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ISSUE #10

Mel Sole has 30 years experience teaching golf and is co-founder of Ritson-Sole Golf Schools, USA
www.ritson-sole.com

Excerpts from
"Discover your swing on a Caribbean gem in St. Lucia"
By Brandon Tucker, Staff Writer for TravelGolf.com

St. Lucia Golf and Country Club is the only 18-hole course on the island and is set in the scenic rolling hills of Cap Estate on the northern tip of the island. The semi-private club welcomes the public and is located on the northern peninsula, offering panoramic views of both the Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea.

The par-71, plays to 6,829 yards from the tips and the par-5 546-yard first hole tests your swing from the opening tee shot. Its stiff course rating of 74.6 will surely keep you interested if you are looking to do more on vacation than get a tan and sip smoothies. It is also the only course on the island that offers a driving range, full-service pro shop and a golf academy to work out any last minute kinks in the swing before teeing it up.

The Sandals St. Lucia Golf and Resort is an all-inclusive golf alternative to St. Lucia Golf and Country Club. Sandals is a 210-acre resort that spares no detail. Among the amenities of the resort is the eastern Caribbean's largest pool, ten bars (including two swim-up), a half-mile long white sand beach and a 9-hole, par-33 golf course. And once you've booked a room, it's all included, so play round after round until your muscles ache and are ready for one of Sandals' five whirlpools. Those not staying at the resort are welcome to the course as well, and may play for a reasonable $30 for 9 holes and $45 for 18. You can choose to walk the beautiful landscape with a caddy for just $5.

On the Southwestern shore of the island in Sourfriere is the Jalousie Hilton resort, which also has a 9-hole par-3 course for those who are looking for just a taste of golf during their stay on the island. Guests not staying at the hotel can play the course with the purchase of a day pass to the resort for $75.

While St. Lucia Golf and Country Club is the island's only 18-hole course, it will soon have company. Jack Nicklaus will bring his first signature course to the eastern Caribbean islands. The $100 million dollar project was announced in September of 2002 and plans to begin construction on the 360-acre site will be sometime this year. With the addition of this new course, which will give the island two full-length 18-hole courses, St. Lucia expects to become a major golfing destination in the Caribbean.

The above article and photos are reproduced here with the kind permission of TravelGolf.com.

If you are considering a golfing holiday in the Caribbean, call (US toll-free) 888-383-3633 or visit www.caribbeangolf.com for a FREE Caribbean package quote.