The winners of this year's Andalucía Golf Challenge circuit (Destination La Romana Golf Club / Bahía Principe, in the Dominican Republic) will receive a very special prize: an all-inclusive trip including flights, accommodation and golf in this wonderful Caribbean resort, located in the most spectacular part of ​​the island, between Santo Domingo and Punta Cana.

It will be an intensive week for each of the five lucky winning golfers as, in addition to the beaches and crystalline Caribbean waters, they will be able to enjoy playing golf at the finest Dominican Republic courses: La Romana Golf Club (our hosts), Punta Espada in Cap Cana and Diente de Perro in Casa de Campo.

As part of our preparations and organisation of the trip to the Dominican Republic, we recently travelled to the Caribbean island, a hugely popular destination for Spanish tourists - and also currently being transformed into a veritable mecca for golfers.

As soon as you get off the plane in the Caribbean, you feel a strange sense of wellbeing: a snap of heat, humidity and odours ... followed by a pleasant sensation that allows you to reflect, "Finally, I'm here - I really like it." The people are different, more friendly, more welcoming, less tense. Everything encourages you to break with your customary routine and joyfully prepare for the pleasures ahead.

Almost immediately the stress evaporates, you leave behind your worries and you almost forget the name of your accountant. In short, you start to enjoy life.

The Dominican Republic has evolved tremendously in recent years, with the infrastructure improving enormously. The roads are no longer what they were, and highways and tollways connect key points of the island. Now it is very easy, fast and safe to move around the country.

The hotel we are heading to, the Luxury Bahía Principe Bouganville in the superb Nueva Romana complex, is just 45 minutes from the modern Santo Domingo airport, in the tourist heart of the island, halfway between the capital and the major centres of Bávaro and Punta Cana, close to Casa de Campo.

It is accessed from the highway through a wide landscaped avenue, surrounded by lush vegetation. There is certainly no lack of space here: everything is huge.

The reception area is luxurious and elegant, extremely spacious and decorated in an exquisite tropical style. The warm, friendly welcome makes you feel immediately at home. This is the best way to start a few days of relaxation in a dream destination: the sublime Luxury Bahia Principe Bouganville experience begins, a hotel for adults only and one of two in the resort complex.

From that moment all you need to do is let yourself be pampered, and prepare for the days of golf that await you at the Caribbean's finest courses, savour the exquisite cuisine and enjoy the surrounding area's dream beaches.

"Our resort", says the complex's general manager, Gabriel Salom, "is located in a privileged setting on the island, very close to the main airports, both for Santo Domingo and La Romana or Punta Cana. From here, in just a short time, we can reach most of the Dominican Republic's golf courses and the country's main tourist centres. The capital of the republic is less than an hour away (it is well worth visiting for its colonial area), and Punta Cana and Samana a little further.

"We have two different hotels here, connected but distinguished from each other. The one where the winners of the Andalucía Golf Challenge circuit will stay, the Luxury Bahía Principe Bouganville, is our five-star grand deluxe establishment; while the other one, the Gran Bahía Principe La Romana, is also five-star but with a more family style. We are part of a macro-project, undergoing full development, extending over almost six square kilometres and already including, in addition to the two hotels, golf amenities, a residential area, which will be expanded, a marina, etc.

TOP GOLF IN THE CARIBBEAN

Another great advantage of staying at this hotel is that, without leaving the complex and in less than five minutes, you can arrive at its magnificent golf club, La Romana. The club opened its 18-hole course less than a year ago, but already it is well-placed to establish its credentials as one of the best and most prestigious golf layouts on the island - which is almost the same as saying in the whole of the Caribbean.

The club, which also has nine par-three holes, is managed by a highly experienced golf club manager, our great friend Luis Navarro, previously in charge of Aloha Golf Club and Río Real in Marbella.

This is the second course that the Piñero Group, owners of the resort complex and Bahía Principe hotel chain, have opened in the Caribbean. They already had another magnificent layout in Rivera Maya (Mexico). Astutely, to head the group's 

golf division, they appointed Vanessa Vignali, a renowned professional golfer who started her career at the same club as Sergio Garcia, the Mediterráneo in Castellón. At 15 she was already a scratch player and, even though she continued with her studies until qualifying as an industrial engineer and then obtained a master's degree in business management, she decided to become a golf pro and focus on competition play. Golf is her passion and an important part of her life.

