Casa de Campo® — home to our golf villa collection — has been called the greatest golf resort in the Caribbean for decades, and the case is difficult to argue with. Three Pete Dye-designed courses on a single property — each genuinely distinct in character, challenge, and visual drama.
Put simply, no other resort in the region offers this concentration of golf architecture quality. This Casa de Campo® golf guide compares all three courses, so you can plan the right rotation for your trip. Punta Cana has good courses. Cap Cana has excellent ones. But none has a course of Teeth of the Dog’s stature, let alone two additional courses of comparable pedigree alongside it.
If you are planning a golf trip to Casa de Campo® — or adding golf days to a family or group stay — this guide covers everything you need to know about all three courses. Specifically: what they play like, who they suit, when to book, what it costs, and how to sequence them if you are playing more than one.
Overview: Three Courses, Three Characters
Pete Dye was commissioned to design the first course at Casa de Campo® in the early 1970s and returned multiple times over the following decades to add the others. While each bears his unmistakable design philosophy — natural materials, dramatic use of terrain, strategic bunkering, and courses that are both beautiful and genuinely challenging — they are not variations on a theme. They are three distinct experiences.
| Teeth of the Dog | Dye Fore | The Links | |
| Character | Oceanfront drama | Cliff-top elevation | Strategic inland |
| Holes on water | 7 oceanfront | 0 (river/valley views) | 0 |
| Par | 72 | 72 (per 18) | 71 |
| Terrain | Flat coastal | Dramatic elevation | Rolling inland |
| Difficulty | Very challenging | Challenging | Most accessible |
| Signature feature | Caribbean Sea holes | Chavón River views | Consistency and rhythm |
| Best for | Bucket list round | Views and drama | Strategy and repeat play |
| Green fee 2026 | $550 villa guests / $450 hotel guests | $450 villa guests / $350 hotel guests | $350 villa guests / $275 hotel guests |
| Booking lead time | Weeks in advance | Days to a week | Same week usually |
Course 1: Teeth of the Dog® — The Caribbean’s Greatest Golf Course →
The reputation
Teeth of the Dog is not merely the best golf course at Casa de Campo®. Indeed, it is widely ranked as the greatest golf course in the Caribbean and one of the finest resort courses on earth. Golf Digest has consistently listed it among the world’s top 100 courses. Similarly, Golf Magazine included it in its Top 100 Courses You Can Play. When golf writers compile lists of the world’s most extraordinary settings for the game, Teeth of the Dog appears on almost all of them.
The name comes from the jagged coral rock formations along the coastline — “dientes del perro” in Spanish — that Pete Dye used as the defining visual and strategic element of the course. These formations, worn over centuries by Caribbean waves into spiky, irregular shapes, border seven of the eighteen holes directly on the Caribbean Sea. In other words, there is nothing manufactured about the setting. Dye found it and built around it.
The layout
Teeth of the Dog is a par-72 layout stretching to just over 7,000 yards from the back tees. The course opens with an inland stretch — holes 1 through 4 are set in the resort’s interior, relatively gentle, allowing players to warm up before the drama begins.
Hole 5 is where the course announces its intentions. From there, holes 5 through 8 and 15 through 17 play directly along the Caribbean coastline, with coral rock and ocean framing the shots, while holes 9 to 14 turn inland. The wind is a factor on every coastal hole and shifts the playing strategy significantly from morning to afternoon.
The signature holes:
Hole 5 (par 3): The first oceanfront hole and an immediate statement of intent. The tee shot carries the Caribbean to a green almost surrounded by water, rock, and sand — the sea is a hazard on three sides. The wind decides the club.
Hole 7 (par 3): One of the most photographed par 3s in world golf. Longer and more exposed than the 5th, it is played over the surf to a green ringed by sharp-edged bunkers. No bailout. No safety net. The wind can swing club selection by two or three clubs, and photographs do not capture how exposed the green is until you stand on the tee.
Hole 16 (par 3): The other great par 3 and arguably the more demanding of the two. Seven bunkers surround a wide but shallow green on a ledge above the rocks, with the Caribbean beyond. Club selection in the Caribbean wind is the defining decision.
