New Golf Courses in Barbados, 2026
Let us be straight with you: no brand new 18 hole course is opening in Barbados in 2026. But the island's golf has changed more than most in recent years, and there is genuinely new ground to play, led by the transformed Apes Hill. Here is the honest picture.
Photo via Google.
The honest picture
Barbados is one of the Caribbean's best golf islands, but it is a small one in course terms, with a tight set of high quality resort layouts rather than a sprawling supply. Search for new courses opening here in 2026 and you will not find a confirmed grand opening to circle on the calendar. What you will find, if you look properly, is that the island's golf has quietly been remade over the last few seasons, and the freshest experiences are newer than many visitors realize.
The center of that story is Apes Hill. The rest of the island's golf, at Royal Westmoreland and at Sandy Lane, remains the established backbone, and together they give a visiting golfer plenty to play across a week. We would rather tell you that plainly than invent an opening that does not exist.
What is actually new in Barbados golf
| Course | What changed | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Apes Hill | Championship course rebuilt and reopened after a major redesign completed in 2022 | Effectively the island's newest 18 holes, high in the hills with ocean views both sides |
| Little Apes | Nine hole par 3 course at Apes Hill | Named the Caribbean's best nine hole course at the 2025 World Golf Awards |
| Royal Westmoreland | The established Robert Trent Jones Jr resort course | Still a cornerstone of any Barbados golf week on the west coast |
| Sandy Lane | Home to the celebrated Green Monkey, plus the Country Club course | The island's most exclusive golf, a fixture of luxury trips |
Apes Hill, the island's newest golf
If anything counts as a new course in Barbados, it is Apes Hill. Set on a former sugar plantation around 1,000 feet above sea level, with the Caribbean Sea on one side and the Atlantic on the other, its championship course was comprehensively rebuilt and reopened following a redesign completed in 2022. That makes it, in practical terms, the freshest 18 holes on the island, and it has been collecting recognition: Apes Hill has featured as the sole Caribbean newcomer on a recent Golf World list of the best new resorts.
Alongside the big course sits Little Apes, a nine hole par 3 layout built with families and shorter sessions in mind, which was named the Caribbean's best nine hole course at the 2025 World Golf Awards. Between the two, Apes Hill offers the most variety of any single golf property in Barbados, and it is the natural anchor for a 2026 trip built around what is genuinely new.
Our take
The right way to think about Barbados golf in 2026 is not to wait for a new course but to play the newest one that already exists. Apes Hill is the headline, and pairing its championship course and the Little Apes par 3 with rounds at Royal Westmoreland and, for those who can secure it, Sandy Lane, makes a complete and varied golf week on a small island that punishes nobody with long drives between courses.
Barbados has always been more luxury beach destination than golf factory, and that is part of its appeal: a couple of excellent rounds, world class hotels and a short transfer to the sand. Our Barbados destination hub and the best courses in Barbados guide set out the full lineup, and our team will build the week around the golf and the lodging that suit your group.
Plan a Barbados golf trip
Want a 2026 week around Apes Hill and the best of Barbados golf and beaches? Tell us your dates and group and one concierge will build the trip, tee times and lodging included, costed to the head, with no obligation.
Barbados golf, your questions
Is a new golf course opening in Barbados in 2026?
No brand new 18 hole course is confirmed to open in Barbados in 2026. The newest golf on the island is at Apes Hill, whose championship course reopened after a major redesign completed in 2022, alongside its nine hole par 3 course, Little Apes. Royal Westmoreland and the Sandy Lane courses complete the island's lineup.
What is the newest golf course in Barbados?
Apes Hill is effectively the island's newest golf. Built on a former sugar plantation around 1,000 feet above sea level, its championship course was rebuilt and reopened in 2022, and its short Little Apes par 3 course was named the Caribbean's best nine hole course at the 2025 World Golf Awards.
How many golf courses are there in Barbados?
Barbados has a small, high quality set of courses centered on three resorts: Apes Hill, Royal Westmoreland and Sandy Lane, the last home to the celebrated Green Monkey course. With the Apes Hill par 3 course added, there is more than enough golf for a varied trip.
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Course status and recognition compiled June 2026 from Barbados golf resorts and industry awards. Last reviewed June 2026.