Golf & Other Sports

Golf

Jack Nicklaus has designed the Britannia golf course for the Hyatt-Regency Grand Cayman Resort & Villas. T9498020 for starting times. There is a nine-hole Championship course, an 18-hole executive course and an 18-hole Cayman course played with a special short-distance Cayman ball, but it can only be laid out for one course at a time; the executive has 14 par threes and four par fours, so it is short, while the short-distance ball with local winds is a tourist gimmick.

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To play the executive course with hire of clubs and compulsory buggie will cost you about US$70, the regulation course US$100 for 18 holes. The Links, the 18-hole championship golf course is at Safehaven, with a par 71 course and a total yardage of 6,605 from the championship tees, although every hole has five separate tee areas to accommodate all levels of players. 18 holes with cart/buggie costs US$110. The club house is open daily with restaurant and bar open to golfers and non-golfers. Practice facilities include an aqua range, two putting greens, sand trap and pitching green (night lights). T9495988, F9495457, 0700-1800. You can hire clubs, US$1, take lessons or just practice, US$10 per 100 balls (you can buy balls at the bar if the clubhouse is closed). Sunrise Golf Centre is a nine-hole par 3 layout ideally suited for junior and beginning golfers looking to sharpen their iron and short-game skills. Located at the end of Hirst Road in Savannah, the longest hole is 160yds while the shortest is 57yds. There is also a 300yd driving range, practice chipping and putting green. Rental clubs and PGA professional on site for lessons. Daily 0730-1800, US$15 for 9 holes, US$22 for 18 holes. Buckets for the driving range are US$4 small and US$6 large. T9474653.

Squash

There are three squash courts at the Cayman Islands Squash Racquets Association at South Sound, also courts at Downtowner Squash Club in George Town. For information on matches contact John MacRury (T9492269).

Tennis

Most of the larger hotels have their own tennis courts but the Cayman Islands Tennis Club next door to the squash courts at South Sound has six floodlit tennis courts and a club pro. For match information contact Scott Smith (T9499464).

Soccer

For soccer, contact Tony Scott (T9497339) of the Cayman Islands Football Association.

Cricket

Cricket matches are played at the Smith Road Oval near the airport (although location may change with extension of runway); there are five teams in the Cayman Islands Cricket Association’s league, details on matches from Jimmy Powell (T9493911) of the Cayman Islands Cricket Association.

Rugby

Rugby is played every Saturday between September and May at the Cayman Rugby Football Club at South Sound, for information phone Campbell Law (T9452387).

Horse Riding

Horseriding with Nicki’s Beach Rides, T9455839, on trails and beaches in the northwest, or with Pampered Ponies, T9452262. Eagles Nest Cycles runs The Harley Davidson Club, T9494866, specializing in Harley Davidson motorcycles and souvenirs.

Racing

Motocross is popular in Grand Cayman and stock car races are held on the first Sunday of each month at the Lakeview Raceway (also known as Jay Bodden’s Marl Pit) in George Town at 1300, CI$5 admission. The Cayman Motorsports Association’s annual International Challenge Cup attracts racing drivers from Jamaica, Colombia, Canada and the USA. The association is building a new 30-acre racetrack, with a 20-acre family recreation area and 15-acre nature reserve, expected to open at the end of 2000, T9497135. No alcoholic beverages allowed.

Bowling

You can go bowling at the Stingray Bowling Centre and Arcade, T9454444, at the Greenery on Seven Mile Beach, just north of the Strand Shopping Centre on West Bay Road. The centre has 10 lanes with Qubica automatic scoring, CI$4 per game with adult rental shoes for CI$3 and junior rental shoes for CI$2.50. Up to six people can play each lane and lanes can be rented by the hour for CI$24. There is also a pro-shop, you can have lessons, there is a snack bar, four satellite TVs and an arcade with video games. No alcohol, children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult.

Play Centers

If you want to entertain small children out of the sun (or rain), there are two indoor play centres: O2B Kidz, Merren’s Shopping Centre on West Bay Road has 1,600 sq ft of play equipment, toddler area, ride-on games, small café, party room, height restrictions on play equipment. Daily from 0900 weekdays, 1000 on Sat and 1100 on Sun, US$6 per child, must be accompanied by an adult, T9465439. Smyles, at the Islander complex just off the Harquail Bypass, more than 3,200 sq ft of tunnels, ball pit, snack bar, soft play area, arcade, games, event room, the largest indoor play centre. Daily, T9465800.

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