Seven holes hard against the Caribbean. That's the pitch for Teeth of the Dog, and it's the reason a serious golf group flies to La Romana instead of driving to Hilton Head. Pete Dye routed his masterpiece along the water in 1971 and nothing built in the Caribbean since has touched it.
Teeth of the Dog is the best course in the Caribbean and it isn't a debate — the par-3 5th and the run home along the coast are reason enough to book the trip. Dye Fore is the secret: four cliffside holes above the Chavón River gorge that genuinely rival anything Teeth offers visually. The resort itself works the way a serious destination should — villa lodging, a private airport at LRM, and enough restaurants that you don't repeat dinners over four nights. Per head, it costs less than Pebble and you're playing two world-top-100s.
Dogleg's Pick Courses
Where to Play
In order of conviction. Every course on this list was chosen deliberately.
Teeth of the Dog
€175+Seven holes on the Caribbean and the best course in the Western Hemisphere south of Florida. Pete Dye carved it out of coral rock in 1971 — the par-3 5th over the water and the run home from 15 are why you booked the flight. Resort guests pay a premium, but you're playing a legitimate top-50 in the world.
Dye Fore
€175+27 holes (Chavón, Marina, Lagos) on a different kind of property — high above the Chavón River with cliffside drops that don't exist anywhere else in the Caribbean. The four cliff holes on the Chavón nine are the photos your buddies actually ask about. Most groups blow it off as the warm-up round. Don't.
The Links
€100–€175Pete Dye's inland routing — Scottish-style mounding, no ocean, no cliffs. It's a perfectly good golf course that would be the headline anywhere else, but here it's clearly third on the depth chart. Good play if you want a third round without the premium price tag of the other two.
Dye Fore — four holes on the Chavón River cliff with views that make Teeth of the Dog look understated. Most groups don't get to it because Teeth takes all the attention. Play both.
Where to Stay
Lodging Picks
Ranging from splurge to smart. Pick based on what the group wants and how much time you'll actually be at the hotel.
Casa de Campo Resort — Hotel Rooms
$$$$The standard play for foursomes who don't need a villa. Recently renovated Elite rooms, golf cart included with every booking (you'll need it — the property is enormous), and you're on-site for tee times. The Minitas Beach access alone justifies staying inside the gate.
Casa de Campo Villas
$$$$The right move for groups of six or more. Private villas range from 3-bedroom standard to 10-bedroom estates with staff, private pool, and a chef option. Per-head cost beats the hotel rooms once you've got a real group, and you actually get to hang out together at night.
Casa de Campo Elite Suites
$$$$The upgraded room tier — bigger, newer, and with extras like dedicated concierge and premium minibar. Worth the bump if you're booking for a milestone trip and don't want to commit to a full villa.
Sanctuary Cap Cana
$$$$Adults-only all-inclusive about an hour east, useful if you're playing Punta Espada and don't want to commute. Big beach, multiple restaurants, drinks included. Pick this only if you're trading off Casa de Campo golf for Cap Cana golf — don't try to do both from here.
Vacation Rental — Casa de Campo Estates
$$$Plenty of owner-listed villas inside the Casa de Campo gates show up on VRBO at a discount versus booking the same villa through the resort. Same access to the courses and clubs, same property, often 20-30% cheaper. Just confirm golf cart and staff are included before you book.
Where to Eat & Drink
The Right Restaurants
9 picks across the full range — the big dinner out, the post-round decompress, and the morning before an early tee time.
La Caña by Il Circo
italianThe big-deal dinner at the resort — Italian by the Le Cirque family, set inside the main hotel. Get the truffle pasta and a bottle of something serious. Reserve before you arrive, especially for groups of four or more.
Minitas Beach Club & Restaurant
beach clubLunch by the ocean — ceviche, grilled fish, a frozen drink, toes in the sand. The right call on a layover day between rounds, or anytime you want lunch to take two hours.
La Casita
seafoodDown at the Marina, this is the dressed-up dinner spot for the trip — Mediterranean and Caribbean seafood with the boats lit up behind you. Order the whole grilled fish for the table. Walkable from the Marina villas.
Chinois
pan-asianPan-Asian at the Marina — sushi, dim sum, wok stuff — and the best break from steak and seafood you'll get on this trip. Solid for a group that needs a change of pace mid-week.
