Sandals Resorts With Golf: What to Book and What's Included

Six of Sandals' seventeen resorts include golf access as part of the stay, and all six sit in just two islands: Jamaica and St. Lucia. If golf is a priority for your trip, that fact alone should narrow your search fast.

If you want green fees and course transfers built into your resort stay, look at Jamaica's Ocho Rios resorts or any of the three St. Lucia properties. Sandals Ochi, Sandals Dunn's River, and Sandals Royal Plantation all connect to Upton Estate Golf & Country Club, while Sandals Grande St. Lucian, Sandals Regency La Toc, and Sandals Halcyon Beach share access to Cap Estate Golf & Country Club. Guests at Sandals' other resorts, including Sandals Royal Bahamian and Sandals Royal Curaçao, don't get included golf.

For a golfer traveling with a non-golfing partner, the right pick depends on how often you plan to play, how you want to spend the rest of your time, and what kind of room and beach experience matters most. The sections ahead cover exactly what's included at each course, what you should expect to pay extra for, and which resort fits which kind of trip.

Where Golf Is Included—and Where It Is Not

Six Sandals resorts include complimentary golf access: three in Jamaica and three in St. Lucia. Sandals' other resorts, in the rest of Jamaica and in Antigua, Barbados, Grenada, St. Vincent, The Bahamas and Curaçao, don't include golf, though Sandals Royal Curaçao has a course on property at a separate fee.

Which Six Resorts Include Golf Access?

In Jamaica, Sandals Ochi, Sandals Dunn's River, and Sandals Royal Plantation all include green fees and transfers to Upton Estate Golf & Country Club in Ocho Rios. In St. Lucia, Sandals Grande St. Lucian, Sandals Regency La Toc, and Sandals Halcyon Beach all include green fees and transfers to Cap Estate Golf & Country Club.

Sandals Montego Bay, Sandals Caribbean Cay, Sandals South Coast and Sandals Negril, also in Jamaica, don't include golf: the course is two hours or more away from them. Sandals Royal Bahamian in The Bahamas doesn't include golf either, and Sandals Royal Curaçao is a special case, covered below.

What Does Complimentary Golf Actually Include?

Complimentary golf at Sandals covers green fees for guests at the six qualifying resorts, plus transportation to and from the course. This is a real, meaningful inclusion for golfers who want to play more than once during a stay, since paying per-round green fees at comparable Caribbean courses can add up quickly over a week.

What isn't covered: golf carts, which are mandatory at both courses; caddies, which are mandatory at Upton Estate and available at Cap Estate; and club rentals, shoe rentals and private lessons. Caddies aren't Sandals employees, so you can tip them.

Golf at Sandals Royal Curaçao: On Property, Fees Apply

Sandals Royal Curaçao is the one Sandals resort with a course on its own property: the 18-hole, Pete Dye-designed Old Quarry Golf Course, voted the top Caribbean golf course for 2026 by Leading Courses. Green fees aren't included, but Sandals guests pay a special rate that includes the cart, and free group clinics run on Tuesdays. There's no caddy service.

Golf in Jamaica: Choosing Among the Ocho Rios Resorts

Three Jamaica resorts, all in Ocho Rios, include golf access to the same course: Upton Estate Golf & Country Club. The choice among Sandals Ochi, Sandals Dunn's River, and Sandals Royal Plantation comes down to pace, room style, and how much you want built into the resort itself, since the golf access is identical.

What to Know About Upton Estate Golf & Country Club

Upton Estate Golf & Country Club is an 18-hole, par-72 course that rises 700 feet above sea level in the hills above Ocho Rios, with views of the sea and mountains from several holes. Golf Digest and Frommer's Travel Guide both recognize it as one of Jamaica's finest courses. On-site amenities include a driving range, chipping and putting greens, a pro shop, and a restaurant and snack shack.

Green fees are included for guests of the three qualifying resorts, along with complimentary transfers: 15 minutes from Sandals Ochi and Sandals Royal Plantation, 25 from Sandals Dunn's River. Free group clinics run on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m., and private lessons with a PGA-certified professional are available at extra cost, booked at the Tour Desk or the Club.

Sandals Ochi for Value and a Livelier Stay

Sandals Ochi works well for golfers who want a larger, more active resort atmosphere alongside their golf time. It's the largest Sandals resort in Ocho Rios, with a wide range of dining, entertainment, and land and water sports included, plus a speakeasy-style lounge for evening entertainment. For a non-golfing partner, the bigger scale means more restaurants, pools, and activity options to fill the day.

