Caye Chapel

Once a modest island resort favoured as a weekend getaway by British Army squaddies, Kentucky oil magnate Larry Addington transformed Caye Chapel into a luxury golf complex over a period of five years at the end of the 1990s.

His 265-acre golfing paradise is reached by a ten minute flight from Belize City and the course is laid out on a long, narrow sand spit that also holds a deep-water marina, around 20 luxury residences and a spacious, fully equipped clubhouse.

Caye Chapel is flat and long, playing to almost 7,000 yards from the back tees with a number of water hazards incorporated into the design. The long par four 16th is regarded as the most memorable on the card as a seawall holding back the Caribbean Sea runs all the way down the left side of the fairway.

The resort caters for golfing visitors wanting to play without having to stay so it is possible to savour the delights of the course on a day trip. And because crocodiles inhabit the inland water hazards, golfers are required to sign a form to acknowledge the presence of the reptiles and pledge to keep out of their way!