Catalonia Caribe Club Golf

Catalonia Caribe Club Golf: At first sight you could be forgiven for thinking Catalonia Caribe is a rather flat, relatively open, parkland layout, nicely adorned with a liberal sprinkling of palms and smaller cana trees. On most counts you'd be right. But "flat" only applies to the few holes that you see as you drive from the entrance gate to the clubhouse.

On the south side of the clubhouse, a small hill ensures that you'll experience a pleasant amount of elevation change on both nine-hole loops. The longest and steepest slope comes at the par-4 13th, which takes you up to an elevated green and a scenic lookout across the surrounding Punta Cana bushland.

With two stone-lined ponds and a sizable lake also in the mix, there is plenty of variety and challenge to enjoy within the housing-free and well-maintained confines of Catalonia Caribe. The lake comes into play on three holes: the short par-4 5th is tightly wrapped around it, while the par-3 6th's palm-fringed "desert-island" green sits in the middle of it. Your drive at the good-length par-5 15th is also seriously threatened by the lake, especially if hit too far right.

Although easier-going and less dramatic than some of the area's swashbuckling oceanside layouts, Catalonia Caribe will always provide an excellent golfing challenge in a pleasant and well presented, open-parkland environment.