By Jeff Neuman
Links-minded theologians have long debated whether there is golf in Heaven. I don’t pretend to know the answer, but I do know that there is golf in Tahiti, which is as close as any of us mortals should expect to see on earth.
Located roughly halfway between California and Australia, Tahiti is by far the most populous of the 118 islands in French Polynesia, an “overseas country” of France that includes such idyllic spots as Bora Bora, Moorea, and Huahine. Ever since Impressionist painter Paul Gauguin came to the French colony and created colorful and exotic images in the 1890s, its name has served as shorthand for a lush tropical paradise. It’s hard to imagine a location more unlike the scruffy coasts of Scotland that gave rise to the game, but where grass grows and tourists go, golf will surely follow.
The island’s first course, Golf de Tahiti Olivier Bréaud, opened in 1970 on the site of a former cotton plantation on the island’s west coast about 45 minutes from Fa’a’a International Airport. Laid out by Bob E. Baldock, designer of more than 50 courses, mostly in California and Hawaii, the 6,777-yard course winds uphill and down, crossing a creek that runs in front of the seventh green (the No. 1 handicap hole, a bending par 4 of 462 yards). The course is currently undergoing a sprucing up in preparation for hosting the 2027 Pacific Games. Also on site: a compact, par-32 nine that includes five par 3s, four of them under 155 yards. The renovated clubhouse features a large open-air restaurant in addition to a small pro shop offering club rental for visitors.
Just a half-hour’s ferry ride from the capital city of Papeete, Moorea is a popular getaway from the hustle and bustle (relatively speaking!) of Tahiti. Moorea Green Pearl Golf Course is a short drive away from the ferry port, making it a reasonable option for a day trip. It’s a Jack Nicklaus design that opened in 2007; the open bunkering, ponds, and wind-blown palms on the flatter first side are reminiscent of Jack’s Florida courses, but the second nine – carved through the trees on the side of an ancient volcano – is a unique and spectacular experience, with shot values nearly good enough to distract you from the unforgettable views.
And if your score at the end of the day isn’t what you hoped it would be, so what? Take time to smell the hibiscus and gardenias. Gaze out over the lagoon. You’re playing golf in Paradise.