A Tropical Links? Not as Strange as It May Sound
As part of an anticipated multi-million dollar redevelopment, The Abaco Club in the Bahamas is elevating their golf offering.
On the island of Great Abaco 160 nautical miles east of Florida and designed by architects Donald Steel and Tom Mackenzie, The Abaco Club is billed as a “tropical links,” and it does in fact feature some of the pot bunkering expected on the seaside courses of the British Isles. It is generally considered one of the best courses in The Bahamas, and it hosts the yearly Great Abaco Classic on the Korn Ferry tour.
For any course in this part of the world, the priority is allowing golfers to play shots as close as possible to the turquoise blue waters of the Atlantic. The Abaco Club is laid out in the sandy soil that borders the ocean, and as a result there are views of the water from many of the holes. While The Abaco Club takes its design cues from Scotland, the one thing it has over the old country is sunshine, encouraging for those who are not so keen on the idea of playing a links course in pouring rain and howling wind.
The new additions include an 18-hole putting course, EL Diablo, designed by Northern Irishman Darren Clarke, winner of 21 professional events and the 2011 Open Championship at The Royal St. George’s Golf Club in England. Clarke is an ambassador for the club, and he touts the course and practice facilities as “tour spec.”
The Abacos, the chain of islands where the club sits in the north of The Bahamas, are known as a laid-back, quieter option for travellers. The club aims to fit this slower-paced lifestyle, with the investment also providing a new arena for racquet sports, as well as a revamped beach club. Southworth, which developed the property, allows members to gain reciprocal access to its other properties, so if the sunshine and golf ever gets to be too much, there is always another destination.
