Golf and Gastronomy: A Connoisseur’s Guide to Barbados

For discerning golfers and food lovers, golf holidays in Barbados provide ample opportunity to marry the challenge of world-class courses with the delights of fine dining. From unforgettable fairways to gastronomic feasts, this Caribbean island is a place where every drive and every dish contributes to a truly unforgettable holiday experience. 

Teeing Off in Style

Golf in Barbados isn’t just about the sport, it’s also an opportunity to embrace a laid-back lifestyle and cherish the natural beauty of the island. And the favourable climate, with a year-round gentle breeze, makes every round a pleasure, no matter the season. 

The premier golf courses in Barbados, Royal Westmoreland, Sandy Lane, Apes Hill and the Barbados Golf Club are beautiful and impeccably maintained, each with its distinct personality. Whether you’re driving down a fairway flanked by whispering cane fields or putting on a green with the stunning coastline for a backdrop, you’ll find the courses here are designed to challenge and charm in equal measure. The Robert Trent Jones Jr. designed Royal Westmoreland Golf Club is probably the most breathtaking of them all and its signature par 3s pose some tricky challenges. 

Attention to detail is the hallmark of the premier Barbados golf courses. It’s not just about providing players with a game; the entire experience is created to provide golfers with quiet luxury and outstanding service. The pro shops are well-equipped, the caddies are knowledgeable, and the professional coaching is personalised to your needs, whether you’re a novice looking to improve your swing or a seasoned player out to master a challenging course. In addition, you’ll also find practice greens, driving ranges, buggy hire and every other golfing amenity you could wish for.  

The 19th Hole

The 19th hole is more than just a place to score your card; it’s where the day’s play is joyfully dissected over a refreshing drink and where camaraderie is celebrated as much as the game itself. Not only do Barbados’ golf clubs uphold this tradition; they imbue it with their own, unique flavour. Here you’ll discover luxurious clubhouses with sun-dappled terraces, like the splendid, colonial-style Club House at Royal Westmoreland, where you can indulge in a selection of gourmet bites, sip on a fine-aged rum or, if you’ve worked up a bit of an appetite over the fairways, tuck into a three-course dinner. Royal Westmoreland even boasts a Halfway House by the 9^th hole, where you can grab a little respite from the sun, quench your thirst with an ice-cold drink and have a mid-round snack to keep you going. 

Culinary Delights for the Golfing Palate

Barbados’ best restaurants are on par with and perfectly complement its golf. After a day on the fairways, the west coast of Barbados is the place to find the island’s most exclusive restaurants and delicious menus. The beachfront terrace of Royal Westmoreland Beach Club provides an elegant backdrop where diners can savour mouthwatering dishes from award-winning chefs while enjoying the tropical beauty of Mullins Beach. The Cliff, so named because it is romantically perched on a clifftop, creates dishes as stunning as its setting and which are a feast for the eyes and the tastebuds. Nearby, in Holetown, there is the contemporary Rooftop Fusion, whose modern dishes are served under the stars on a firelit rooftop terrace. 

For those seeking authentic Barbadian fayre, Oistins Friday Fish Fry is an unmissable local tradition. This weekly event is more than just a meal; it’s a chance to indulge in Barbadian culture. Sample the gamut of traditional dishes from the many street food shacks and amble through the market of arts and crafts stalls, while enjoying a cold beer and listening to the rhythm of live calypso music. If there is one place where the island’s soul and flavours come together, it’s here. 

For those who love golf and like to dine well in the evenings, Barbados is an unrivalled destination. The island’s golf courses promise not only a test of skill but also a journey through spectacular landscapes; while its restaurants offer culinary delights, charming settings and first-class service. Where to stay? For luxury villas and apartments, world-class amenities, exceptional dining and a championship standard golf course right on the doorstep, try Royal Westmoreland. With 750 acres of lush tropical landscape overlooking the beautiful west coast, round-the-clock security, private chefs, housekeepers and a well-connected concierge, satisfaction is assured. It even has six special golf cottages right next to the 12th green. What’s more, it’s perfectly placed to explore the rest of the island.