Holes 17 and 18: Hole 17 is a par 4 and the last of the ocean holes, with the seawall close enough that a pushed drive will find it. Hole 18, a par 4, turns inland and brings you back to the pro shop. If you have played well to this point, the finish rewards good golf. If you have not, the 17th will punish.
The $15 million restoration
Teeth of the Dog® reopened for resort play in December 2025 following an extensive restoration directed by Jerry Pate Design. The project re-grassed the entire course with Dynasty Paspalum — a variety specifically developed for coastal conditions that offers superior playing surface consistency and better salt tolerance than the previous grass. Every green, fairway, and tee was addressed.
The restoration also involved significant work on the coral rock formations and coastline. Crews reinforced areas where erosion had affected playing corridors, securing the course’s defining natural features for the decades ahead.
As a result, Teeth of the Dog® in 2026 is set to play better than it has in years: expect true greens, consistent fairways, and the course’s extraordinary setting is presented at its absolute best.
Practical information
Green fee 2026: $550 per person for villa guests ($450 for hotel guests), plus 18% tax, including golf cart, bag storage and range. Caddie mandatory: $50 for one or two golfers, $100 for three or four, tip included, paid in cash.
Booking: During peak season (December–April), tee times must be booked weeks in advance. The course has a limited daily capacity and fills quickly. Tee times are booked directly with the Casa de Campo® golf office — book as soon as your villa dates are confirmed.
Best time to play: Morning tee times give calmer wind conditions and the most photogenic light on the coastal holes. Late afternoon (2–3pm) gives dramatic low light but stronger trade winds that can significantly affect club selection on the oceanfront holes.
Who it suits: Any golfer who has played the game seriously will find Teeth of the Dog a worthy test. Higher-index golfers will struggle from the back tees but will have an extraordinary experience regardless of score. The course is playable from multiple tee options and our concierge team can advise on the most appropriate tee based on your index.
Pete Dye connection: Pete Dye’s ashes were scattered near the 8th green following his death in 2020 — a tribute that speaks to his own feelings about the course he created here. It is, by most accounts, the course he was proudest of.
→ Read our complete Teeth of the Dog® visitor guide for the full hole-by-hole breakdown, caddie advice, and everything you need to know before your round.
Course 2: Dye Fore — Drama, Elevation, and the Chavón River →
The character
Where Teeth of the Dog® uses the ocean as its defining element, Dye Fore uses elevation. The course is carved into the cliff face above the Chavón River, which winds through tropical forest 90 metres below. The views are among the most spectacular of any golf course in the hemisphere. They run over the river, across the valley, toward the Caribbean on clear days, and down into the jungle from cliff-edge tees.
Dye Fore is a 27-hole facility divided into three distinct nines: Chavón, Marina, and Lakes. This means the course is played as three different 18-hole combinations depending on which nines are designated as the “championship” layout on any given day. Each nine has its own character. Chavón plays closest to the river and has the most dramatic elevation changes, whereas Marina sits higher with broader views. Lakes, meanwhile, incorporates the course’s water features most prominently.
The layout and key holes
The defining characteristic of Dye Fore is the contrast between the elevated tees and the valley below. On multiple holes, particularly on the Chavón nine, you stand on a tee cut into the cliff with nothing between you and the river 90 metres down. The tee shot requires commitment — there is no room to question your swing when the ground disappears 20 yards ahead of you.
Chavón nine signature holes:
Hole C3 (par 4): The most famous hole on the course. The tee is perched directly above the river bend — the entire Chavón River valley is spread below you, Altos de Chavón visible on the cliff to your left, jungle on every side. The drive must carry a significant elevation drop to a fairway carved into the slope. Even in photographs it looks extraordinary; in person it is one of the most remarkable sporting settings in the world.
Hole C7 (par 3): A long par 3 with the green situated on a plateau below the tee. The elevation change makes club selection counterintuitive — the drop adds apparent distance that the actual yardage does not reflect. Miss the green here and the recovery shot involves significant elevation work.
