and the it’s rare to fund a fluffy
lie anywhere.
If you leave your expectations at the door, golf at St. Maarten is grand
fun! We had a ball!
Play tips for St. Maarten golf:
- Don’t take the St. Maarten golf course too seriously!
Throw away the score card and have fun!
- They have incredible bunkers with nice shell-based sand.
I got lots of practice in bunker shots.
- Best months to golf in S. Maarten are November though February, but in
other months, make sure to tee off early in the morning to wrap-up before it
gets too hot!
- USGA golf rules don’t always apply!
For example, how do you handle an art hill hazard on the green?
- Arrange transportation – If you don’t have a rental car, make arrangements
for a taxi to pick you up in 4.5 hours.
- The fairways are hard as a rock, and you will get lots of extra roll
yardage
