Some golf courses are played and forgotten. Others are played once and measured against for the rest of a golfer’s life. Teeth of the Dog® belongs firmly in the second category.
Ranked the number one golf course in the Caribbean and among the top 50 courses in the world, Pete Dye’s masterpiece at Casa de Campo® Resort in La Romana, Dominican Republic has defined what Caribbean golf can be since it opened in 1971. Seven of its 18 holes run directly along the Caribbean Sea — not adjacent to it, not in view of it, but essentially on it, with coral outcroppings rising from the surf a few feet from the green edges and trade winds that can render a seven iron useless without warning.
In 2026, Teeth of the Dog® has just completed its most significant transformation since Pete Dye first carved it from the Dominican coral. A $15 million, 11-month restoration led by Jerry Pate Design — reopened for resort play on December 7, 2025, with a grand reopening ceremony attended by Dominican President Luis Abinader on March 13, 2026 — has rebuilt the course from the ground up while preserving Dye’s original vision. New Dynasty Paspalum turf throughout, rebuilt greens and bunkers, improved drainage and irrigation, new cart paths: the course is in the best condition of its 54-year life.
This is the complete guide to playing it — everything a visiting golfer needs to know before booking tee time.
The Course at a Glance
- Designer: Pete Dye (1971), restored by Jerry Pate Design (2025–2026)
- Par: 72
- Yardage: 7,040 yards (championship tees), multiple tee options available
- Ocean holes: 7 (holes 5, 6, 7, 8, 15, 16, 17)
- World ranking: #1 in the Caribbean; top 50 globally (Golf Digest, Golfweek)
- Green fee (2025–26 season): $400-550 per person (includes cart and driving range)
- Caddie: Mandatory — $50 per caddie for 1–2 golfers, $80 per caddie for 3–4 golfers
- Caddie gratuity: Minimum $25 per golfer (expected, paid in cash)
- Dress code: Collared polo shirt, golf slacks or shorts, soft-spike golf shoes. No jeans.
- Advance booking: Up to 90 days in advance
- Golf cart: Mandatory — walking not permitted
Why Teeth of the Dog® Is Different
Before the hole-by-hole breakdown, it helps to understand what makes this course genuinely distinct from other high-end resort courses — because the gap between its reputation and the reality of playing it is essentially zero. It is as good as advertised.
Pete Dye himself famously said about the design: “I created eleven holes and God made seven.” That humility is earned. The seven ocean holes — running along a raw, unmanicured stretch of Caribbean coastline where coral rock juts from the water and trade winds shift direction without mercy — are not ocean-adjacent in the way that many coastal resort courses are. They are built into the coastline itself. The 5th hole green sits on a ledge with the Caribbean on three sides. The 16th green is ringed by seven bunkers with the sea beyond the left edge. On the 7th, your approach must carry surf that breaks across the fairway on a windy day.
What saves the course from being purely intimidating is the rhythm Dye built into the routing. The oceanside holes arrive in two groups — holes 5 through 8 on the front nine, then 15 through 17 on the back — separated by inland holes that give you time to breathe and reset before the next exposure to the water. The inland holes are not filler: the 2nd, 10th, and 13th are testing, interesting golf holes in their own right. But they are the quiet passages in a symphony whose crescendos happen at the water’s edge.
The $15 Million Restoration: What Changed in 2026
If you played Teeth of the Dog® before July 2025, you will notice meaningful differences when you return. If this is your first time, you are playing the best version of the course in its history.
The turf. The entire course — greens, fairways, tee boxes — was re-grassed with Dynasty Paspalum, a high-performance grass specifically engineered for coastal, salt-air environments. It handles the Caribbean’s humidity and occasional sea spray better than the previous turf, provides truer roll on the greens, and maintains its condition through the wet season more reliably. The result is a firmer, faster, more consistent playing surface across all 18 holes.
