Golf in Belize

Belize is not especially known for its golf courses.  In fact, the only current way to practice your play throughout the country is at several fun (but less challenging) miniature golf courses.

Caye Chapel

The first golf course to open in Belize was built on Caye Chapel at the end of 1999. Prior to that time, there hadn't been an 18-hole golf course in Belize since the British colonial days. While this was once excellent news for those travelers who planned on teeing off while visiting Belize, the par-72 Caye Chapel Golf Course & Marina is now closed.  The golf course still stands, however, due to lack of use the area has fallen into disrepair.  Still, many lovers of the sport hope to see the course revamped and brought back to life in the near future. 

In the event that the golf course does reopen, here is a description of the course as it once was:  because Caye Chapel is a narrow island, the fairways on the front nine are narrow, too. These fairways also feature water at every hole. On the back nine, the terrain is a little more varied and has more doglegs. Plenty of greens easily tested the skills of even the most seasoned golfer.

Another feature that added to the difficulty level of the Caye Chapel course was its turf. Foreign golfers often had to adjust to playing on the Bermuda grass, as well as fight the wayward winds that sometimes knocked golf balls off course. The cost to play at the Caye Chapel Golf Course & Marina was about $200(USD) per person, though ther is no telling what future owners may charge.  The previous price included the cost of golf clubs, a day of unlimited play, a golf cart, access the to the country club's pool, and even food and beverages.

Miniature Courses in Belize

If you want to enjoy a scaled-down version of golf in Belize, you may want to check out its smaller nine-hole courses. You can find these mini courses near the Altun Ha ruins and at Jaguar Reef Lodge. The existence of these courses is the source of much controversy. A group of environmentalists argue that the pesticides and fertilizers used on the courses' grass could be harmful to the environment. But the courses now use a grass hybrid that requires half of the fertilizers, pesticides, and irrigation that typical golf-course grass needs.

Several hotels in Belize have special accommodations packages, which include a trip to one of Belize's nine-hole golf courses. Contact your resort or hotel to see whether golf is a part of your stay.