|
The tee shot flies off a full 5 iron hit into a formidable crosswind blowing in from the beautiful Caribbean on the par 3 fourth hole. Over the river (maybe), fading, fading…left to right -
over the hole, across the green, towards the jungle, oh no…wait - it ricochets
 off a perfectly placed coconut tree, onto the putting surface. Golf shot, Mon! exclaims the caddie - a chance for a birdie. Thank you
golf gods! Welcome to golf in Jamaica!
Montego Bay, Jamaica (MoBay) is quickly developing into the most attractive golf vacation destination in the Caribbean. The Half Moon Golf Club, Rose Hall, and the
White Witch at the recently opened Ritz Carlton Resort all boast quality conditioning and excellent championship layouts. White Witch is already being acclaimed as the
top course in the Caribbean and one of the best in the
 world. Rose Hall has recently undergone a total facelift, and the
nearby Ironshore Golf Club has similar plans. About 30 minutes southwest is the TRYALL CLUB, the queen of golf destinations in the Caribbean. Host to many pro tournaments in the past,
TRYALL has received awards as one of the top resorts in the world. The Two Guys and their wives had the opportunity to spend 5 days in a spectacular 2 bedroom Great House villa.
Following is our review of the facilities and of our experiences at the TRYALL Club Resort. (Click on any picture on this page for a
larger view.)
 From the moment we passed through the guarded gates and made our way along the landscaped road
leading to the Great House, we knew we were about to experience something special. The gorgeous countryside, posh surroundings and warm reception we
received from the courteous staff made us feel like a welcome addition to the TRYALL family. Our accommodations, located in close proximity to the
fabulous pool and restaurant, featured two upstairs bedrooms with a private bath, Jacuzzi and balcony with
beautiful views of the golf course and the Caribbean. On the first level was a complete living area with a full kitchen, dining room and outdoor patio.
 All the amenities one would expect from a first class resort were at our fingertips. Paulette
Brown, our homemaker for the duration of our stay, also doubled as our chef and cooked authentic Jamaican dinners for us nightly. The commissary, located nearby, was well-stocked with all the
essentials and Paulette arranged for delivery of fresh fish and seafood daily from local fisherman. TRYALL's Great House gourmet chef, Michael Baur,
and his staff baked us the most wonderful coconut pie on our last night at the resort. As experienced travelers in Jamaica, we have come to
appreciate Jamaican fare - and this was as good as it gets!
 Our wives also enjoyed the ritual of complimentary afternoon tea and cookies at the Great House, while the
Two Guys were busy working. They looked radiant after a day at the pool and time spent enjoying facials and massages - when they did not join us for golf. They were
excited to have the opportunity to witness a beautiful wedding on the beach at TRYALL - a picture perfect setting for wedding vows. The couple and their guests
enjoyed a wonderful reception in the Great House restaurant overlooking the golf course and the Caribbean sea. We hope the groom will be able to return to TRYALL for some golf, (We
invited him to golf with us but he just couldn't seem to break away from the ceremony - young love!)
For those looking for something to do other than golf (what, you say?), TRYALL offers outstanding tennis facilities, a fitness center and jogging trails,
 countless water sports and a private beach with bar and outdoor restaurant. Private
villas are also available , with swimming pool, personal staff and incredible seaside and mountain views. The resort sponsors a "kids club,", a great Tuesday night
cocktail party hosted by the owners & managing director, Ted Ruddock, followed by a great meal and exciting crab races. Thursday night is a gala Jamaican Beach
Party/Bar-B-Que with an incredible floor show. The upside down Reggae Man is a hoot and in better shape than any golfer we've ever seen! The floor show
highlighted the music and versatile talent of this Jamaican community. A day spent relaxing at the pool and patio is a treat in itself - but the Two Guys
were too busy doing their jobs!
 The TRYALL Golf Club
, which we played twice daily, is a stately and challenging layout. The course meanders along the Caribbean for the opening holes, before playing into the foothills
with jungle ravines, dry creek beds and elevation changes challenging your shot-making ability. The rolling fairways have generous landing areas with few bunkers.
 The greens are another story, however, and require accurate approaches to avoid the abundant green-side sand traps. These bunkers have been
recently refurbished with new drainage systems and soft white sand - making recoveries much more feasible. We found the speed of the greens and conditions of the bunkers to be
incredibly consistent.
The front nine at TRYALL is a tough par 37, with a couple of especially
 challenging par 3's. We often found ourselves in a hole early in our round, attempting to
recover on the shorter and infinitely more score able backside. When the wind was up, as it was the last couple of days, the job of playing to our handicaps was that much tougher. We
definitely did not have our "A" games - but enjoyed playing frequently despite our night time carousing at the resorts weekly events.