The bunkers. All bunkers were rebuilt and reshaped by Jerry Pate Design. The characteristic sharp-edged Dye bunker aesthetic — steep faces, clean white sand, no softening — has been preserved and in many places sharpened. New driftwood bunkering on the 2nd hole is a particular highlight. The bunker placements remain as Dye intended; the conditions within them are now significantly better.
The tee boxes. Tee boxes were widened, flattened, and reinforced with natural rock. New championship tees on some holes — including a back tee on the 2nd that plays over the road — add challenge for low-handicappers while the range of other tee options remains generous for higher handicaps.
The greens. Original contours were faithfully rebuilt rather than redesigned. The slope, speed, and severity of the green complexes — which are among the most demanding aspects of any Pete Dye course — are unchanged in intent but improved in surface quality. Truer putts. More predictable ball behavior.
Drainage and infrastructure. New drainage and irrigation systems, plus rebuilt cart paths throughout, address the course’s long-standing vulnerability to heavy tropical rain. The course drains faster and maintains conditioning through the wet season more effectively than ever before.
What did not change. The routing is unchanged. The character is unchanged. The ocean holes are still exactly as Dye conceived them. Jerry Pate’s brief was restoration, not reimagination — and he delivered that faithfully.
Hole-by-Hole Guide: The 18 Holes of Teeth of the Dog®
Holes 1–4: The Opening Act
Hole 1 — Par 4. A generous opening, designed to ease you in. Wide fairway, grass bunkers lining the right side. Take the birdie opportunity if your drive finds the fairway — par fours later in the round will not offer this hospitality. The new tee boxes give the hole a crisper presentation.
Hole 2 — Par 4. One of the finest inland holes on the course and, for many experienced visitors, a favourite among the non-ocean holes. Spectacular rock hazard lines the left with rebuilt driftwood bunkers protecting the right of the green. The new back tee plays over the road and adds genuine theatre to an already excellent driving test. Anything left is dangerous; bail out right and you face a demanding approach. This hole proves the inland sections are not just connective tissue.
Hole 3 — Par 5. Reachable for most good players, but finding the putting surface is the challenge. Large slopes funnel imprecise approaches away from the green. Pot bunkers and a distinctly shaped donut bunker surround a narrow target. A birdie opportunity, but a bogey-or-worse punisher for the imprecise.
Hole 4 — Par 4. At 451 yards from the tips (371 from the standard tees), this hole serves as the gateway to the ocean sequence. A large steep bunker lurks behind the green, catching ambitious approaches. Play it well — you are about to turn the corner and meet the Caribbean for the first time.
Holes 5–8: The First Ocean Sequence
This is where the course earns its legend. Four consecutive holes along the Caribbean Sea, alternating par 3s and par 4s, each demanding different decisions and exposing different vulnerabilities.
Hole 5 — Par 3, 168 yards. The first ocean hole and, for many, the most iconic. Your tee shot must carry the Caribbean Sea to a green that sits almost entirely surrounded by water, rock, and sand. The ocean is not a backdrop here — it is a hazard on three sides. Wind is the variable that changes everything: a calm morning produces a confident 7-iron; a stiff Caribbean breeze turns it into a calculated conversation between you, the wind, and however much courage you can muster. Ask your caddie for the read before you select a club. This hole is Pete Dye’s famous joke about God’s contribution to the design, compressed into a single, terrifying, beautiful par 3.
Hole 6 — Par 4, 469 yards. A long, exposed par 4 running westward along the coastline with the ocean on the left and wind that typically comes off the water. The approach narrows as it approaches the green. This is one of the holes that punishes those who drift left — the ocean margin is unforgiving. Caddies recommend playing further right off the tee than feels comfortable, setting up a cleaner angle into the green.
Hole 7 — Par 3. Another ocean par 3, longer and more exposed than the 5th, played over surf in the same westward direction. The green is ringed by impressive bunkers and the wind can make club selection a two- or three-club decision. Those who have played Whistling Straits will recognise the visual — dramatic coastal par 3, sharp-edged bunkers, no margin for error. One of the finest one-shotters in Caribbean golf.
