IN THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC — and across much of the Caribbean — few courses vie with the legendary Teeth of the Dog for premier status. Most golfers agree that only one comes close: Punta Espada. This oceanfront Jack Nicklaus design sits within Cap Cana, a 30,000-acre luxury resort and residential community roughly 10 minutes from Punta Cana International Airport.
Cap Cana impresses from the moment you pass through the gates. When I first saw the plans years ago it felt nearly impossible, but the community has become a carefully landscaped retreat with a range of hotel options from family-friendly to adults-only. Dining choices are plentiful, with several restaurants serving diverse and accomplished cuisine. Activities include an equestrian center offering horseback riding and polo, plus a full-service marina for water sports.
We stayed at Eden Roc, a collection of 34 standalone suites and villas, each with a private pool. Eden Roc is the island’s only Relais & Châteaux property, and our 1,000-square-foot villa was impeccable — down to an outdoor shower and a secluded small pool tucked into a private garden. Each villa also includes a golf cart for exploring the resort grounds.
This was our first return to Cap Cana since Punta Espada Golf Club opened in 2006, and the property has matured into a tropical standout. Flowering plants frame broad stretches of white sand and the emerald fairways and greens. Punta Espada, which measures 7,396 yards from the tips, translates as “Tip of the Sword” and features eight oceanfront holes with sea views from many vantage points. Coral cliffs, lush foliage, water hazards and consistent ocean breezes are expected; the elevation changes are the pleasant surprise on this seaside layout. Even from the shorter Dorado (6,883 yards), Azul (6,314 yards) or Rojo (5,052 yards) tees, you’ll climb to the elevated back tees of the second hole. From there you can see the ocean and a green 611 yards away — a clear warning that the course is demanding from any tee. Nicklaus’s signature risk-reward design is on full display here.
HOLE 1 | 416 yards, par 4
The opening hole immediately sets the tone, with the tee complex perched on a ridge. The Caribbean sun highlights white coral cliffs and a waste bunker on the left, contrasting with the deep green of the fairway and the putting surface tucked against another wall of bleached coral. The rock faces still show shells and skeletons from when this area was once submerged, a reminder of the course’s dramatic natural setting. Ranked ninth in difficulty, the par 4 is an inviting but serious warm-up.
HOLE 2 | 611 yards, par 5
Following the scenic first, the course’s toughest challenge awaits: a 611-yard test from the course’s highest bluff. This dogleg right is heavily bunkered, with sand wrapping around a lake protecting the front of the green. If your drive doesn’t favor the left side of the fairway, your approach will be over sand and/or water to a green backed by a narrow beach of coral sand, demanding both distance and precision.
HOLE 10 | 432 yards, par 4
A broad waste area runs along the hole’s right side, encircles a lake and isolates a tabletop green set to the right. A deep bunker in the landing area discourages taking the shortest line, creating a second-shot dilemma. This is especially true for players who tee from shorter yardages and must decide whether to lay up or attempt a longer iron to a small, forward-sloping green. Nicklaus adds a pot bunker on the green’s front face to increase the challenge.
HOLE 13 | 250 yards, par 3
The pounding surf left and ahead of the tee boxes makes an immediate impression, and swirling winds can complicate club selection. Even the short 114-yard carry from the forward tees can feel like a wood shot into a stiff headwind. Reaching the green is only part of the test: the putting surface rises to a central spine and then falls away toward the ocean or two grass bunkers behind, demanding a well-placed tee shot.
PHOTO: © DONNELLE OXLEY
HOLE 17 | 358 yards, par 4
As the round winds toward its conclusion the pressure intensifies, with the sea looming along the right side. The penultimate hole features a wide bay between the tees and fairway, and the green sits on a narrow spit at the water’s edge. The longer your drive carries over water, the better the angle into the green, but approach shots remain precarious. A deep bunker sits in the left front of the small, elevated putting surface, ensuring a challenging finish before the 18th.