Golfing in Negril

Charlie and I are spending a few days in Negril, Jamaica, for the grand opening of our friend's beautiful resort, Moon Dance Cliffs. This resort is built on the western point of Jamaica in the cliffs. The ocean surrounds most of it so the views are spectacular. However, to play golf we have to take a 25 minute ride up the only road that goes in and out of Negril to the local public course.

There is a championship course within an hour's drive that is both very expensive and very difficult, Tryall Golf Resort, where some of the guys staying at Moon Dance Cliffs went to play. Charlie and I don't have the game or means to play Tryall so we settled on Negril Golf Club.

This course looks like it was designed by trial and error. Most of the tees are elevated and the greens are on hilltops where you are shooting blind. Land is at a premium so fairways are narrow and brown. I felt like I was walking on slopes the whole time. My caddy did not play golf so she was not much help for distance or club choice, but walking 9 holes on this terrain was a lot easier with her carrying my bag. I don't think we could have walked 18 holes even with caddies.

Despite these difficulties, playing badly and blisters (I foolishly wore a new pair of untried golf shoes) we had a good time. There's something about being in a completely different geography with wildly different trees, foliage and birds that makes the game so enjoyable even when one's game isn't any good.