When was the last time your retelling of a golf game included the words volcano, vervet monkeys and Robert Trent Jones? Those once-in-a-lifetime utterances will all come spilling out after playing 18 holes at the Four Seasons Nevis Golf Course.
The thumbprint-shaped island of Nevis is just 36 square miles and is home to around 11,000 people. By comparison, there are an estimated 12,000 vervet monkeys that inhabit Nevis. Many of these green-tinted climbers take up residence in the mango, banana and palm trees woven throughout the Four Seasons 6,800-yard golf wonderland, which is wonderfully positioned at the rising base of a volcano known as Nevis Peak.
Volcano and Coco Advice
Ask anyone at the pro shop for advice on navigating this mind-bending golf course for the first time and a single recommendation always rings true: just as putts break toward the Caribbean Sea, most of your tee shots will roll away from Nevis Peak’s cascading slope. A second question you’d be wise to volley is, “What’s the story on the dog that guides golfers like Tiger Woods’ next caddy-in-waiting?”
This canine inquiry would prove prophetic for two golfers from Minnesota who had just teed off on the scenic 4th hole. As the Midwesterners sped to their second shots, a tongue-wagging mutt came galloping up behind them. The dog’s name is Coco and she knows the Four Season Nevis Golf Course like the back of her paw and to be joined by this four-legged ambassador makes for a special game indeed.
Monkeys and Photo Moments
When it comes to the vervet monkeys, there’s a good chance you’ll spot them when plunging down into the rainforest corridor that connects the 10th green with the 11th hole. Your golf cart will weave like a bobsledder into a thick jungle hosting no less than a dozen monkeys scurrying the cart path, scaling the railings, and chomping mangos in the treetops. A round of golf here is like playing 18 holes on the pages of a National Geographic cover story.
Looking Back on Nevis Golf
As you putt out on 18 and head back to the pro shop, you can’t help but reflect as the clubhouse attendant offers another Four Seasons personal touch: a cold towel to rejuvenate your face after a round in balmy temps. You’ve just danced with Nevis Peak, enjoyed a bit of monkey business, and have experienced one of Robert Trent Jones’ most treasured creations.
The Four Seasons Nevis Golf Course shatters every preconceived notion you held about Caribbean golf. Sure the Caribbean Sea welcomes golfers with wistful ocean views, but only in Nevis will your scorecard note a volcano, vervet monkeys, a golf-happy dog, and thoughts of Robert Trent Jones smiling from ear to ear.
