Bermuda: An island dedicated to golf

Mid Ocean Club

If you’re looking for an island golf vacation that’s out of the ordinary, then Bermuda should be one of your top considerations. It’s not like the Caribbean or Hawaii or Mexico. Bermuda is its own unique little world. 

Many folks lump Bermuda with islands in the Caribbean, perhaps because of Bermuda shorts or the Bermuda Triangle. But the fish-hooked shaped island, all of 23 miles long and two miles wide, is anything but. It’s located in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, about two hours east of North Carolina, and just a little more than that from Europe, so it’s very convenient for Americans who live on the East Coast especially. There are no cars on the island, the taxis drive on the left side of the road, and the lifestyle is relaxed with a bit of a sophisticated vibe, no doubt from its British colony roots. 

It also has lots of golf packed into it. Led by the Mid Ocean Club, a classic golf course that would stand out anywhere, and Port Royal, there are just over a half dozen golf courses, all of them fun in their own unique way. In fact, there are very few 18-hole par-3 courses in the world that can rival Bermuda’s Turtle Hill Golf Club, a magnificent par-54 layout. 

Port Royal

Finding your way here . . .

Getting there is straightforward from most larger airports on the east coast of the United States. And getting home is even easier, given that Americans can go through U.S. Customs and Immigration at Bermuda’s L.F. Wade International Airport before returning home, avoiding the immigration logjam you might find in U.S. airports otherwise. 

Bermuda has plenty of places to stay, from boutique hotels and bed and breakfasts to resorts. The largest resort is the Fairmont Southampton, which has nearly 600 rooms and 10 restaurants and sits pretty much in the center of the island. It is, however, temporarily closed for renovations, but there are plenty more options like the newly refurbished 400-room Hamilton Princess and Beach Club, Rosewood Bermuda, Pompano Beach Club (ideal if you’d like to take in a little fishing) or the luxurious St. Regis Bermuda Resort, located on St. Catherine’s Beach. It’s hard to go wrong at any of these places, plus there are dozens of other smaller accommodations to choose from as well. Wherever you stay, you can bet it will be relaxing, with great dining on property or nearby and plenty of things to do like deep sea fishing, snorkeling and sightseeing. Dark and Stormy cocktails, Bermuda’s local concoction of Gosling’s Black Seal Rum and ginger beer, are a big part of the experience as well. 

Turtle Hill

An Exceptional Golf Experience 

As for the golf, you’ll definitely want to try to play Mid Ocean Club for starters. First opened in 1921, this highly revered C.B. Macdonald design has ocean views, dramatic holes and plenty of history. There’s a photo in the clubhouse, for example, of Babe Ruth, who once played there in a competition looking a little unhappy with his play (he is said to have lost a dozen golf balls during his round). Robert Trent Jones did a little work there in the 1950s but kept the integrity of the original design. Mid Ocean Club also was the location of the Merrill-Lynch Shootout in the mid-90s.  And though it’s a private club, it does have tee times available to the public midweek subject to availability. Just contact the club in advance. 

Jones, however, was the original architect behind Port Royal which opened in 1970. Ahead of the PGA’s Grand Slam of Golf, however, architect Roger Rulewich did a massive renovation of the now 6,500-yard course in 2009.  It was the site of the PGA of America event in its last six years through 2014. (The Grand Slam was also contested at Mid Ocean Club in 2007.) Port Royal also has been the site of the PGA Tour’s Butterfield Bermuda Championship since 2019. Known for the 235-yard 16th, a super-difficult cliffside par-3 perched above the Atlantic Ocean, Port Royal is a favorite among visitors and often booked well in advance. 

If par-3 holes are your thing, though — and even if they’re not — the aforementioned Turtle Hill Golf Club at the Fairmont Southampton, is as good a short course course as you’ll find.  Host of the Dark N’ Stormy World Par 3 Championship, this Ted Robinson-designed has great views and changes of elevation, which include 200-foot drops on the first two holes.  And it’s anything but easy, with tricky greens and a great variety of holes that range from the 115-yard sixth to the 220-yard 14th from the longest of three sets of tees.  

Rulewich also renovated the 6,500-yard Tucker’s Point Golf Club, formerly Castle Harbour Golf Club. Laid out over gently rolling terrain, the signature hole is the short par-17th, which overlooks Castle Harbour.  Other courses on the island include Newstead Belmont Hills Golf Course, the par-62 Five Points Golf Club in the historic town of St. George, and the nine-hole Ocean View Golf Course, which certainly lives up to its name. All of them are scenic, fun to play and available to the public. 

Newstead Belmont Hills Golf Course

Recommendation 

Bermuda is an island golf destination that many golfers haven’t considered, but they should. Because of its latitude, temperatures aren’t as hot as they can be in the Caribbean, and the Gulf Stream also keeps it comfortable (in the 60s generally) during the winter, which makes it an ideal golf destination then, too.  

While Bermuda is small, it can take a while to get from one end of the island to the other. The roads are windy and slow, so you do have to do a little planning when it comes to getting to places. It’s also not as casual as many tropical destinations. At some of the restaurants, men will actually want to wear a jacket.  

The best way certainly to plan a golf vacation to Bermuda would certainly be to book a package, perhaps at a resort. Since you can’t rent a car there, you will be dependent on public transportation, and many of the resorts provide transportation to the golf courses and other activities. Needless to say, you’ll be in great hands at a world-class destination in Bermuda.