Puerto Rico Beckons as Winter Arrives in North America, Freezes Tee Times

Spur of the moment escapes available with increased flights, no passport required for U.S. citizen entry

(SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO) – Peak season has arrived in Puerto Rico just as temperatures have plummeted throughout much of North America forcing many golfers to put their clubs in hibernation.

Passenger arrivals are up at airports throughout the Island, as is play at virtually all 18 courses in the biodiverse tropical paradise – a bilingual American territory where no passport is required for U.S. citizens.

Thanks to the tropical island’s 18 courses and plethora of resorts, there are golf stay-and-play packages available to suit an array of preferences throughout the balmy island, all with after-play things nearby to enjoy.

On the south coast, Costa Caribe Golf & Country Club is home to 27 holes adjacent to the ocean on one side, mountains on the other. The club’s exciting signature island green par-3 is indicative of what awaits players. Stay next door in the Hilton Ponce Golf & Casino Resort, where breakfast buffets, rum welcome drinks, and other items are offered.

Near San Juan in the north and are several golf courses and resorts including El Conquistador, Wyndham Grand Rio Mar, St. Regis Bahia Beach, Rio Bayamon, and Dorado Beach, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve. On the east coast lies Wyndham Grand Palmas Resort and its two courses designed by Rees Jones and Gary Player.

In western Puerto Rico lies Royal Isabela, a boutique luxe resort with casitas, private plunge pools overlooking the ocean, and a golf course sitting atop 150-foot-high cliffs. Just down the road is Punta Borinquen, a municipal style golf club with a glorious “old bones” routing dating back to 1940, with ocean views from every hole.

If playing where the pros play is desired on trip itineraries, stay at the Hyatt Regency Grand Reserve in Rio Mar and play the Championship Course there – it hosts the PGA TOUR’s Puerto Rico Open annually (March 4-10, 2024), and recently hosted a USGA and Latin America Amateur Championship.  

More than one-third of Puerto Rico’s courses are recognized among the top courses in the Caribbean, Mexico, Costa Rica, and the Atlantic Islands (source: “Golfweek’s Best 50 Courses”). Many are designed by acclaimed golf course architects (Tom and George Fazio, Tom Kite, Greg Norman, Robert Trent Jones Jr. and Sr.).

Complementing Puerto Rico’s golf destination are its history, food, culture, beaches, casinos, vibrant arts scene, rainforest, bioluminescent bays, and LGBTQ+ friendly atmosphere.

For more information about the Island, its attractions, and travel guidelines, visit: DiscoverPuertoRico.com