Barbados is a small island with four full-length golf venues, and on a trip here the question is less which course is best than which ones you are allowed onto. Three are in St James, on the sheltered Caribbean side. Sandy Lane runs two Tom Fazio eighteens and a nine-hole relic of its 1961 layout, but sells only two of the three to outsiders. Royal Westmoreland, Robert Trent Jones Jr.’s course over an old coral quarry, opens its tee sheet to non-staying players for half an hour each morning. Apes Hill, Ron Kirby’s rebuild on the central ridge, has no day rate at all: you rent one of its villas and the rounds come with it. The fourth, Barbados Golf Club at Durants, is the public course, close to the airport and the only one you can walk. Settle the access first, then choose where to sleep.
The island’s public eighteen near the airport, with a triple green and walking allowed.
Destination imagery
Where to base yourself.
Holetown & the St James coast
The most useful base for golf. Sandy Lane’s clubhouse is on the hill just south of Holetown, and its Country Club and Old Nine take non-residents through the day; the quarry-set Green Monkey stays with hotel guests. Royal Westmoreland is roughly ten minutes north. Colony Club, Tamarind Cove and the Paynes Bay villas put both courses within a short taxi hop.
Royal Westmoreland estate
Stay inside the gates if you want regular rounds on the Quarry and Ridge nines rather than one late-morning slot. The club’s own Golf Cottages, Townhouses and villas carry a third off the standard US$375 fee and some complimentary rounds, while privately let houses on the estate do not. Speightstown’s quieter waterfront and the beaches at Mullins are close by.
Apes Hill & the uplands
At about 1,000 feet, the Hilltop and Courtyard Villas are the only way most travellers get onto Kirby’s par 71. A three-bedroom stay includes three rounds, a four-bedroom stay four, with a private cart, the Little Apes par-three course and a shuttle to the beach club. Holetown is just over ten minutes below, and the Atlantic beaches about fifteen.
South coast, Christ Church
St Lawrence Gap, Maxwell and Oistins suit travellers who want the public course and a livelier evening. Barbados Golf Club at Durants is a short ride inland, its US$150 visitor deal collects you from south coast hotels with rental clubs, and partner hotels such as Dover Beach and Southern Palms get better times. The nine-hole Rockley Club adds a quick extra loop.
When to go.
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
The dry months run roughly from December to May, which is also when villas fill and the narrow visitor windows go fastest. Sandy Lane prices its golf on a winter season from November to mid-April and a lower summer season after it; on the 2025–26 card the Country Club fell from US$300 to US$240 for non-residents. June to November is the Atlantic hurricane season, with more afternoon downpours and the summer rates. Easterly trade winds blow most of the year, so holes into the breeze play long at Royal Westmoreland and Apes Hill. The Legends Tour’s Barbados Open was played at Apes Hill each year from 2024 to 2026, and Barbados Golf Club runs member competitions on most Saturdays.
Getting around.
Grantley Adams International (BGI), on the south-east tip of the island, is the only airport, with nonstop flights from the UK, the US and Canada. Durants is a short drive from the terminal, so a round on arrival or departure day is realistic there. The west coast courses are on the far side of Bridgetown: allow 30 to 45 minutes to Sandy Lane depending on traffic, with Royal Westmoreland about ten minutes further north and Apes Hill a climb inland. Barbados drives on the left. Airport taxis work to fixed fares, and a hire car needs your home licence plus a visitor’s permit, which the rental desk issues.
Plan it well.
Fix the most restrictive round first. Royal Westmoreland releases its 10.30 to 11am visitor times only seven days ahead, by phone to the pro shop on +1 246 419 7242, so plan the rest of the week around it. The Green Monkey requires a Sandy Lane room and Apes Hill a villa, and Apes Hill does not publish villa prices. Handicap certificates are not asked for at Sandy Lane or for ordinary rounds at Durants. Sandy Lane alone uses caddies, one per cart at US$50 plus a tip; the others are cart courses, apart from Durants, where walking is welcome. Fees are quoted in US dollars, while bills and the public club’s standard card may be in Barbados dollars, pegged at two to one. Durants takes Visa and Mastercard but not American Express.
Questions golfers ask.
What is the best golf course in Barbados that visitors can play?
For a non-resident, Sandy Lane’s Country Club is the strongest open option: Fazio’s 7,060-yard par 72, venue of the 2006 WGC-World Cup, bookable at any tee time. Royal Westmoreland is the other step-up round, but outsiders are confined to its 10.30 to 11am window.
Can I play golf in Barbados without staying at a resort?
Yes, at three venues. Barbados Golf Club is fully public, Sandy Lane sells its Country Club and Old Nine to non-residents, and Royal Westmoreland keeps half an hour a day for outside players. Only the Green Monkey and Apes Hill require you to stay on site.
How many days of golf do I need in Barbados?
Three or four rounds cover the island: Sandy Lane’s Country Club, Royal Westmoreland and Durants for day visitors, plus Apes Hill if you book its villas, where three or four rounds are included per stay. Add Sandy Lane’s Old Nine or the Rockley Club for a short afternoon.
What currency are Barbados green fees in?
Visitor rates are almost always published in US dollars, from US$150 at Durants to US$375 at Royal Westmoreland. The Barbados dollar is pegged at BDS$2 to US$1, and Sandy Lane bills in local currency, so check the card statement against the quoted dollar fee.
Do I need to bring my own clubs to Barbados?
Not necessarily. Sandy Lane rents clubs and shoes on request, and Barbados Golf Club’s US$150 visitor round includes rental clubs and a south coast hotel pickup. If you bring your own set to Durants, the club asks for at least six clubs per bag.
