A Course to Dye Fore

“There’s the range! We have to be close,” I said pointing like a little kid in an effort to direct my dad to the clubhouse. My brother looked down at the maps on his phone which revealed the familiar check mark above the words, “You have arrived at your destination.”

The three of us looked around us, no clubhouse in sight, and we understood exactly why this course is labeled as one of La Romana’s best kept secrets, yet at that point in time we would have loved to know the secret to finding the clubhouse.

With the help of some locals, we found our way. Seated 300 feet above the Chavon River, on the edge of the Altos de Chavon Village is a golf course… (come on, I know you have guessed it by now)

The Dye Fore Course, Casa de Campo.

Dye Fore features three 9-hole courses: The Marina, Chavon, and Lagos. We played Chavon and the Marina, however the normal rotation is reverse with Marina first and then Chavon.

If you read my post about Teeth of the Dog, then you will know how much I loved it. Not only did it live up to the hype, but in my opinion, it surpassed the hype. So, you could say that going into the Dye Fore I had lower expectations, fully prepared that it would never be better than the iconic course I had played only a few days before.

But I was wrong.

Perhaps because my expectations were lower than they should have been, or maybe because the course really is just that good (if I were a betting girl, I would bet on the latter option), but the Dye Fore course is definitely a must play when visiting La Romana.

It has a natural beauty of its own, so different than Teeth of the Dog that it’s hard to imagine that the two courses are only about ten minutes apart from each other. Numerous cliff side holes and panoramic river and marina views make up the nines, with many holes featuring elevation changes and undulating fairways and greens. No spray from the Caribbean, but the ocean breeze still played a factor in maneuvering around the course.

I found this course to be challenging but very fair, a true Pete Dye design. The famous golf course architect certainly never shied away from a challenge as he set out to test even the best golfers in the world by mixing aspects like narrow targets, small greens, and of course, distance.

This course showcased clear landing areas and risk reward holes that tempted only the brave of heart. The 12th hole, which would be the third hole on the Chavon course, is a long par-3 overhanging a cliff which is one of the signature holes.

The course was in excellent condition and featured the same paspalum grass that we saw on Teeth of the Dog. I liked the driving range at Dye Fore better than Teeth of the Dog, so if you’re in for a day of practice then I would head over to Dye Fore.

As my dad and I both sank our birdie putts to cap off another fun round, we found ourselves pondering the same question: which course did we like better?

After two memorable rounds, one lesson stood out—never underestimate a Pete Dye design.

Arguably one of the greatest golf course architects in history, Dye’s brilliance lies in the uniqueness of each course. No two are ever alike, each reflecting its own distinct personality—even when they're just 10 minutes apart.

Golf Course Details

• Three nine-hole courses: Marina, Chavon, and Lagos. Typical rotation is Marina followed by Chavon

• Par 72

• Black Tees Course/Slope Rating: 77.0/134, Length: 7,724 yds.

• Red Tees Course/Slope Rating (Women): 70.8/115, Length: 5,225 yds.

• Signature holes: 12 & 15 (Chavon Course)

• Golf Course Designer: Pete Dye

• Grass Type: Paspalum

• Club Type: Public