How to take a golf trip to Puerto Rico (and play where the pros play!) for $1,500

While the world’s best players take on the Club de Golf Chapultepec for this week’s WGC-Mexico Championship, the rest of the Tour is over 2,000 miles away, competing in the Puerto Rico Open.

While both destinations offer many tantalizing stay-and-play options, if you want to tee it up at the course where the pros are playing this week, there’s only one option, since the Club de Golf Chapultepec is private: head to Puerto Rico’s Hyatt Regency Grand Reserve resort, home of the Tom Kite-designed Coco Beach Golf Club.

Here’s how to spend three nights and play two rounds of golf in a tropical paradise for only $1,500.

AIRFARE: ~$300

The Grand Hyatt is just over 20 miles from Puerto Rico’s San Juan airport (SJU), and — good news! — direct flights are pretty plentiful, at least from east coast starting points.

For a long weekend in late March, Expedia had round-trip itineraries starting at several reasonable price points: $204 (BOS), $232 (JFK), $316 (one stop from ORD) and $385 (one stop from LAX).

TOTAL AIRFARE: ~$300

GROUND TRANSPORTATION:

While Uber is available in Puerto Rico, you can get a smokin’ deal on a rental car from the airport. A midsize car booked via Expedia is only $89 for the long weekend, which comes out to only $44.50 per person, if you split it in half.

TOTAL SPEND: $300 + $44.50 = $344.50

LODGING: $530.11

The Hyatt Regency Grand Reserve Puerto Rico is a mega-resort with a sparkling pool, accessible beaches and 36 holes of onsite golf. A three-night stay in a junior suite with two double beds is available via Expedia for $1,060.22, inclusive of taxes and fees — that’s only $530.11 when split in half!

TOTAL SPEND: $344.50 + $530.11 = $874.61

GREEN FEES: ~$400

Coco Beach offers two 18-hole Tom Kite-designed courses, one of which (formerly known as Trump International Golf Club Puerto Rico) annually hosts the PGA Tour’s Puerto Rico Open. Rates vary throughout the year, but you can expect to spend around $200 per person, per round.

TOTAL SPEND: $874.61 + $400 = $1,274.61

DINING: $240

Dining while on vacation can be tough if you’re trying to stick to a budget, but if you follow the outline below, your bank account balance will thank you at the end of your trip!

Arrival dinner: $40

Day 1 golf course lunch: $20

Day 1 dinner: $40

Day 2 golf course lunch: $20

Day 2 dinner: $40

Day 3 lunch: $30

Miscellaneous breakfasts and snacks: $50

TOTAL DINING: $240

TOTAL SPEND: $1,274.61 + $240 = $1,514.61

And there you have it! Airfare, rental car, three nights’ lodging, two premium rounds of golf and all of your meals for about $1,500! Ready to book? Happy travels!

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