Golf in Bermuda

Golf is a very popular sport on Bermuda, and many vacationers skip an afternoon of sand and sun at the beach to head for the island's greener turfs. A large number of tournaments and golf competitions are held annually on Bermuda, so remember to pack your clubs when planning for your vacation on this gorgeous little island.

With spectacular picturesque scenery as a backdrop to an afternoon tee time, vacationers will discover that Bermuda is the perfect vacation destination for anyone who enjoys golf.

About Bermuda Golf

Bermuda golf courses are very distinct from other island courses as well as from courses in the United States. Some of the more distinguishing features of these golf courses are that they are short but challenging; the grounds of the fairways and greens are very firm, sandy areas; and signature gusts of wind that can sometimes help or hurt your shot are to be expected. The greens and fairways of Bermuda's golf courses are firmer than most courses because of the limited amount of fresh water available on the island and because of the nominal irrigation system. These conditions can make the ground very hard, so you may have to adjust your style of play if you're used to more plush putting conditions. Some of the fairways at the island's courses are also hilly. This elevation is caused by underground cave formations beneath the courses, which make it difficult to flatten the land with bulldozers.

Although golf season is almost year-round, fall, spring, and early winter are the best times for golf on Bermuda's seaside. If you want to plan your Bermuda golfing events in sync with the Bermuda Golf Association's calendar, their first event is in early March with a men's amateur tournament. Golf competitions continue all the way up until November with events like the Bermuda Open, which is the highlight golf tournament of the year. To find out when tournaments and other special golf outings are scheduled on the island, contact the Bermuda Golf Association at telephone number 441-238-0983.

Swinging Golf Clubs on Bermuda

There are eight 18-hole courses on Bermuda and two miniature courses with nine holes that make up about 17 percent of the island's 21.6 square mile mass. Four of the courses are championship courses, and if you want a top-notch golf experience, check out Belmont Hills Golf Club, the Mid Ocean Club, Port Royal, and Tucker's Point. There are also three government-run courses on the island for which you can reserve your time on the greens through an automated service by calling telephone number 441-234 4653.

• Belmont Hills Golf Club is one of two golf courses on Bermuda with an irrigation system, and it is the island's newest golf course, featuring more pro employees than any other golf course on the island. This semi-private course was formerly known as the Belmont Golf and Country Club until it became the Belmont Hills Golf Club when it was redesigned by Algie M. Pulley Jr. in 2002. Belmont Hills was constructed with the accurate hitter in mind. While playing on this challenging contoured course, golfers will be surrounded by some of the most picturesque tropical landscapes on the island, including Hamilton Harbour and the Great Sound, which frame the Belmont Hills Golf Club.

• Bermuda Golf Academy is a great green to practice your putting. The course has nine holes, a 320-yard driving range, and 40 practice bays, 25 of which are covered for practicing your swing on rainy days. Other great facilities that the Bermuda Golf Academy boasts are a 3,000-square-foot practice green for putting, a sand trap for bunker play, and the most current technology in golf, such as video equipment that can record and analyze your swing.

• Fairmont Southampton Golf Club is located at the luxurious Fairmont Southampton Hotel. These greens are quite hilly, and golfers will need to rent a golf cart in order to traverse the rolling courses. Overlooking the aquamarine waters of the Atlantic Ocean, this scenic course does experience some windy conditions.

• Horizons Golf Club can be found on the property of Horizons and Cottages, located in 25 acres of garden terrace on a hilltop. Horizons' 756-yard, nine-hole golf course is perfect for novice golfers or those vacationers who are short on time but want to get in a few practice swings. It takes approximately 45 minutes to complete this miniature course. There are no golf carts available here, and Horizons is an iron-only course.

• Mid Ocean Golf Club has seen its fair share of celebrities and politicians in its fairways including Dwight Eisenhower, Winston Churchill, Ross Perot, George Bush, Micheal Jordan, and Babe Ruth. Located in elite Tuckers Town, Mid Ocean Golf Club is regarded as one of the 50 best golf courses in the world. The course exudes a charming character that encompasses the essence of golf on Bermuda. You can tee off on coral cliffs overlooking the ocean and stroll down rolling fairways lined with exotic palm trees.

• Ocean View Golf Course is a nine-hole government golf course featuring a breathtaking panorama of Bermuda's north shore. With so much gorgeous scenery, one could easily get distracted on these delightfully challenging greens.

• Also a government course, Port Royal Golf Course is one of the island's most popular public greens. Designed by famous golf course architect Robert Trent Jones, Port Royal Golf Course annually hosts the hottest golfing event in the region, the Bermuda Open Championship. Here you can play 18 holes of challenging golf and take some golf lessons to help improve your game.

• Riddells Bay Golf and Country Club has been around since 1922 and is the island's oldest course. This 5,713-yard course is private and can only be accessed by members of the club.

• The newest government golf course on Bermuda is St. George's Golf Course located on the northeastern part of the island. Here in the historic town of St. George's, this course is popular with cruise ship passengers stopping on the island.

• Tucker's Point Club has some of the most impressive island scenery, but it is not open to the general public. In order to play at this course, you must be introduced by a member of the club. Previously called the Castle Harbour Golf Club, Tucker's Point Club has about 10,000 square feet of putting green, a driving range, and areas to work on chipping and bunker play.

Golfing Guidelines

To visit the gorgeous greens of Bermuda's golf courses, proper golf attire and soft-spiked golf shoes are required. All of Bermudas courses enforce a strict dress code. Both men and women must wear collared shirts with sleeves; the sleeveless varieties of collared shirts are not allowed. Men should usually wear long pants, but if shorts are worn, they must be Bermuda length (to the knee), and absolutely no jeans and cut-off shorts are allowed at the golf clubs. Also, not all golf courses are open to the general public. Some places require you to have a membership or to be introduced by a current member in order to patron their greens.

With the highest concentration of golf courses per square mile in the world, Bermuda provides vacationers with plenty of opportunities to tee off while visiting this island paradise.

Golf Courses Name Phone Location Island Belmont Hills Golf Club (441) 236-6400 Bermuda Bermuda Golf Academy (441) 238-8800 Bermuda Mid Ocean Golf Club 441 293 1215 None Ocean View Golf Course 441-295-9093 Bermuda Port Royal Golf Course (441) 234-0974 Bermuda Riddell's Bay Golf & Country Club (441) 238-1060 Bermuda St. George's Golf Club 441-297-8067 St. George's Island Tucker's Point (441) 298-6970 3.5 mi. (5.7 km) South-Southwest of St. George Bermuda Turtle Hill Golf Club at The Fairmont Southampton (441) 239-6952 Bermuda