Jamaica say you will: this complex island isn't everyone's cup of tea, but for great golf and sizzling nightlife, it's hard to beat

Golf Digest, April, 2004 by Matthew Rudy

12 Half Moon G.C., Montego Bay (876-953-2560, $130).

If the White Witch is the splashy, expensive special-occasion restaurant you visit once or twice a year, Half Moon is the reliable corner place where the food is good and the owner knows your name. It doesn't have the waterfront location or spectacular views of its counterparts, but the Robert Trent Jones design is still a stimulating test. Jones took a relatively flat piece of land and molded some challenging green complexes, including the nastiest collection of bunkers on the island. Half Moon's straightforward design is Pinehurst-like in its accessibility for the first-time visitor. And like No. 2, it won't be easy for you to score, but you'll almost always be able to find your ball.

OFF THE COURSE

Montego Bay's reputation as the party capital of Jamaica is well deserved. The Hip Strip, a stretch of bars and restaurants on the downtown beachfront, is even more packed at 2 a.m. than it is at midnight. Margaritaville (yes, it's part of the Jimmy Buffet-owned chain) is the unofficial epicenter of it all. Its three-level deck offers a commanding view of the bay and the giant sailboats that anchor there--and Margaritaville's three-story water slide, which takes you right out from the bar. Jamaica is a lot like South Philadelphia in that the best places to eat don't always look like much from the outside. The Pork Pit, for instance, is a grungy hut that serves the area's best jerk pork. Wash it down with a brew and count the change from your $10. If you'd prefer to wear something other than a swimsuit and flip-flops when you eat, walk over to the Town House, which occupies the basement of a 300-year-old customs building. Try the escoveitched fish--snapper marinated in lime juice and thermonuclear Scotch Bonnet peppers, then boiled. They'll wait while you screw your head back onto your body.

Key

Course ratings are derived from the exclusive 5-star Golf Digest Places to Play scale. A single star represents "basic golf"; five stars indicate "golf at its absolute best." Golf Digest's Places to Play guide, based upon the ratings of 20,000 readers, is available for $25 (800-793-2665).

Putting on the Ritz

The Ritz-Carlton Rose Hall (left) has five restaurants on-site, a first-rate spa and manicured beaches. Its golf course, the White Witch (above), was one of the most ambitious construction projects in Jamaican history.

Which witch?

Rose Hall (above right) is said to be haunted by the ghost of murderous plantation owner Annie Palmer, who gives White Witch its name. Less flashy Half Moon Golf Club (above left) features a Leadbetter golf school, while the Tryall Club (top) is benefiting from a $10 million makeover.

RELATED ARTICLE: Blowin' in the wind.

By Nelson Long Jr., golf director, The Tryall Club, Hanover, Jamaica

Two simple tips will help the average player get better at playing in the brisk wind we have here in Jamaica--instantly. First, understand that a crosswind knocks the ball down almost as much as hitting into the wind does. You need to take at least one more club for these shots. Also, when it's windy, try playing from a narrower stance, not a wider one. A narrow stance forces you to keep your lower body less active and more balanced, which is exactly what you need to hit the ball lower and under the wind. Even if these are the only two changes you make, you'll still dramatically improve how you play in the wind.