Marina nine: The Marina nine plays at a more consistent elevation and offers the broadest panoramic views — on clear days the Caribbean is visible in the distance. These holes are less dramatic in individual setting but provide a more consistent strategic challenge and the most open course architecture of the three nines.
Lakes nine: The Lakes nine incorporates Dye’s characteristic water features — lakes, streams, and carefully positioned hazards that punish wayward shots without being penal for their own sake. The holes here are more traditional Pete Dye architecture compared to the cliff-edge drama of the Chavón nine.
Who it suits
Dye Fore suits golfers who want something genuinely different from the oceanfront experience of Teeth of the Dog®. The elevation changes, the river views, and the variety of the 27-hole layout make it a compelling full day of golf — many serious golfers play all 27 holes across a day, which the course accommodates.
It is also the course most easily combined with a visit to Altos de Chavón, because the village perches on the cliff directly above Dye Fore. Many golfers finish a round, then walk up to Altos de Chavón for lunch or dinner. The juxtaposition of the 16th-century-style village and the golf course carved beneath it is one of Casa de Campo®’s most distinctive pairings.
Best time to play: Morning for cooler temperatures and calmer conditions. The Chavón nine’s cliff-edge holes are less affected by wind than Teeth of the Dog’s coastal holes, but the elevation makes late afternoon heat more pronounced.
Booking: More accessible than Teeth of the Dog. Same-week bookings are frequently possible during peak season, and day-before bookings are often available outside the Christmas–New Year period.
Course 3: The Links — Strategy, Rhythm, and Repeat Play →
The character
The Links is the most misunderstood course at Casa de Campo®, consistently underestimated by first-time visitors who come for Teeth of the Dog and play The Links as a secondary option. This is a mistake. The Links is a genuinely excellent golf course — it is simply excellent in a quieter, more considered way than its two more dramatic siblings.
Inspired by British and Scottish links traditions, The Links plays through rolling inland terrain with no oceanfront holes and none of Dye Fore’s cliff-edge drama. What it offers instead is a course built for strategic golf — where course management, shot placement, and consistency matter more than power or nerve. Pete Dye’s design philosophy is as present here as on the other courses, expressed through subtle elevation, clever bunkering, and greens with more movement than they appear to have from the fairway.
Par 71, approximately 6,600 yards from the back tees. The layout flows naturally through the resort’s inland landscape with several holes offering elevated views across the property.
Why serious golfers come back to The Links
Golfers who have played all three courses at Casa de Campo® consistently report that The Links improves on repeat play in a way the other two courses do not. The drama of Teeth of the Dog and Dye Fore makes a strong first impression; The Links reveals its depth over multiple rounds.
The greens are the key. They are among the most subtly contoured at the resort — the breaks are real and they must be read carefully. First-round putts that look straight are rarely straight. By the third visit, golfers who have paid attention begin to understand the green complexes in a way that rewards them with better scores.
The pace of play is also typically more relaxed on The Links than on the other two courses. Because it lacks the dramatic settings that attract first-time visitors, tee time availability is generally better and the round moves at a natural pace.
Who it suits
Golfers on extended stays who want to play multiple rounds without repeating the same course. The combination of Teeth of the Dog, Dye Fore, and The Links across a week gives three genuinely different golf experiences.
Higher-index golfers who find Teeth of the Dog’s oceanfront challenge overwhelming. The Links is the most forgiving of the three courses in terms of course setup and the penalty for wayward shots. Bogey golf is achievable here for most club-level players.
Groups with mixed golf ability where some members want a serious test and others want to enjoy the round without losing multiple balls to the Caribbean. The Links accommodates the full range.
Corporate and group golf events — The Links is the course most frequently used for organised group formats, tournaments, and society events at Casa de Campo®. The layout works well for Scramble and Stableford formats.
