Outside of Canada and Mexico, America’s closest neighbor is the Bahamas. This archipelago nation is located just 60 miles from South Florida, making it a popular vacation destination.

While more than 300 islands make up the Bahamas, tourists primarily flock to the most accessible ones, including Grand Bahama, Eleuthera and New Providence Island, home to the country’s capital city, Nassau.

While New Providence isn’t the largest island in the Bahamas, it is by far the most populated. Over 70 percent of the country’s residents live here, as the Bahamian capital city sprawls across much of the island’s 80 square miles. Nassau is famously home to luxury resorts, beautiful beaches and a vibrant nightlife.

For the sporting traveler, New Providence Island—and its sister Paradise Island, accessible by bridge from New Providence—is also home to four of the nation’s top golf courses, including Royal Blue Golf Course at Baha Mar. This wonderful Jack Nicklaus-designed track is one I had the pleasure of playing last November.

I visited Nassau last fall via a Disney Cruise, my my third visit to the city—and on this trip I was looking to get out and explore more of the island for a true adventure.

Royal Blue fit that bill perfectly, as it is located 15 miles west of the cruise port area and Nassau’s downtown. The course is close enough to enjoy during an excursion day, yet far enough from the hustle and bustle to provide a relaxing experience.

Royal Blue Overview

Royal Blue offers a terrific setting for golf, featuring two nines that couldn’t be more different.

I preferred the back nine, with its holes traversing hilly, limestone rock-strewn terrain. This side offers generous landing areas, especially compared to the much tighter front nine.

The 10th through 12th provide a strong start to the back nine, moving back and forth over the property’s most rugged land. Three more excellent holes lead to the 16th, Royal Blue’s climax and arguably the most spectacular hole on the entire island.

The front nine plays on flatter land closer to the ocean. However, this far longer side is loaded with ponds, bunkers and waste areas. A prime example is the difficult 473-yard fourth hole, which is flanked by a lake down its entire right side.

The playing corridors on this side aren’t tight, but hazards and pitfalls abound. Eight of the nine holes feature water in play, often in punishing fashion.

Royal Blue Golf Course at Baha Mar

Location: One Baha Mar Blvd., Nassau, Bahamas

Architect: Jack Nicklaus

Course Details: Par 71; Tees: Bear – 7,153/74.8/147; Royal Blue – 6,433/71.8/142; Conch – 4,960/68.5/124

Favorite Holes and Highlights

Royal Blue features many excellent holes, but the 165-yard 16th stands in a class of its own. This gorgeous par three starts at a high viewpoint before cascading down to a peninsula green carved into Lake Cunningham.

The 16th plays significantly downhill, making it easy to fly the green. With water surrounding the target, any mishit shot is likely to find the drink.

Despite these perils, the rounded green is spacious and welcoming. The lone exception is the front right corner of the putting surface, where a shallow nook is tucked behind a deep front bunker.

The 16th serves as the crescendo of a back nine packed with camera-worthy holes. It kicks off with the 10th, a rollicking 377-yard test that plunges downhill into a valley carved from the rock.

The 10th fairway is wide—a welcome change from the front nine. While there is plenty of room off the tee, a large bunker up the left side dictates strategy. It’s best to stay close to this bunker, shortening the hole while setting up the ideal approach angle. Play away from the trap, and a rock-strewn hazard awaits on the right.

The second shot plays back uphill to a unique amphitheater green, tucked in below the rocks. The putting surface is open in front, but rock walls back the remaining sides. A miss here could get a friendly carom back to the green, but the more likely scenario is a ricochet back into one of the four bunkers surrounding the target.

Next door, the superb long par three 12th plays downhill to a long green that slopes away in the back.

There is a severe drop off on the left side—most balls missed in this direction will either find a deep trap, or even worse, the rocky hazard that also borders the 10th hole.

Another spot of trouble on the 12th is a yawning bunker backing the green, an easy spot to find with the downward slope of the putting surface.

Building up to the 16th, the 14th and 15th are a terrific pair of long par fours. The 14th is the toughest hole on the back nine, moving uphill over the entirety of its 438 yards. A spacious fairway allows players to swing away, but the preferred drive is up the left side.

From the fairway, the 14th climbs steeply up to the target. The approach must avoid a pair of deep cascading bunkers short and right of the narrow green. With a drive up the left side, a player gets the advantage of a far better angle to attack the putting surface.

Exposed rock provides the backdrop behind the green. If a player misses back here, the errant shot could kick back to the putting surface or end up in a dreadful spot.

From the back tees on the big par four 15th, players can tee it high and let it fly with the fairway bounding steeply downhill initially.

A large bunker in the middle of the fairway dictates strategy on this long par four, but this trap is actually close to the green—so there’s plenty of room to swing away and find the short grass.