Hole 8 — Par 4. Among the most extreme green complexes on the course. The 8th green has pin positions that are essentially inaccessible to anyone without a professional-calibre spin rate — positions in the right third of the green place the flag over a ledge above rock and surf, requiring a shot that stops on a dime. Play to the safe side of the pin unless you genuinely want the challenge and can handle the consequence of a missed shot ending in the Caribbean. Most visitors take par here as a significant win.
Holes 9–14: The Inland Loop
The course turns inland after the 8th, giving golfers a chance to recover, recalibrate, and enjoy some excellent parkland-style holes before the drama returns.
Hole 9 — Par 4. A slight dogleg left that plays around a large bunker and over an old stone sugarcane trench bisecting the fairway — a reminder of the land’s pre-golf history. An interesting, well-constructed hole. The green rises significantly from its surroundings and is protected by four distinctly shaped bunkers.
Holes 10–12. Solid inland golf. The 10th rewards a draw; the 12th is one of the longer par 4s on the course and plays more demanding than it appears from the tee. Neither hole is spectacular by the standards of what surrounds them, but both are properly designed, strategically interesting golf holes that reward precision.
Hole 13 — Par 5. Reachable with two good shots but the green complex complicates the easy birdie. Pot bunkers and a skinny target require precision on the approach. One of the inland holes most visitors agree is underrated — better than its position in the round suggests.
Hole 14 — Par 5. A lakeside par 5 described as the most accessible hole on the course. Take the birdie if the approach cooperates. You will need the score cushion for what follows.
Holes 15–17: The Second Ocean Sequence
The back nine’s ocean finale is, if anything, even more dramatic than the front nine’s equivalent — partially because golfers are tired, partially because the stakes feel higher, and partially because the design of these three holes represents some of Dye’s most fearless thinking.
Hole 15 — Par 4. The return to the ocean. A cape-style hole that plays along the cliff edge with the sea on the right and a heavily tree-lined left side that catches anyone trying to bail out too aggressively. The combination of the two hazards requires a committed line off the tee. No halfway choices work here.
Hole 16 — Par 3, 183 yards. The signature hole. If forced to pick one hole from a course with seven ocean holes as candidates, this is the one. Seven bunkers surround a wide but shallow green that sits on a ledge above the rocks with the Caribbean beyond. Those who have played Whistling Straits will see the architectural family resemblance — sharp-edged bunkers, dramatic ocean backdrop, different pin positions that create entirely different levels of challenge. Pin left: manageable, go at it. Pin right third: the ocean is waiting behind you, the bunkers in front, and the margin for error is essentially nil. After the restoration, the bunkering around this hole is noticeably sharper and the green surface significantly improved.
Hole 17 — Par 4. The final ocean hole and a severe finish to the coastal run. The seawall is close enough on one side that drives slightly pushed will find it. The reward for a clean hole: satisfaction, a good score, and a short walk to the 18th tee.
Hole 18: The Closing Hole
Hole 18 — Par 4. After the drama of 15 through 17, the closing hole is a known mild disappointment — a competent but not spectacular ending that exists to return golfers to the clubhouse rather than to showcase the Caribbean. A bunker across the 18th fairway, added in one of Dye’s revisions, prevents the bombing driver from taking a short cut and ensures the closing approach requires a genuine iron shot. Make par here and head to the 19th Hole Bar knowing the course was as advertised.
The Caddies: How to Work With Them
The caddie at Teeth of the Dog® is mandatory, which is the right policy. The course is complex enough — wind shifts, deceptive distances to ocean hazards, green contours that are invisible until you are on them — that caddies provide real, material assistance rather than just tradition. Trying to navigate this course from a yardage book alone would significantly damage your score and experience.
Finding the right caddie read: Trust your caddie on wind. The trade winds at Casa de Campo® shift direction multiple times during a round, and experienced caddies track patterns that yardage books cannot capture. On the ocean holes especially, let your caddie’s wind assessment inform your club selection rather than overriding it with course memory.