"Regarding the Nueva Romana course," she says, "I would highlight, in addition to a great design, its privileged location next to the Caribbean Sea, with four holes running alongside the water - which almost brushes your face when you play them. The beauty and exceptional sensation you have when playing those holes is extraordinary: the turquoise sea, the soft ever-present breeze, the cliffs that sometimes have to be negotiated, the vegetation comprising coconut, almond and sea grape trees ... it's quite unique.

"Also, however," she adds, "when the course heads inland we have holes with stunningly attractive features and even plenty of water, especially in the corner comprising the second, third and fourth holes. The third is particularly beautiful, with an island green that presents a major challenge, although not very long.

"This course could not really be defined as links, parkland, desert or Caribbean: it is a mix of all those styles, with considerably different sections. The course combines precise or strategic holes, where you have to think carefully how to play them - and nearly always with two options, one more risky and brave, and the other more conservative but longer - with other wider holes where you can hit the ball with all your power and soul.

"We are," concludes Vanessa, "very proud of this second golf course the Piñero Group has created in the Caribbean, which is located - without any sense of insecurity or inferiority complex - near the best courses in the area, such as Punta Espada, Diente de Perro and Playa Grande, and in no way do I mean to detract from them. For us it is a challenge and stimulating to compete with these great courses. Of course, we are not yet at their level of marketing and prestige because they have been around for 20, 30 or 40 years longer, but we are convinced that we can be there very soon. We currently lack history and need a little time. In terms of design and maintenance we have no reason to envy others."

"Everyone who has played this course," says Luis Navarro, "has been surprised by the sensations it provokes. Despite the short time we have been open, it seems like a mature course, as if it has been here during a whole lifetime. It is perfectly integrated into the environment and has an impressive design and 'finish'.

"Recently, I visited the Miguel Ángel Jiménez course and loved it. Above all its variety, its different playing possibilities, and the fact that you can never get bored playing it."

DESIGNER JACK LUND: A VERY VERSATILE COURSE

The course designer, Jack Lund, began his career on the Costa del Sol 27 years ago, working for Peter Alliss at Alcaidesa Golf. Later, he moved to Mallorca where he worked on the construction of the island's finest courses. It was, in fact, during work on Golf Alcanada that he met Robert Trent Jones and his team. He moved with them to Mexico to complete the 36-hole Bahía Principe project in Rivera Maya, and then the Piñero Group hired him to design and oversee their new project in the Dominican Republic, with the Robert Trent Jones team.

What are the main features of La Romana Golf Club?

The course features three very different styles within the overall layout. It has several "parkland" style holes, with lakes, trees and very gentle contours. The holes along the sea and in front of the clubhouse are "links", with large dunes that separate the holes, and the vegetation is centred on wild grass and sea grapes. And holes 14, 15 and 16 are "Arizona-style", with well-defined grass areas, and rocks and white sand in the out-of-bounds areas.

How is it different, or similar, to other Caribbean courses?

That's very difficult to answer. This course has a variety of styles that I have not seen so accentuated at other courses.

How would you define your course?

The objective with the design was to create a course where all the holes were memorable, and all the holes were playable for golfers of all levels. I would like to think that we have achieved that.

What are the three main strengths of the course? 

The proximity of four holes to the sea; a design that allows players of all abilities to be competitive on each hole; and, of course, the variety of layout styles.

What specific holes would you highlight?

Holes seven and 16 are par-threes where players hit into the wind directly towards the sea. The two holes are very striking. Hole eight is a par-five of 570 yards with a double fairway divided by dunes. Those who play the fairway by the sea usually hit their third shot to the green above the waves that break and shoot up in front of the green. It is spectacular during stormy days. Hole three is a green island, very expansive but extremely intimidating from the tees.

The Dominican Republic has some great golf courses created by renowned designers. Do you believe La Romana is at the same level?

Competition in the Dominican Republic is very strong: Teeth of the Dog, Dye Fore, Punta Espada, Playa Grande and Corales are highly renowned courses. La Romana is still in its infancy; it takes time, not only for the course to mature, but also for the landscaping, which is the frame around the painting. What makes me very happy is that players who are familiar with all courses in the Dominican Republic pay me the honour of comparing us very favourably with the competition, something that gives me great hope for the future and for Las Romana's ranking as a golf course in this country.