Sandals Dunn's River for Modern Suites and Resort Access

Sandals Dunn's River suits couples who want newer accommodations — it opened in 2023 — in a smaller resort than Sandals Ochi, with the same golf access at Upton Estate. Room styles here lean toward more modern suite designs, which matters if upgraded accommodations are a priority alongside golf.

Sandals Royal Plantation for a Quieter, All-Butler Experience

Sandals Royal Plantation fits golfers who want a smaller, quieter, all-butler property. Every suite includes butler service, and the pace is noticeably calmer than the larger Ocho Rios resorts, with the same included green fees and transfers to Upton Estate. This is the pick for a golfer whose non-golfing partner wants a quiet, low-key stay over a lively one.

Transfers, Carts, Caddies, and Other Costs at Upton Estate

Transportation to Upton Estate is complimentary for guests at all three qualifying resorts. A golf cart and a caddie are both mandatory there and aren't included, and club rentals, shoe rentals and private lessons cost extra.

Golf in St. Lucia: Resort Fit and Cap Estate Access

All three Sandals resorts in St. Lucia include green fees and transfers to Cap Estate Golf & Country Club, so the decision among Sandals Grande St. Lucian, Sandals Regency La Toc, and Sandals Halcyon Beach comes down to resort style rather than golf access. The three resorts also participate in the Stay at One, Play at Three program, giving guests dining access across all three properties.

What to Know About Golf at Cap Estate

Cap Estate Golf & Country Club is an 18-hole, par-71 course playing over 7,000 yards from the back tees, with ponds and dense foliage lining the fairways. A practice range with putting and chipping greens is available on-site. Green fees and transfers are complimentary for guests staying at any of the three St. Lucia Sandals resorts, with transfers of 5 minutes from Sandals Grande St. Lucian, 25 from Sandals Halcyon Beach and 40 from Sandals Regency La Toc. It was completely redesigned, tee to green, by Greg Norman and his design team, making it the second of four Sandals courses with a Greg Norman design. A golf cart is mandatory and isn't included, caddies are optional, and free group clinics run on Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 8 a.m.

Sandals Grande St. Lucian for Beach Time and Resort Variety

Sandals Grande St. Lucian suits golfers who want the broadest range of on-site dining and activities alongside their rounds. It sits on its own peninsula, offers overwater bungalows, and gives guests dining access to the two other St. Lucia Sandals resorts. This is a strong fit for a non-golfing partner who wants variety without leaving the property.

Sandals Regency La Toc for Hillside Views and Premium Rooms

Sandals Regency La Toc fits couples who want a larger hillside estate with premium suite and butler options. Ocean views from the resort's hillside setting pair with the same included access to Cap Estate. Golfers who want upgraded accommodations alongside their rounds should look here first.

Sandals Halcyon Beach for a Quieter, Smaller-Scale Stay

Sandals Halcyon Beach works for golfers who want a smaller, quieter resort with beachfront swim-up suites. It has the same complimentary Cap Estate access as the other two resorts. A non-golfing partner who prefers a slower pace and less resort traffic will likely find this the easiest fit.

Match Your Resort to the Way You Play

If you plan to golf several times during your trip, book one of the six resorts with included green fees rather than paying per round at a standalone course. A golfer playing three or four rounds over a week can offset a meaningful amount of cost through the included green-fee structure at Sandals Ochi, Sandals Dunn's River, Sandals Royal Plantation, Sandals Grande St. Lucian, Sandals Regency La Toc, or Sandals Halcyon Beach.

If golf is a once-or-twice activity rather than a daily plan, other Sandals resorts may still be worth considering, especially if beach setting, room style (like Skypool Suites at Sandals Grenada), or a particular island matters more to you. If you want a course on property and don't mind paying green fees, Sandals Royal Curaçao's Old Quarry course is the alternative.

Here's how the two golf destinations compare on the details that matter most:

Which Sandals Golf Resort Should You Book?

Six Sandals resorts include golf as part of the stay: Sandals Ochi, Sandals Dunn's River, and Sandals Royal Plantation in Jamaica, and Sandals Grande St. Lucian, Sandals Regency La Toc, and Sandals Halcyon Beach in St. Lucia. Each group shares one course, Upton Estate in Jamaica and Cap Estate in St. Lucia, so the real decision is about resort pace, room style, and what the non-golfing partner wants from the trip.

Green fees and transfers are included at all six properties, while carts are mandatory and not included at both courses, caddies are mandatory at Upton Estate, and rentals and lessons cost extra. A Sandals Elite Advisor can confirm current golf inclusions, course transfer logistics, and tee-time arrangements tied to your specific travel dates before you book.

Frequently Asked Questions