The caddie fee structure: For 1–2 golfers, one caddie is assigned at $50. For 3–4 golfers, the fee is $80. Gratuity of a minimum $25 per golfer is expected and must be paid in cash at the course — carry US dollars.
English proficiency: Casa de Campo’s caddies are experienced and accustomed to working with international guests. English communication is not a problem for the experienced caddie pool.
Green Fees, Booking, and Practical Information
Current Fees (2025–2026 Season)
| Item | Cost |
| Green fee (18 holes) | $400-550 per person |
| Includes | Golf cart + driving range |
| Caddie (1–2 golfers) | $50 per caddie |
| Caddie (3–4 golfers) | $80 per caddie |
| Caddie gratuity | $25 minimum per golfer (cash) |
| Club rental | Available on request ($) |
Note: An 18% tax applies at the course — factor this into your total cost calculation. If you are booking externally through third-party platforms, confirm whether tax is included in the listed rate.
The most cost-effective way to play Teeth of the Dog® is as a villa guest at Casa de Campo® booked through Caribbean Paradise Homes. Villa guests receive preferential green fee rates — typically below the standard rack rate above.
Booking Your Tee Time
Tee times can be booked up to 90 days in advance. During peak season (December–April), the most desirable morning tee times — particularly 7:30am to 9:00am, when the wind is typically at its calmest — book out quickly. Booking at or close to the 90-day window is strongly recommended for peak season play.
Groups of 12 or more require a 10% non-refundable deposit upon confirmation.
Security and Resort Access
All golfers — including guests staying on property — must be registered with Casa de Campo® Resort security before playing. If you are arriving from outside the resort:
- Arrive at the Casa de Campo® main gate at least 90 minutes before your tee time. Security access can take time, and late arrival may result in loss of tee time.
- Bring your passport — it is required for resort gate registration and non-guests will be asked to present it.
Villa guests staying at Casa de Campo® have registered with the resort already and can proceed to the golf course directly without the external gate process.
Dress Code
Men: Collared polo shirt with sleeves, golf slacks or shorts, closed golf shoes with soft spikes or tennis shoes. No jeans.
Women: Collared polo shirt with or without sleeves, golf slacks, shorts, skirt, or skort, closed golf shoes with soft spikes or tennis shoes. No jeans.
The dress code is enforced. Arrive appropriately dressed or you will not play.
Best Time to Play
Morning tee times (before 9:00am) are significantly preferable for two reasons: the wind is typically at its lightest, which makes the ocean holes more manageable and the distance control on approaches more reliable; and the Caribbean sun is significantly less intense, making a four-hour round far more physically comfortable.
Peak season (December–April) offers the most consistent weather and the lightest rain probability. The course plays at its best during this period.
Shoulder season (May–June, October–November) offers good conditions and better tee time availability, with occasional afternoon rain showers that rarely affect morning rounds.
After the Round
The 19th Hole Bar and Restaurant at the Teeth of the Dog® clubhouse is the natural destination after your round. Cold drinks, food, and the ability to dissect every hole with your playing partners in the direct vicinity of the course that just humbled you. Pro shop merchandise — course-specific clothing and equipment — is available and worth browsing.
Strategy Tips: How to Score Well
Play the right tees. Teeth of the Dog® offers multiple tee options from 5,000 yards to 7,040 yards. The forward tees provide access to the design’s beauty and challenge without the raw brutality of the championship length. There is no shame in playing from a tee that suits your game — the ocean holes are still the ocean holes from any tee, and the experience is what you are there for, not the score.
Respect the wind. This is the single most important factor in scoring on Teeth of the Dog®. The Caribbean trade winds are constant, variable in direction, and capable of turning a confident 150-yard approach into a three-club puzzle. Players who try to hit their standard yardages regardless of wind will make large numbers. Players who trust their caddie’s wind read and commit to their adjusted club selection will score significantly better.
