Is golf in Aruba worth packing the clubs for, or is it a resort novelty you play once and forget? We live here, we watch the trade wind bend the divi-divi trees every single day, and our honest answer is that it depends on what kind of golfer you are. The island is small and the choice is short. Pick the right course and the right hour, and it is one of the better mornings you can spend here.
Here is the whole picture before the detail. Aruba has three courses. One is a full 18 holes. One is a polished nine on the hotel strip. One is an old local club in the south. Nothing on the island is a hidden fourth option, so the decision really is that simple.
Tierra del Sol: The Only 18 on the Island
If you want a full round, this is it. Iberostar, which runs the course, describes Tierra del Sol as the only 18-hole course in Aruba, designed by Robert Trent Jones II. The course's own page lists 6,811 yards from the back tees, par 71, and an opening year of 1995, and calls the layout desert links style, where wind, terrain and ocean views shape every hole. It sits on the north end of the island, and the course's own site mentions California Lighthouse views from the property.
It also came out of a full renovation. Aruba Today reported the grand re-opening in October 2025: all greens and tees refurbished and newly grassed, the irrigation system upgraded, new mats and ball trays on the driving range. The same article says the course worked with local conservation experts to set up the island's first Shoco sanctuary on the property. The Shoco is Aruba's burrowing owl. If you spot one near the rough, enjoy it from the cart and let it be.
What the course does not do is publish a green fee on its own site. Its pages list the course hours (Monday to Sunday, 6:00am to 6:30pm), a pro shop, equipment rental and lessons, and send you to an online tee time engine. Expect premium resort-course pricing, and read the rate for your exact date in that engine before you commit. We would rather tell you that than repeat a number from a forum that may be two seasons old.
The honest caveat: this is the course where the wind matters most. A desert links layout on an exposed north end is exactly what it sounds like. Club up into the breeze, keep the ball low, and do not judge your swing by the scorecard. Our guide to Aruba's wind explains how steady the trade wind is and what it does to a day.
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The Links at Divi Aruba: Nine Holes You Can Plan to the Dollar
The Links is the opposite kind of decision: transparent, close to the hotels and easy to fit into a beach day. The nine-hole course was designed by Litten/Viola, and the course says plainly that the course, the pro shop and the clubhouse are all open to the public. You do not have to be a hotel guest to play.
The rates are published, which we like. On November 12, 2026 the course listed:
| What | Price listed by the course |
|---|---|
| 9 holes | $98 |
| 18 holes (the nine played twice) | $139 |
| Twilight, after 3 p.m., all you can play | $85 |
| Rental clubs (Titleist, men's and women's, right and left handed) | $47 |
| Rental shoes | $8 |
| Basket of practice balls | $3 |
The course FAQ says there is no cart fee on top of the green fee, and that every golfer must take a cart. A non-golfer can ride along for $16. The first tee time is 7 a.m., the pro shop is open 6:45 a.m. to 5:45 p.m. every day, and the driving range runs 6:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. You can reserve a tee time up to 14 days out, and you need to cancel at least 24 hours before the day of play.
If you are staying at a Divi property, the numbers move. The course says guests at any Divi Resort on Aruba get preferred tee times, and the Divi & Tamarijn all-inclusive lists its own guest rates, year-round: $88 for 9 holes, $129 for 18, $41 for a replay and $47 for clubs, plus five-round packages ($365 for nine holes, $525 for eighteen). Our Divi & Tamarijn review covers the rest of that stay honestly, flaws included.
The honest caveat: it is a nine. A round of 18 means playing the same holes twice, and the course expects two and a half hours for nine holes. If you came to Aruba to grind out a long golf trip, this is a lovely add-on, not the main event. If you want one easy round between beach days, it may be the better pick of the two.
Aruba Golf Club: The Old Local Course in the South
The third course is the one most visitors never hear about. The Aruba Golf Club sits on Golfweg near San Nicolas, at the far southern end of the island. It is a nine-hole club with a long history: golf directories date it to the late 1930s or early 1940s, and describe it as a desert course rather than a green resort layout.
We could not find an official page with current fees or opening hours, so we will not print any. Treat it as a rustic, local experience, and call ahead before you make the drive. It is for the golfer who wants a story, not a manicured round.
The honest caveat: it is far from the hotels. The official taxi tariff lists $64 one way from the High-Rise South zone and $66 from High-Rise North to the Aruba Golf Club, so a taxi there and back runs well over $120 before the round. If you are curious, this is a course to combine with a rental car and a south-coast day.
Getting to the Course
Distances are short, but fares add up for an early tee time.
- To The Links at Divi Aruba: the Government of Aruba tariff published May 27, 2026 lists $17 one way from High-Rise South, $18 from High-Rise North and $10 from Eagle Beach or the low-rise hotels, for up to four passengers. The course itself says it is about 20 minutes from the high-rise hotel area.
- To Tierra del Sol: the official list does not name the course as a destination, so agree the fare with the driver before you set off.
- The early-morning catch: the tariff adds a $5 surcharge between 11 PM and 7 AM, and on Sundays and holidays. A 6:30 a.m. pickup for a 7 a.m. tee time pays it. Each passenger gets one bag free and extra bags are $3, so ask the driver whether your golf bag counts as that bag.
Our Aruba taxi rates guide has the full official fare table and the rules. If you plan to play more than once, a car usually pays for itself, and you can compare cars and transfers on our booking page.
What to Wear, and What the Heat Does
The Links publishes its dress code, and it is the classic one: collared or tailored collarless shirts for men, recognized golf clothing for women, and soft spikes or athletic shoes. T-shirts, swimwear, tank tops and cut-offs are not accepted. Tierra del Sol's site says guests must follow its course policies and dress codes but does not spell the code out, so assume the same standard there and ask when you book.
The heat is the bigger issue. Aruba is sunny almost every day, and the fairways offer very little shade. Pack a wide-brimmed hat, a light long-sleeve golf shirt, sunscreen you reapply at the turn, and far more water than you think. Our what to wear in Aruba guide and the Aruba packing list cover the rest.
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The Best Time of Day to Tee Off
Go early. The first tee time at The Links is 7 a.m. and Tierra del Sol lists its hours from 6:00am, and the first hours of the day are the coolest. You finish before the midday sun is at its hardest, and you still have an afternoon on the beach.
The second-best window is late afternoon. The Links runs its twilight rate from 3 p.m., which is the cheapest way to play there and puts you on the course as the heat begins to ease. The wind does not take the afternoon off, so play the twilight round for the price and the light, not for calm air.
Season matters less for golf than you might think, because the island stays warm and dry for most of the year. Winter is the island's high season, so if you are coming between mid-December and April, reserve your tee times as soon as the booking window allows. Our high season guide explains how busy that window gets.
Our Verdict
If you play seriously and want one memorable round, book Tierra del Sol in the early morning, check the rate in its booking engine, and bring a low ball flight. If you want golf as part of a beach holiday, The Links at Divi Aruba is the easy, transparent choice: clear prices, rental clubs on site, a twilight deal and a short taxi from the hotels. Save the Aruba Golf Club for the curious and the adventurous.
No golf course on Aruba is sold through our partners, so we do not have a tee time to sell you. When you have the round sorted, the rest of the trip is where we can help: see our tested activities for the days you are not on the course.
