Lucaya Golf and Country Club:
Sunshine and Sand Traps
in the Bahamas

By Michael Hunsinger,
Michael Hunsinger

GRAND BAHAMA ISLAND, Bahamas - Stretching from the warm waters of the Atlantic Ocean off Florida's southern coast to the Caribbean Sea is the island chain known as the Bahamas. I recently had the opportunity to vacation with my family on the third largest of the Bahamian Islands, Grand Bahama Island.

While there, I wasn't going to miss out on playing golf in the 80-degree weather, with my summer shorts and my winter white legs. A little pre-vacation research told me the Lucaya Golf and Country Club was the place to play.

Grand Bahama Island can be easily reached by most major airlines connecting through Miami or Ft. Lauderdale. Bahamas Air has daily flights from Miami and Ft. Lauderdale to Freeport International Airport.

• Past Michigangolf.com course reviews • Recent course reviews by Michael Hunsinger

Freeport is the island's largest city and was the dream of American Wallace Groves. The town was carved out of the bush in 1995 and designed for industrial/commercial clout. The community soon split into the twin towns of Freeport and Lucaya, the later being mainly touristic in ambiance and attitude.

Water sports aficionados; sun worshippers, shoppers, and golfers came to Grand Bahama for the warm and friendly Bahamian people and their soft, laid-back lifestyle. One can leave their troubles and anxieties behind because the Bahamians are a "no worry man" people.

If you like the idea of traveling around the world in minutes, head for Freeport's International Bazaar. This collection of 80 shops and restaurants features initial-reality settings of Paris, Spain, the Greek islands, Denmark, Hong Kong, and many other exotic locales.

Not to be outdone, Lucaya boasts Port Lucaya Marketplace, a waterfront six-acre shopping, dining, and entertainment complex with funky architecture and a bandstand centerpiece at Count Basie Square.

Freeport enchanted the legendary jazz pianist, Count Basie who built a home, and then encouraged a "jazzy" Bourbon Street New Orleans theme. Entertainment includes jazz, rhythm and blues, limbo and more.

Some of the islands finest attractions are the three National Parks on Grand Bahama Island. Ucayan National Park is the only place in the Bahamas where visitors can see all six of the island's ecosystems. Also within the park is one of the world's largest underwater cave systems.

The Rand Nature Center, with its resident flamingo colony and the beautiful sparking waters of Peterson Cay National Park are equally thrilling in their beauty.

The legal tender is the Bahamian dollar, which is equivalent in value to the U.S dollar. Both Bahamian and US dollars are accepted anywhere on the island. If you drive, remember, British rules apply, so drive on the left and watch those roundabouts.

While on our vacation we stayed at Club Fortuna Resort, an all-inclusive club-Med style resort. I found the accommodations to be outstanding. The world class buffets were incredible and the friendly-courteous staff was a pleasure.

The non-tipping style of an all-inclusive resort was a great way to go. We have two young children and the kids Club offered by the resort was excellent. I highly recommend Club Fortuna for singles, honeymooners, or families. The island offers many varieties of accommodations, including condominiums, hotels, resorts, and apartments.

While out and about we dined at many different styles of eating establishments. I can honestly say I have not had a bad experience at any of these places. Service is always courteous and cuisine is of high quality.

You will find 5-star restaurants, and local corner pubs serving rum punch and conch salad. Just remember to kickback and relax because life moves at an easy pace on Grand Bahama Island.

This was my first experience playing golf in the tropical atmosphere of the Caribbean. For all of you golfers, who haven't had the experience, I have two words, "Bermuda Rough". I quickly learned what it was like to play in Bermuda grass, since my drive on the par 4, 419 yard No.1 hole was in "that stuff". It was, in the first cut of right rough and as I walked up to where I thought my ball was, there was a white dot surrounded by wire-like roots of grass.

I pulled out my 9-iron from 150 yards and took a nice easy swing, the hosel twisted and my ball hooked left about 80 yards into the left rough. I had just experienced what was to be a 4-hour learning experience of Bermuda grass.

The 6,800 yard Lucaya Golf and Country Club was designed by Dick Wilson in 1963. It is the No.1 rated course in the Bahamas and in the top three of all the Caribbean. I counted seventy some bunkers along the course all filled with that soft-fluffy Caribbean sand. I learned to enjoy playing out of these beautifully maintained bunkers, since I had a lot of practice during my round.

The well-bunkered greens and tight but magnificently manicured fairways wander through graves of pine tees and dense tropical underbrush. There is a sense of unsurpassed privacy, as foursomes rarely see each other during a round. The greens are in perfect shape to offer true flat stick rolls on every try. I found the speed of the greens to be my challenge, since the grain of the Bermuda grass is the main determining factor.

The four par 3's range from 110 yards to 210 yards, all well bunkered, making for some difficult lay iron shots. I found the par 3's to be challenging yet rewarding holes.

Number 16 is a 210 yard par 3, with the trade winds usually blowing in your face or across the tops of the trees. As an amateur, I enjoy having to hit a solid long iron shot instead of the sometimes lackluster pitching wedge shots we might find. Water comes into play on numbers 8 and 9, and especially on the short, but shot demanding No.9.

On this 388 yard par 4, you must either lay up and leave a long iron second shot over water, or go for it into a narrow fairway lined by tress and water. This hole is a great finish to the front nine, which has probably gained your respect for this magnificent golf course by now.

The turn offers a small but substantial snack shop serving up quick munchies and drinks to keep you going. During the course of play there was a beverage cart driver that I found usually started around 9:00 a.m. My rounds started about 8:30 a.m. and the temp was 70 degrees. So by the time we made the turn, if not sooner, it was getting warm and the beverages were definitely needed for hydration.

When standing on No.10 tee you have a beautiful view of the clubhouse and the surrounding grounds. The landscaping of all the areas, colors of the flowers, and wildness of the jungle was breathtaking. I took a moment, felt the sun, and said okay Bermuda grass, I'm ready for another nine.

I found holes 12 and 13 to be challenging back to back long hitters holes. No. 12 is a 540-yard, par 5 with fairway bunkers and greenside bunkers that come into play on your first three or more shots. And, of course, that might be your wish that Bermuda rough gobbles up your teeshot.

No. 13 is a 421-yard par 4 which played into the tropical breeze on the days I played. As with all the holes, the lush tropical underbrush and the tall pine trees were gorgeous. Yes, I had a close-up view of the areas often.

No. 18 is a 430-yard par 4, with a small tiered green for your final approach. Even though some holes are long, the premium was on accuracy and club selection.

At the Lucaya Golf and Country club carts are mandatory and included in the $86 greens fee. For a tropical resort with an exceptionally manicured and wonderfully designed course, this is a great bargain.

Mr. Mitchell Mortimer, the head golf professional, is an excellent host with a courteous and friendly staff. The pro shop isn't quite as big as we are used to in the States, likely due to the fact of how much it costs to bring items to the island. I highly recommend a visit to the Arawak dining room upstairs at the Club.

The service menu and cuisine are outstanding. So when you golf at Lucaya Golf and Country Club, bring your sunscreen, shorts, and a good sand wedge. And if you see Mitchell Mortimer and his excelled staff, tell them Michael from Colorado says hello.

For more information on the Lucaya Golf and Country Club, call 1-800-LUCAYAN.