Pubbelly Sushi
sushiMiami import at the Marina serving creative rolls and Asian small plates. Loud, lively, late — the closest thing the resort has to actual nightlife once dinner is done.
Lago
breakfast buffetThe breakfast spot — big buffet inside the main hotel, fast, and gets you out the door for an early tee time. Skip the carb plates and stick with eggs and fruit; you've got golf in the heat.
SBG (Sophia's Bar & Grill)
steakhouseSteakhouse at Altos de Chavón — meat, wine, dark wood, the works. The right move for the big night out, paired with a walk around the artists' village before or after. Reserve.
La Piazzetta
italianOld-school Italian inside Altos de Chavón — stone walls, candles, hand-rolled pasta. Quieter than the Marina spots and the right call if your group wants a dinner that doesn't feel like a resort dinner.
The 19th Hole
clubhouseThe post-round pub at the Teeth of the Dog clubhouse. Cold Presidente, a sandwich, and the view back over the course while you settle the bets. Not fancy and not trying to be.
Beyond the Course
When the Group Needs a Break
All of these are mandatory.
Altos de Chavón
A replica 16th-century Mediterranean village built on a cliff above the Chavón River — sounds like a tourist trap, isn't quite. Real artisan workshops, a Roman-style amphitheater that's hosted Sinatra and the Stones, and the best photo op on the property. Walk it before dinner at SBG or La Piazzetta.
Book this experience →Saona Island Day Trip
Catamaran out to a protected island in the Parque Nacional del Este — clear water, sandbar swimming, lunch on the beach. It's a full day so plan it as a non-golf day. Better with a smaller boat charter than the big tourist catamarans.
Book this experience →Chavón River Cruise
Short boat ride up the river that runs under Dye Fore's cliff holes — you'll see the course from below and understand the elevation. Good late-afternoon outing, beer in hand, and it's only a couple of hours.
Book this experience →Casa de Campo Shooting Center
200-acre facility with sporting clays, trap, skeet, and pigeon. Even non-shooters in the group get into it. Book a half-day station with an instructor and bring water — it gets hot fast.
Book this experience →Marina Casa de Campo
Mediterranean-style marina with the resort's best concentration of restaurants and bars, plus boat charters if anyone wants a half-day of deep-sea fishing. Easy spot to spend an evening even if you don't go out on the water.
Book this experience →Pro Tips
Before You Book
Teeth of the Dog is a legitimate top-20 course in the world: 7 oceanfront holes on the Caribbean, Pete Dye design, and one of the most dramatic golf experiences in the Western Hemisphere.
Dye Fore has four holes on the Chavón River cliffside. Most groups spend all their attention on Teeth and miss the view from Dye Fore. Don't.
Fly into La Romana (LRM) — the resort has its own airport 10 minutes away. Santo Domingo (SDQ) is 2 hours by road.
January through April is peak season. The shoulder months (May, November, December) offer better rates with essentially the same weather.
The resort is self-contained. Casa de Campo has restaurants, a marina, and beach club infrastructure. You don't need to leave.
Dogleg's Advice
Most groups burn all their oxygen on Teeth of the Dog and treat Dye Fore as a throwaway second round. Mistake. Play Teeth twice if you must, but don't skip Dye Fore — the cliff holes over the Chavón are the photos your buddies will actually ask about. The Links rounds out the rotation but it's clearly third on the depth chart.
What to Know
November through April is the window — summer gets hot and wet, and hurricane season is real. Fly LRM if you can swing it; SDQ adds an hour-plus transfer. Nothing here is walkable in the traditional sense — this is a sprawling resort and you're getting around in carts and shuttles, not on foot.
Who This Trip Is For
✓ Best for
- →Groups who want a bucket-list Caribbean resort experience with world-class golf
- →Anyone who has Teeth of the Dog on their course list
- →Mixed groups where non-golfers want a full resort and beach experience
- →Groups who want an all-inclusive-adjacent experience without the all-inclusive energy
✕ Not for
- →Budget-conscious travelers: Casa de Campo is a luxury resort
- →Groups who want to explore beyond the resort: it's remote and self-contained
- →Anyone expecting links conditions — this is tropical resort golf
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