How to Sequence the Three Courses
For guests playing all three courses during a stay, the sequence matters. Here is how we advise most golf groups:
The recommended order
Day 1: The Links. Start here, not at Teeth of the Dog®. Play The Links first, when you are fresh but not yet acclimatised to the resort. It rewards good golf without punishing your adjustment to the climate, the Caribbean wind, and the unfamiliar terrain. A solid round on The Links builds confidence for what follows.
Day 2: Dye Fore. The elevation changes and dramatic setting of Dye Fore require full energy. Play it on your second day when you are loose and settled into the resort rhythm. If you play 27 holes, pace yourself — the back nine of any Dye Fore combination is physically and mentally demanding.
Day 3: Teeth of the Dog®. Save the marquee round for when you are fully acclimatised, comfortable with the wind conditions, and mentally fresh for a course that will demand your best golf. Many groups play The Links and Dye Fore specifically to reach Teeth of the Dog prepared rather than arriving cold to the Caribbean’s greatest course.
Alternative sequences
For golfers with only one or two days: Teeth of the Dog® is non-negotiable if you play one course. With two days available: Teeth of the Dog® and Dye Fore, in that order — the bucket list round first while you have maximum energy and anticipation.
Meanwhile, for families where golf is one activity among many: The Links is the best single-round option for guests who want good golf without it dominating the entire day. It plays faster and the layout is less emotionally exhausting than the other two.
Booking Tee Times: What You Need to Know
All villa guests have access to tee time reservations through the resort’s dedicated villa guest booking system.
Lead times by course:
- Teeth of the Dog: 2–4 weeks advance booking during peak season (December–April). Non-negotiable for Christmas–New Year period.
- Dye Fore: 5–7 days advance booking is usually sufficient during peak season.
- The Links: Often bookable same-week or day-before even during peak season.
Green fees include: Golf cart, bag storage and driving range on all three courses.
Caddies: Mandatory on Teeth of the Dog and Dye Fore — on Dye Fore’s Chavón nine, local knowledge of the elevation drops and wind patterns is especially valuable. Optional on The Links.
Club rental: Available at the pro shop for all three courses ($100 per set per day or $595 per week, plus tax). Quality rental sets are available — Titleist and Callaway — but if you travel with your own clubs, your airport transfer brings them straight to your villa.
The resort access fee and golf: The resort access fee (US$30/adult/night from February 2026) does not include green fees — golf is a separate cost at applicable rates. See our complete access fee guide for the full breakdown of what the access fee covers.
Casa de Campo® Golf for Non-Golfers in the Group
A frequent question from groups where not everyone golfs: what does the resort offer for the non-golfers while the golf is happening?
The short answer is that Casa de Campo® is one of the few golf resorts where non-golfers are genuinely well served. Minitas Beach Club, the spa, Altos de Chavón, the equestrian center, the shooting center, the marina, and the pool at your villa all provide full days of activity without any golf. The resort’s structure means golfers and non-golfers can separate in the morning and reconvene for lunch or dinner without either group feeling they have compromised.
For families with children specifically, our Casa de Campo® families guide covers the full range of non-golf activities in detail.
Quick Reference: Which Course is Right for You?
| Your situation | Best course |
| Once-in-a-lifetime round, best course only | Teeth of the Dog® |
| Want dramatic views, no ocean holes | Dye Fore |
| First time in Casa de Campo®, want to warm up | The Links |
| Playing 3+ rounds in a week | All three, in order: Links → Dye Fore → Teeth |
| Higher-index golfer wanting an enjoyable round | The Links |
| Want to combine golf with Altos de Chavón visit | Dye Fore |
| Competitive golfer wanting the toughest test | Teeth of the Dog® |
| Group with mixed abilities | The Links |
| Corporate golf event or tournament format | The Links |
| Most spectacular single hole in the Caribbean | Teeth of the Dog®, hole 7 |
Ready to plan your golf trip? Browse our golf-view villas for properties closest to the courses, or contact our team for villa recommendations for your group. Tee times are booked directly with the Casa de Campo® golf office.
For a complete guide to Teeth of the Dog specifically — including the hole-by-hole breakdown, the $15M restoration story, caddie advice, and 2026 green fees — read our dedicated Teeth of the Dog guide.