PUNTACANA Named "Golf Resort of the Year" by International Association of Golf Tour Operators

The Caribbean's Premier Golf and Beach Resort Destination Tops the List of Elite Properties Recognized in the World of Golf Travel

• 
  SAVE
• 
  SHARE
• 
  TEXT SIZE
• 
  PRINT
• 
  COMMENT
• 
  PDF

. November 22, 2010

PUNTACANA Resort & Club, the exclusive resort property in the Dominican Republic, has been named Golf Resort of the Year by the International Association of Golf Tour Operators in the 'Rest of the World' category.

It is currently home to two world class golf courses, P.B Dye's La Cana and Tom Fazio's Corales, with a third, Hacienda, set to open in 2011. The P.B. Dye-designed La Cana Golf Course, which opened in 2001, has long been a firm favorite of golfers from all over the world and, in line with PCRC's efforts to be as environmentally friendly as possible, was the first course in the Caribbean to use paspalum, a grass seed that can be watered using sea water.

In April 2010, the highly anticipated Tom Fazio designed Corales course opened to rave reviews with Golf Week's Brad Klein naming the course “The future of Caribbean golf”. With the addition of Hacienda, the resort will offer 54 holes of championship golf to guests of the resort. The combination of the three courses, along with the many other amenities available to guests, makes PUNTACANA Resort & Club the Caribbean's premier golf and beach destination.

“Golf at PUNTACANA Resort & Club is truly a unique experience.” said Jay Overton, director of golf and club operations at Corales. “When the opportunity presented itself to be able to head Corales I came out of retirement knowing that this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be part of a truly remarkable project.”

“We work very hard to offer our guests world-class golf and accommodations that are easily accessible via direct non-stop flights from many of the world's major airports, and we are so honored to be recognized for our efforts by the IAGTO,” said Jeff Neal, Director of La Cana/Hacienda Golf & Beach Club.

Over 2,000 golf resorts from around the world were considered for this award category and were judged based on customer satisfaction, quality of golf course and accommodation, value for money, accessibility to tee times as well as speed of communication and quality of service of the golf resort sales and marketing team.

“We are very proud of our golf offerings here at PUNTACANA, and we are constantly working to better the experience for those who come spend time with us,” said Frank Rainieri, PUNTACANA Resort & Club CEO and co-founder. “We are humbled by the recognition as the best golf destination, and will continue to improve our offerings to live up to this title.”

The IAGTO Awards were established in 2000 to reward to recognize those exceptional resorts in the world of golf travel.

About PUNTACANA Resort & Club

The development of Grupo PUNTACANA dates back to 1969 when Dominican businessman and hotelier Frank R. Rainieri and Theodore W. Kheel, the prominent New York attorney and labor mediator, created a partnership to construct a resort and real estate community that respects the natural habitat of Punta Cana while offering a world-class vacation experience. Maintaining a dedication to sustainable tourism, PUNTACANA Resort & Club has since grown to encompass over 26 square miles and now includes Tortuga Bay; Six Senses Spa; the PUNTACANA Ecological Foundation; four residential communities (Corales, Hacienda, Marina and Arrecife); a full-service marina; nine restaurants; a shopping village; two 18-hole golf courses; and Punta Cana International Airport, a modern facility that incorporates innovative and eco-friendly design. In 1997, Julio Iglesias and Oscar de la Renta joined the Group as co-investors and have made PUNTACANA Resort & Club their home. Currently, Punta Cana is the most highly visited Caribbean destination and is easily accessible from all over the globe.