Golf in Bermuda

[IMDORY]

Is there anyone out there who has golfed in Bermuda? We are taking the Summit to Bermuda next June and we would love to golf there. Can we take our own golf clubs on board with us? Any recommendations for two nice courses to play? We were thinking about the Port Royal Golf course and not sure what other one to play.

 

Thanks! :)

[SailBadtheSinner]

Some golf courses:

 

Port Royal Golf Course... site of the PGA Grand Slam in 2009 & 2010; closest course to the Dockyard.

http://golftravel.about.com/od/bermudathebahamas/a/port_royal.htm

 

Southampton Princess, Par-3

http://www.fairmont.com/EN_FA/Property/SHP/Recreation/Golf/

 

Ocean View…. government-owned course near Hamilton,. ferry from the Dockyard then take a taxi for a couple of miles to Ocean View. 9 hole course

http://golftravel.about.com/od/golfinbermuda/qt/oceanview_bur.htm

 

list of all golf courses: http://www.worldgolf.com/courses/bermuda/

 

Golf clubs are not allowed on buses, on ferries & cabs, yes; it may be best to rent your clubs. One less piece of luggage.

 

Since your question is not cruise line specific, a better place to post your question would have been at the Ports of Call board, Bermuda forum: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=196

 

 

SBtS

 

[NanFi]

My husband played at Mid Ocean but with my son in law who lives there. He did bring his clubs but our daughter picked us up with the car. However, numerous cabbies asked us if we needed a ride and they definitely saw the clubs so I am not so sure that they aren't allowed in cabs. The clubs were big to leave out in the cabin but we put them over by the love seat near the balcony window. He had a wonderful time playing so it was worth it.

[IMDORY]

Thanks for all the info and the links. I did think about posting this to the ports/Bermuda board but part of the question is cruise line specific as I am wondering if anyone has had experience bringing golf clubs on a Celebrity ship as we will be on the Celebrity Summit.

 

I thought we would need to take a taxi with clubs. I was unaware that we could take them on a ferry. I did know that we could not bring them on the bus. Renting clubs is usually not a problem for men, but I am a woman, and our son is a junior so renting clubs for us may not work out and we would rather bring our own. Once we decide where we want to play I could probably contact those courses and see what they have available for rentals.

[IMDORY]

My husband played at Mid Ocean but with my son in law who lives there. He did bring his clubs but our daughter picked us up with the car. However, numerous cabbies asked us if we needed a ride and they definitely saw the clubs so I am not so sure that they aren't allowed in cabs. The clubs were big to leave out in the cabin but we put them over by the love seat near the balcony window. He had a wonderful time playing so it was worth it.

 

Great-Mid Ocean-I'll check that out thanks!

Hmmm that is true..where will we store 2 adult and one junior set of clubs in our cabin? We have a huge C1 extended aft balcony cabin with tons of room on the balcony-but I'd NEVER leave anything out on our balcony like that. The salt air/water would probably ruin our clubs anyway if we did. I never even leave a beach towel out there if we are not in the cabin. Is under the bed an option?

[IMDORY]

Mid Ocean is a private course. Looks beautiful though! :)

[ClaudiaB]

My husband brings his own golf clubs on most cruises - we've only sailed Celebrity. We fly Southwest normally so get the two free checked bags, but if he plays twice then it pays for the rental even if he had to pay baggage fee.

He keeps the clubs under the bed but the golf club travel carrier he gives to the butler or room steward to store until the last night.

He prefers his own clubs. There has never been one moment or problem with taking his own clubs. We haven't been to Bermuda but those clubs have been to Hawaii and all over the Caribbean many, many times.

[ClaudiaB]

I'll add == if the clubs won't fit under your bed for some reason, I know once he just gave them to the steward to store. And then another time he just stood them in the corner right up against the curtain and it was no problem.

He would never keep them on the balcony-- no golfer would.

[Charles4515]

Great-Mid Ocean-I'll check that out thanks!

Hmmm that is true..where will we store 2 adult and one junior set of clubs in our cabin? We have a huge C1 extended aft balcony cabin with tons of room on the balcony-but I'd NEVER leave anything out on our balcony like that. The salt air/water would probably ruin our clubs anyway if we did. I never even leave a beach towel out there if we are not in the cabin. Is under the bed an option?