The approach to the 15th plays back uphill to a green built up on a plateau. A bunker guards the left side of the putting surface, but even with the trap in play, this side is the better miss. The right edge of the green falls off sharply to the valley below, leaving a lengthy recovery shot.

Royal Blue’s incredible 16th kicks off an eventful closing stretch, as the strategy-filled par four 17th follows. At 314 yards, it plays as one of two drivable par fours on Royal Blue—an unusual feature on a course designed by the Golden Bear.

The 17th features a wide fairway, but two huge goal post trees sit in the middle of the corridor requiring decision-making from the tee. The direct line to the green is right through or over them, setting up a short approach for a birdie opportunity.

If the plan is to lay up on the 17th, playing to the left of the center trees sets up a nice angle into the shallow green. Playing to the right is also an option, offering a shared fairway with the 13th hole. However, the approach is much tougher from this side as it requires a longer shot, played back uphill. A deep bunker and a menacing grove of trees short and right of the green can block approach shots played from this angle.

Royal Blue’s 18th hole provides one last challenge. The 451-yard par four lets you air it out one last time with your drive. While the fairway is wide, there is a bunker up the right side that’s best avoided.

The second shot plays gently uphill to a well-guarded green, with traps short, right and left of the putting surface. Rocks frame both the left side and behind the green, making this a beautiful target to attack.

My favorite hole on the front side was the 7th, a strong par three located in the eastern corner of the property. This 216-yard shot requires a long iron or hybrid played over a pond that tracks along the length of the hole.

Five small bunkers surround a large green that features multiple sections. There is plenty of green to hold a long iron or hybrid on the surface, but putting can be a challenge if you aren’t near the hole.

While the 9th chewed me up and spit me out, I enjoyed this scenic finish Royal Blue’s front nine. Typically, this long par five plays shorter than its yardarge, with the prevailing wind at a player’s back.

When I played the 9th, I made the mistake of trying to get close to the green in two shots by playing up the right side of the center bunkers near the green. Staying to the left on higher ground sets up a much better angle to approach the narrow putting surface.

This fun par five is preceded by Royal Blue’s difficult 8th. The 504-yard behemoth plays downwind, letting players uncork their driver.

The 8th then bends to the left and features a generous fairway if a player can avoid the pond guarding the outside of the dogleg.

The second shot on the 8th is a beauty, playing back uphill. A deep bunker protects the front right corner of the elevated green. The left and back edges of the target are banked, and a shot missed in either direction should kick back down to the putting surface.

The toughest challenge on the front was the relentless 626-yard 2nd hole. There is water along the entire left side of this difficult par five that plays into the prevailing wind.

There is room to the right off the tee as the fairway starts out generous and wide—but the closer to the green you get, the tighter the hole becomes as everything slopes toward the pond.

Even with a short iron third shot, the target is a scary proposition. Any miss short or left is likely to kick down the bank to a watery grave. Pick up a par on this monster hole, and you’ll move forward with a little extra pep in your step.

On the opposite side of the spectrum, the 5th is Royal Blue’s easiest hole, heading back in the opposite direction downwind. The drivable par four tips out at 321 yards and features a wide corridor to work with. Five bunkers and a couple of waste areas pepper the fairway, tightening the landing area.

The second shot plays to an undulating green that’s best approached from the right. Four deep traps guard the putting surface, and the pair of bunkers short and left of the green are best avoided.

Another chance to pick up a shot is on the 3rd, Royal Blue’s first short hole. This beautiful longer par three plays at an angle across water, while a deep bunker punishes shots short-left of the target.

Beyond the trap the 3rd green is spacious, sloping from back to front. This allows players to take dead aim with their iron approach.

From start to finish, Royal Blue’s front nine packs a punch. Thankfully, Nicklaus allows players to begin their rounds on a friendly opener.

The scenic 405-yard 1st starts at a high point near the clubhouse, descending downhill toward the luxurious Baha Mar resort. A wide fairway guarded by three bunkers greets you, while a pond down the left side can be reached by a powerful hitter.

The short second shot into the opening green is best approached with a high fade, avoiding the pond on the left. Two deep bunkers are carved into the front right of the putting surface, punishing any miss on this side.

Weak Links

Royal Blue is actually the second version of a golf course built on this site. The current Jack Nicklaus design replaced Cable Beach Golf Course, a 1929 layout created by golden age architects Devereux Emmet and Alfred H. Tull.

Cable Beach was the oldest course in the Bahamas and played about 700 yards shorter than the modern Royal Blue. It is always sad when a classic course disappears, but the brass at Baha Mar resort are thrilled with their new layout, which routinely ranks among the best courses in the Bahamas and the Caribbean region.

