La Cana Golf Course
Punta Cana's seaside original. P.B. Dye routed 27 holes along the Caribbean at Puntacana Resort and Club, with 14 of them playing on or in view of the ocean. Firm paspalum turf, trade wind breezes and three interchangeable nines make it one of the Caribbean's most playable resort courses.
Photo: La Cana Golf Club via Google.
The verdict
La Cana is the course that put Punta Cana golf on the map. Designed by P.B. Dye for Puntacana Resort and Club, the original eighteen opened in 2001, and a third nine was added later to make it a 27 hole layout split across three loops named Tortuga, Arrecife and Hacienda. The headline number is the one that matters most to a visiting golfer: fourteen of the twenty seven holes play along or in clear view of the Caribbean Sea, which is a remarkable ratio for a resort course and the reason it has been rated among the very best in the region.
Any two nines combine for an 18 hole par 72 of around 7,100 yards, and the course was an early adopter of salt tolerant paspalum turf, which gives it firm, true playing surfaces that stand up to the coastal conditions. It is a genuine resort course in the best sense, scenic and walkable for golfers of every level when the wind is kind, yet with enough teeth from the back tees and in a stiff breeze to keep a good player honest. As the sister course to the Tom Fazio designed Corales, it anchors one of the Caribbean's strongest golf resorts.
La Cana at a glance
- Opened
- 2001
- Designer
- P.B. Dye
- Holes
- 27 (three nines)
- Par
- 72 (18-hole)
- Yardage
- ~7,100 yds
- Green fee
- From ~150 USD
The 2001 opening of the original eighteen, the P.B. Dye design, the 27 hole, three nine layout, the par 72 rotation of around 7,100 yards and the paspalum turf verified June 2026 from resort and course records. Green fees are indicative for the 2026 peak winter season and move with season, resort status and package; always confirm directly before booking.
The holes worth the trip
The drama at La Cana is all about the sea. The Tortuga and Arrecife nines push right up against the Caribbean, with several holes that play along the shoreline and others where the ocean forms the backdrop to the green, so the round delivers the postcard moments visitors come to Punta Cana for. The wind off the water is the constant defence; on a calm morning the course is a pleasure, but when the trade winds get up the same approach can demand two or three extra clubs and a much more conservative line.
P.B. Dye's design keeps things fair off the tee while putting the interest around the greens, where run offs, bunkering and the firm paspalum surfaces reward a controlled short game over raw power. The Hacienda nine, set a little further inland, is the gentler, more parkland feeling of the three loops and gives the course flexibility, letting the resort rotate the nines so the layout never feels repetitive across a multi day stay.
That interchangeable, three loop structure is part of La Cana's appeal for a golf trip. You can play a different eighteen each day, mixing the ocean drama of Tortuga and Arrecife with the calmer Hacienda, and pair it with the more demanding Corales next door for a varied week without ever leaving the resort.
How to get on
| What to know | Detail |
|---|---|
| Access | A resort course at Puntacana Resort and Club, open to resort guests and visitors on a green fee or stay and play package; no membership required |
| Green fee | Broadly 150 to 250 US dollars in the 2026 peak winter season, often lower for resort guests or within a package. Indicative only, always confirm directly before booking |
| Booking | Easiest through the resort golf desk or a Caribbean golf travel operator; book ahead in the busy December to April window |
| Getting there | At Puntacana Resort, minutes from Punta Cana international airport, which has direct flights from across North America and Europe |
| Best months | The dry peak season runs roughly December to April; summer and autumn are hotter, more humid and within the hurricane season |
Access and fee ranges verified June 2026 from resort and golf travel sources; Caribbean resort pricing is seasonal and package driven, so always confirm current rates directly before booking. We can pair La Cana with Corales for a Punta Cana week. Ask about tee times and green fees.
Where to stay nearby
The simplest play is to stay inside Puntacana Resort and Club itself, the gated community and resort that owns both La Cana and Corales, where on site accommodation comes with the easiest tee access and shortest transfers. That keeps a 45 hole golf week entirely on property, with the beach, marina and dining all within the gates.
Beyond the resort, the wider Punta Cana and Bavaro strip is one of the Caribbean's great concentrations of all inclusive hotels, many of which run golf desks that can arrange rounds at La Cana and the region's other courses. Most golfers base themselves for sun and sand and treat the golf as a string of half day outings, and a concierge can line up the tee sheet, transfers and stay so the rounds and the rest of the trip fit together.
Looking for a base? See our recommended hotels across Punta Cana.
Build a Punta Cana golf trip
La Cana and its sister course Corales make Puntacana Resort a 45 hole base for a Caribbean golf week. Tell us your dates and group and one concierge will map the tee sheet, transfers and hotel, costed to the head, with no obligation.
La Cana questions
Who designed La Cana Golf Course?
La Cana was designed by P.B. Dye at Puntacana Resort and Club. The original 18 holes opened in 2001, with a third nine added later to make it a 27 hole course. It is the resort's sister course to the Tom Fazio designed Corales.
How many holes is La Cana and what is the par?
La Cana is a 27 hole course made up of three nines, Tortuga, Arrecife and Hacienda. Any two combine for an 18 hole par 72 of around 7,100 yards, with 14 of the 27 holes playing along or in view of the Caribbean Sea.
Can visitors play La Cana?
Yes. La Cana is a resort course at Puntacana Resort and Club and is open to resort guests and visitors on a green fee or as part of a golf package. Tee times are easiest to arrange through the resort or a golf travel operator.
How much is a green fee at La Cana?
Punta Cana resort green fees for a course of this standard broadly sit in the region of 150 to 250 US dollars in the 2026 peak winter season, often lower for resort guests or as part of a stay and play package. Fees are seasonal, so always confirm directly before booking.
When is the best time to play golf in Punta Cana?
The dry, peak season in Punta Cana runs roughly December to April, with warm, settled weather. The summer and autumn months are hotter, more humid and fall in the Atlantic hurricane season, though rates are usually lower.
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Opening year, designer, hole count, par, yardage and turf verified June 2026; green fees indicative and seasonal. Last reviewed June 2026.