 

If you are driving to Bayonne taking you own clubs is easy. If there is no room in your cabin I think your cabin attendant will find a place. On the Zenith they had a golf pro but I think they don't on Summit. You might check. The pro had a space where they stored clubs.

[Charles4515]

Mid Ocean is a private course. Looks beautiful though! :)

 

You do have to be sponsored to do Mid Ocean or be staying at a hotel. Some of the cruise lines have privileges and can get you a tee time at Mid Ocean. On the Zenith they could arrange Mid Ocean but they had a golf pro onboard. Ask around on the ship at the pursers desk, shore excursions, shore shopping person, and cruise directors staff. Also the concierge. Also there are golfers on the crew and they might be arranging golf at Mid Ocean or Belmont. On Explorer of the Seas the shore shopping person was a golfer and arranged Mod Ocean. Be aware that Mid Ocean is a killer course and also that the green fees are high for it.

[IMDORY]

Thanks so much everyone for the info-very much appreciated!

[popoki321]

My husband and I brought our clubs onboard ( stowed them in the closet) and we played the Port Royal on one cruise and Riddels Bay on the next.

 

Port Royal is spectacular. They even host PGA events there. Hole # 16 ( par 3) is one of the most photographed holes in golf magazines for a reason. I loved it!!

 

Riddels Bay is very nice as well. There are several picturesque holes.

 

We enjoyed both but I'd say go for Port Royal! Honestly, you can't go wrong at either of them...just make sure you bring your camera.

 

Enjoy. Bermuda is one of my favorite places in the world.

[NanFi]

We probably could have fit my husband's clubs under the bed if I didn't completely overpack for the cruise. I think they would have fit but all the suitcases were there. They also could have gone in the closet but that was packed too.

He loved Mid Ocean but also said it was a killer course - beautiful but very difficult. He got to play because our daughter and son in law live there. We stayed with them the whole time we were docked. Son in law said all the courses are great. It was the highlight of his trip.

[kelmac]

We were on the Summit this past June. I've started bringing my clubs on cruises and there is no problems. Like the others, I just store my clubs under the bed and my golf case is folded up and it fits under there as well.

 

I'm a 3 handicap, so I like to play championship type courses. In Bermuda, I played Port Royal, which is home to the "Grand Slam" tournament (winners of the majors). Great course, with wonderful views! The course has a lot of elevation changes, and a couple of forced layups, but all in all, worth playing.

 

I have a very light weight carry stand bag that I travel with. I wouldn't bring

a cart bag, or even a heavy stand bag. With a smaller bag, you have room in the travel bag for additional items (snorkel equipment, shoes, jackets...,). Buy a "stiff arm" club protector at your local golf shop; it will protect your clubs in transit. It looks like a long telescopic pole, with a disk on top -- you put it in the center of your golf bag and it protects your longer graphite shafted clubs from breaking. They run $22 -- $25. In addition, I have a hard travel case, but I wouldn't travel with it on a cruise -- too heavy, can't store additional stuff inside, and it won't fit anywhere in the cabin.

 

Taxi from the ship to the course was around $20.

 

Good Luck,

Kel:)

[MisterPlus]

:) I have played all of the courses in Bermuda (Four of them as part of their annual Goodwill Tournament). The two best courses are Port Royal and Mid Ocean. Port Royal is the closest to The Dockyard. However, St Georges is a hilly course but not very long and is a 45 minute ferry ride from The Dockyard. Riddell's Bay is a lovely private course on a peninsula and is not very long. The Fairmont Southhampton is a par-3 golf course linked to the Southampton Princess Hotel. The Belmont Hills is an interesting little course that weaves through the houses with the last 2 holes giving a wonderful view of Hamilton Harbour. Finally the Ocean View Golf Course is only nine holes, but they can be quite challenging. It is the course played by the locals. I hope this helps.:)

[cathykb]

Maybe someone else can confirm, but I believe St George

course is no longer operating. My DH played Port Royal twice when we did the Summit Bermuda cruise in early June. It's just beautiful.

[Charles4515]

Maybe someone else can confirm, but I believe St George

course is no longer operating. My DH played Port Royal twice when we did the Summit Bermuda cruise in early June. It's just beautiful.

 

It was closed a couple of years but it reopened about a month ago. I read an article on the reopening in the Royal Gazette in June.

[judatt]

We just got off the Summit on 7/10. When we arrived on Bermuda, there was a couple that were loading their clubs into a taxi and headed to a golf course. The taxi seemed happy to be taking the clubs.