Chan Chemuyil Vacation Rentals

We departed our residence in Chan Chemuyil and our foursome drove just 2 miles north to check in for our 9:04 tee time at the brand new Gran Bahia Principe Golf Resort. It was December 17, 2009 and the first nine holes of the course had been open for just two days. We had the unique opportunity to be some of the first people to test drive the new course. 

We were greeted by an extremely friendly staff waiting to prepare us for the start of our round. After loading the brand new Taylor Made rental clubs onto the carts, they escorted us to the practice green. The practice area was well manicured and accurately resembled the course, which is useful for adjusting to the speed of the greens when putting on a new style of grass than what you are used to. 

It is a Robert Trent Jones designed course and from every vantage point it is very clear that an enormous amount of thought went into the architecture of each hole. Every blade of grass – from tee box to fairway to green – was perfectly groomed. It would be difficult to pick a signature hole since each one is vividly memorable.

Whether you are a casual weekend golfer or an avid player looking for a challenge, the wide selection of tee boxes allows guests of all levels to enjoy the course. After brushing off some of the winter rust in the golf swing, we moved back on the tee boxes to lengthen the course for our second set on the nine holes. Hazards – powder soft sand traps, lakes along the fairway, or natural cenotes with a large cliff guarding the green – are intelligently placed to make the course fun and vigorous yet not iniquitous. The jungle setting provided us with views of local flora and unforgettable vistas. 

The full 18 holes will be open in February 2010 with an additional 9-hole par 3 executive course scheduled to open later in the year. The current rate is $230 for all-inclusive food and beverage during your round along with practice range balls. A selection of leading brand golf clubs is available for $40. Golf carts are currently being fully equipped with the latest GPS technology to enable real-time accurate distances for each shot. Prior to playing, I had an apprehension about whether any course was worth that much to play. With the advantage of hindsight, I can honestly say the Gran Bahia Principe Golf Resort is worth the price and perhaps even a great value compared to other high-end courses. For guests of Chan Chemuyil Vacation Rentals, they sometimes offer a discount. If you are staying with us and would like to make a reservation, contact us through email and we will see what we can do.