Protect your score on the inland holes. The inland holes — particularly holes 1, 3, 9, and 13 — are the scoring opportunities on this course. Making bogeys on the inland holes and then fighting the ocean holes is a recipe for a difficult card. Make pars and the occasional birdie where the course offers them, and you will have enough buffer to absorb the inevitable difficulties of holes 5 through 8 and 15 through 17.
Do not fight the 8th green. If the pin is in the back-right of the 8th green — the position that juts out over the rock ledge — play to the middle or left of the green and take your two-putt par. The risk-reward equation does not justify flag hunting in that position for anything other than tournament golf.
Play the 16th pin. Conversely, when the pin is in the left-centre of the 16th green — away from the oceanside — this is the time to be aggressive. The 16th is the defining hole of the course and a confident birdie putt here is one of the great experiences in Caribbean golf.
Combining Teeth of the Dog® With Dye Fore and The Links
Most serious golfers visiting Casa de Campo® play all three Pete Dye courses during their stay. Each is distinct enough in character that the combination is genuinely worthwhile rather than repetitive.
The recommended order for a multi-day golf trip:
- Day 1: The Links. The most accessible of the three courses. A good warm-up for the week that lets you find your rhythm, understand the wind patterns, and calibrate your expectations for Pete Dye design without the high-stakes pressure of the ocean holes.
- Day 2: Dye Fore. The cliff-top drama of the Chavon River holes is visually spectacular and the elevated shots introduce a different kind of wind challenge — gusts that come over the cliff edge rather than off flat water. Excellent preparation for the more compressed drama of Teeth of the Dog.
- Day 3: Teeth of the Dog®. By day three, your body is playing its best golf of the trip, you have calibrated your wind management, and you understand Pete Dye’s design philosophy well enough to read the course intelligently. This is the right day to play the best course.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Teeth of the Dog® suitable for high handicappers? The course can be played by golfers of all abilities from the forward tees. The ocean holes are visually dramatic regardless of ability level and the experience of playing them is what most visitors remember. That said, golfers who regularly score above 100 from their regular tees may find the course more physically and mentally demanding than expected. Forward tees bring the yardage down significantly and make the course much more manageable.
Can non-golfers come to watch? Non-golfers (riders) are permitted on the golf cart, subject to availability and additional charges. Check with the pro shop when booking.
Is the caddie fee negotiable? No. The caddie fee structure is set by the resort and is mandatory. Budget for it accordingly.
What happens in bad weather? Rain decisions are at the sole discretion of the golf director. In the event of a weather closure, the policy on refunds and rain checks is handled directly by the golf course. No standard guarantee of refund applies. Ask the pro shop about the current policy when you book.
How far in advance should I book? For peak season (December–April), book at the 90-day window or as early as possible. For shoulder and low season, two to four weeks advance booking is generally sufficient, though flexibility is always better than urgency.
Can I arrange to play Teeth of the Dog® without staying at Casa de Campo®? Yes, but external guests must arrive at the main resort gate at least 90 minutes before tee time and bring a passport. Green fees apply at the full rack rate. Villa guests booking through Caribbean Paradise Homes receive preferential rates and skip the external entry process.
The Bottom Line
Teeth of the Dog® is not overhyped. In a world where golf marketing routinely inflates claims about courses and experiences, this one delivers on everything it promises — and after the $15 million restoration, it delivers it in better condition than at any point in its 54-year history.
The ocean holes are as dramatic as you have read. The wind is as real as the warnings suggest. The greens are as difficult as Pete Dye intended. And when you walk off the 17th green having survived the second ocean sequence with your scorecard intact, the sense of accomplishment is genuinely earned.
If you are planning a golf trip to the Caribbean and have not put Teeth of the Dog® on the list, put it on the list. If it is already on the list, book the tee time now — demand in 2026, following the reopening and the grand ceremony, is high and tee times in peak season are moving quickly.