Stay Here, Not There: Golfing the Dominican Republic—with a hurricane guarantee in the hole

The Trip: Playing some of the Dominican Republic’s best golf—and maybe squeezing in some beach time. The Demands: Top-notch golf is the top priority, but this is the Caribbean, so a decent beach for a day off the links is also a must. The Options: Casa de Campo in La Romana and the Punta Cana Hotel in Punta Cana The Breakdown: The Punta Cana Hotel’s La Cana course dramatically hugs the coast, and 14 of its 18 holes overlook the sea. (The setting certainly impressed us—as well as the experts at Golf Digest.) The resort’s huge beach offers plenty of room for guests to simply stretch out and relax. A dive center provides underwater fun for the more active, something the Casa de Campo doesn’t offer. But the Casa de Campo, says one of Oyster’s destination experts for the DR, Sara B., has the “best golfing in the Caribbean,” and the resort’s flagship course, Teeth of the Dog, is among one of the best in the world. Two other courses are on the property, and the resort’s private beach is immaculately clean—if a 10-minute golf cart ride from most guest rooms. But what sets the resort apart is its “105% Hurricane Guarantee” which promises a full refund plus a 5 percent resort credit if a hurricane watch or warning is issued for La Romana within 48 hours of your planned arrival. If a storm arrives in the middle of your stay and you decide to leave early, you’ll get a similar refund for any unused nights. Our Pick: Because the only thing worse than having your golf game rained out is not getting a refund of your greens fees, the Casa de Campo is our pick for this trip.