The 2017 version of the course provides a much more challenging test, and that is Royal Blue’s only real weakness. If you’re using rental clubs here, I’d advise hitting some range balls beforehand and getting used to your new sticks.

Nicklaus brings the fastball early and often on this difficult layout. Tough hole after tough hole greets you on Royal Blue’s front nine.

The course is much more welcoming on the back nine, with its wide and forgiving fairways. If a player can survive the front, there is a good chance to gain some ground on holes 10-13, which includes two par fives that are birdie opportunities.

The 510-yard 11th has a bit of an Augusta #8 feel to it. A powerful drive played up the right side sets up a blind uphill approach to the green.

The layup option is no easy task as three bunkers guard the half pipe-like landing zone. The short approach is played uphill to a large plateau green that is mainly flat, but features a severe false front.

The 13th is another beautiful hole, though the tee shot plays blind over a ridge. This terrific par five then plunges downhill, making the 568-yard challenge reachable in two for low handicap golfers.

From a vista up high, the second shot on the 13th plays to a perched green. The ideal approach is a high fade, avoiding some strategically-placed tall trees, a couple of deep bunkers and a swale guarding the right side.

If a player is laying up or going for the green, the best miss is always to the left. This area provides a good angle to approach the putting surface.

Final Thoughts

Getting around crowded Nassau can be a bit of a challenge, especially when boats are lined up in the cruise port.

If you’re visiting the Bahamian capital and don’t have a car, taxis are the easiest way to get around the island. Cabs are plentiful in Nassau’s downtown and in the cruise port area, and there’s even a water taxi to Paradise Island.

However, I found the best way to get around Nassau is to travel like the locals and take the Jitney Bus. For $1.50 per ride, you can escape the city and get away from the cruise crowd.

The #10 bus will take you right to Baha Mar in less than 30 minutes. From there you can either ride the internal shuttle from the resort or make the 10-minute walk up the hill to the Royal Blue clubhouse.

I do have a word of warning if you decide to ride a Jitney Bus. The big thing is to give yourself plenty of time – bus pickup and drop off times can be a bit unreliable, and the buses can get full and feel a bit claustrophobic.

That said, I would recommend this cost-effective mode of transportation to get around Nassau, and it’s is easy to find the bus hub near the colorful Straw Market, just a short walk away from the port.

Beyond Royal Blue, there are a couple of other world class golf experiences in the Nassau area.

The Ocean Club is the closest course to the cruise port, part of the Four Seasons resort and located near the Atlantis Resort on Paradise Island. The Ocean Club features a championship Tom Weiskopf design, with several oceanside holes, great conditions and wonderful views.

Albany Club and Lyford Cay Club are located on the west side of the island beyond Lynden Pindling International Airport. Both courses offer excellent inland layouts but otherwise couldn’t be more different.

Albany Club features a spectacular dunes-strewn layout designed by Ernie Els and Greg Letsche, and the course is home to the annual Hero World Challenge hosted by Tiger Woods.

Lyford Cay Club now ranks as the oldest course on New Providence Island. This classic country club track was originally designed by Dick Wilson in 1959 and later renovated by Rees Jones in 2006.

A fifth Nassau area course, Blue Shark Golf Club, originally featured a 1987 Joe Lee-designed course that was later remodeled by Greg Norman in 2008. However, the remodeled layout barely got off the ground before closing for good.

Beyond golf, there are plenty of other activities to do in Nassau, including boating, fishing and dabbling in the famous nightlife. Nassau’s beaches and club resorts are also popular with tourists.

I visited Nassau as part of a cruise out of Cape Canaveral, and I always look forward to my visits to the island. Nassau isn’t for everyone, but I recommend checking out the newly revamped cruise port area, with its colorful shops, photo ops and local vendors.

If you prefer to stay on foot, Fort Fincastle and the Queen’s Staircase are within an easy walking distance away from downtown. You can also trek to Fort Charlotte, located on the west side of the public Junkanoo Beach.

Once you get out of the protected cruise port area, expect some hassling from solicitors. But if you walk a couple of blocks further, the island gets much calmer and quieter. Along with Baha Mar and Atlantis, Love Beach is a fun destination reachable via a bus.

For a passionate golfer, I’d certainly recommend the trek to Baha Mar and Royal Blue Golf Course. This is a special experience and a terrific course worth seeking out.

Playing a November round at Royal Blue in the Bahamas marked my 10th country that I’ve golfed in. It also wrapped up my 2025 golf season, as a freak Thanksgiving snowstorm welcomed me back to Wisconsin.

At least I had my memories from Royal Blue to keep me going during the frigid holidays. If given the chance, I’d love to go back to this amazing place.

Royal Blue Website