 Caddies are mandatory in Jamaica and we were blessed to
have the best TRYALL had to offer. Sam Daley became a trusted companion and friend, whose knowledge of the course and Jamaican culture was truly appreciated. Hosting Sam for
dinner our last night was one of our trip's highlights. The caddie master, Milton Stennett, treated us as family and made sure our needs were met. The tradition of using caddies on the island
serves a valuable purpose of providing decent paying jobs to a number of dedicated employees. These folks play as much golf as they can (hey - we can do that!) not only for personal
enjoyment - but also to develop knowledge of the course and the game, so they can help you enjoy your round. When asked, they can usually provide you
with a wealth of information - especially concerning club selection and in reading the greens.
Neither Tigger nor Sparky could "hold a club" to Sam, who possessed one of the sweetest swings we have ever observed.
TRYALL runs a classy operation. If you want a true vacation
 and are looking for pampering - with the options to ""play' as much as your heart desires - TRYALL
is the place. Our Great House villa - which could sleep six comfortably, was valued at $425 US nightly this time of the year ( having dinner prepared in
the villa cost the price of the ingredients plus $20 for our group and tip for the chef). Green fees are $80 per person for 18 holes during the season ($40 off season beginning
 after Easter and lasting throughout the summer) Cart fee is $27 shared year round. The shared caddie fee (for 2
players) is also $27. Those walking will pay the green fee plus the $27 caddie fee per player. A tip for your caddie is the right thing to do ($10 - $20 per player -
$20 or more if walking). In fact - a tip for all services from the excellent staff is recommended. This is their livelihood. The non-guest year-round green fee of $150
per player (in addition to cart and caddie fees) makes staying at the resort all the more attractive. Needless to say, TRYALL is a great time, and a
well respected resort worldwide. We met people (mostly return visitors) from all over the world. The golf course will not disappoint you. We cannot wait to return! For more information on the
TRYALL CLUB, click here to view their web site.
NEGRIL
No trip to Jamaica would be complete without a visit to Negril. It is less than an hours drive on a newly paved road from TRYALL - and worth it.
 The 7 mile stretch of beach with white sand,
crystal clear water, and ample beach side bars and eateries, is a "must do". We spent 1 night at one of our favorite beach hotels, owned by Canadian Entrepreneur Tony
 Gunawardena. Sunquest features clean and simple rooms with a double bed, shower,
sink, small refrigerator and comfortable porch. The amenities are it's proximity to one of the best beaches in the world and excellent and moderately
priced Jamaican meals. Local reggae music is also piped in through their sound system at their beach bar and restaurant. Their room rates are very reasonable.
 Margauritaville is nearby and Alfreds on
the beach is also recommended for dining. There is also an incredible variety of accommodations available. A walk along the 7
mile beach at night will provide endless choices for food and drink. (The beach is an ever changing environment - when we visited in 1999 and wrote our story - see Jamaica! in our stories section - we made
plans for a place called "Bunkerville". This year we had to chip around McDonalds in the same location!) You are bound to have diverse cultural experiences along the
way. Just chill out and enjoy!
Checking out a local live reggae performance on the beach (Alfreds, DeBuss, Margauritaville & others) is a good way of being introduced to the Jamaican
 culture. Don't be offended if you are
often approached to buy something from the local folks - selling you something, anything (and believe me - there are lots of choices here) -
is generally their only source of income and survival. If not interested - just say so politely. After you have been there a few days, you will be
approached less (or you will just get used to it).
Understand this aspect of the culture without feeling obligated or threatened- and you will enjoy yourself more. Don't get your panties in
a bunch!!! (sorry guys) Remember that if you have a roof over your head and are able to eat 3 meals a day you have it better socially and
economically than 95% of the world's population. We do take a lot for granted.
Next spring, we plan a return visit to Jamaica to review the other courses near MoBay - and also to review resorts and a variety of accommodations. We hope to establish a golf vacation
destination page for Jamaica (as we are doing for Arizona and Las Vegas) which will be complete by next year. If you want to get away to a beautiful tropical island and enjoy Caribbean
golf and culture - try Jamaica! Especially TRYALL, Negril and the MoBay area. If you need additional info before our Jamaica destination site is initiated - email us and we will be happy
to provide you with what we know - as we have made numerous trips to this beautiful island. Till then - "Irie Mon" (every thing is as beautiful as the sky).
|
