Other than the $1.2 Million, Corales Golf Course at Puntacana Is the Easy Choice

There are 45 holes of golf at the Puntacana Resort & Club on the eastern tip of Dominican Republic. Designed by PB Dye, the La Cana Golf Course has 27 holes that wander inland through freshwater lagoons and cozy up next to the ocean. Famed and deservedly so, the other option is the Tom Fazio-designed Corales Golf Course. A PGA Tour event is played there in early spring — this year’s edition is set for March 26 – 29. Graeme McDowell’s 18-under in 2019 was one better than Chris Stroud and Mackenzie Hughes.

Only in FedEx points (and prize money) is Corales lower on the totem pole than any golf course on the PGA Tour. The Corales Puntacana Resort and Club Championship is one of those odd weeks on Tour where there are two tournaments happening on the same weekend. Like how the Puerto Rico Open and World Golf Championships (WGC)-Mexico Championship were played on the same weekend in February, the Corales tournament and the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play in Austin, Texas happen concurrently. The top 64 players in the World Golf Ranking will go to Austin and compete for a first place check of $1,745,000 and 550 FedEx points. Nothing to laugh at, but certainly less — the winner at Corales will take $540,000 and 300 FedEx points. All cash being equal, certainly anyone in their right mind would prefer a weekend in Dominican Republic over Texas, but the PGA Tour is all business.

Corales is a golf course anyone can play — memberships are available, but not a must to get on. There are several different rates whether you stay onsite or at another resort. Rates adjust depending on the season and if you play before or after 1 p.m. They also offer discounts if you purchase two-, three- or four-round packages.

The highest Corales rate is $395 for an offsite player, in-season (Nov. 25 – April 12) before 1 p.m. And the best rate is only $150 for an off-season (April 13 – Nov. 22) internal guest after 1 p.m. The avid player should consider a package. The off-season four-round rate is only $660 which is $152.50 per round and you can play anytime. Also consider same day replay rounds which start at $100. La Cana rates are lower, they start at $76 and peak at $135.

Puntacana Resort & Club is a luxury resort with plenty of homes in excess of $20 million, but there are bargains. Be open to an after 1 p.m. round of golf in May and Corales becomes one of the better golf values in the world.

Visit: puntacana.com

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