After years of wanting to visit Israel—an interest sparked by 16 years of Catholic education and conversations with representatives from EL AL and the Israel Ministry of Tourism—I finally used my annual birthday trip as the chance to go. Over cocktails with my brother Gerald, his wife Shelley, and my wife Michele, I mentioned this long-held desire, and what followed was a memorable journey.
The Caesarea Golf Club is the only 18-hole course in Israel, making it essential for golfers touring the region. A lively membership has supported the course through growth and redevelopment. On the first tee we were greeted by PGA professional Peggy Halfton. Born in the U.K., Peggy has been part of Caesarea for 39 years and knows both the course and its history intimately.
Most visitors come to Caesarea for the Roman ruins, beaches, and the remnants of King Herod’s era, including a well-preserved aqueduct and his palace. As a major ancient port, Caesarea played an important role in Roman times and attracts those interested in archaeology and history as much as coastal scenery.
Francis with Gerry © Francis X. Gallagher
The course opened in 1961 and was placed under the Rothschild-Caesarea Foundation. Baron Edmond de Rothschild, often called a father of modern Jewish settlement, promoted resettlement and economic development in the land of Israel. These efforts helped shape the region’s agriculture, housing and infrastructure, and Caesarea benefited from that legacy.
In 2007, renowned designer Pete Dye reimagined the layout to harmonize with the natural landscape and to raise Caesarea’s profile among international golf destinations. Dye sculpted holes around native vegetation, replanting any trees removed during construction. He introduced 7,185 yards of paspalum fairways and added his distinctive fairway and “eyebrow” bunkers amid the natural sand dunes. Soon after our visit the course hosted its first professional tournament when the ALPS Tour brought events to Israel, an effort aimed at encouraging golf among locals and international visitors.
We stayed at the Dan Hotel Caesarea, conveniently within walking distance of the course. On our first full day in Israel, Gerry and I took on the country’s only 18-hole course.
Hole 1 | 409 yards, par 4
Peggy asked if we wanted to play as part of a three- or four-ball; Gerry and I opted to play as a twosome so we could take notes and photos. The opening hole is a Pete Dye-style dogleg right from an elevated tee. I drove along the left contour and, gratefully, the ball settled on the cart path. Gerry’s shot landed in the center of the fairway. After a couple of cautious chips, we both made the green and recorded bogeys—our first official holes in Israel.
Hole 3 | 544 yards, par 5
This long, open par 5 invites big swings. I attempted a bold drive but popped it up short, while Gerry found one of Dye’s strategic bunkers, including a lengthy waste bunker that runs along the right side and bends sharply. I drilled a strong 3-wood to recover, though a misaligned approach left me left of the green. A short pitch and two putts turned what could have been a disaster into a playable hole. Gerry, meanwhile, expressed colorful frustrations near the eyebrow bunker by the green.
Hole 16 | 460 yards, par 4
As we played the 16th, a small team carefully removed invasive crabgrass from the fairways. The hole is another right dogleg; even well-struck drives can funnel toward a large bunker because of the fairway’s left-to-right slope. My tee shot found the waste bunker on the right, but the ball sat up nicely and I elected to lay up with a wood, leaving a short pitch to the green and making par. Gerry took an extra shot to reach the green and carded a bogey just as an Israeli Air Force F-18 released a sonic boom overhead—an unexpected soundtrack to our game.
Hole 18 | 475 yards, par 4
The finishing hole climbs uphill toward the clubhouse bar and restaurant, which sits between the first tee and the 18th green and offers a commanding view of the closing fairway. The fairway’s left-to-right slope can punish errant shots and send balls into the coastal scrub. My tee shot bounced out of brush on the left and settled in play. Gerry’s drive found dense brush on the right. My approach clipped a tree, showering a few olives as I advanced to the green. Cheered by patrons on the patio, I chipped on and two-putted for a bogey. Gerry lost an extra stroke in the brush but battled back to a double bogey.
Though we were on a schedule to continue to Acre, we lingered at the clubhouse bar to enjoy the views down the first fairway. We congratulated each other for playing golf in Israel and checked another memorable round off our travel list.
Caesarea Golf Club
P.O. Box 4858
Caesarea 30889
Israel
tel 972 4 6109600
caesarea.com