A Closer Look at Golf Life in Barbados

In the right environment, with the right people, it’s hard to beat island golf.

I mean, the ocean breeze, the cocktails, the vibes. I get that every amateur golfer has Bandon Dunes or Cabot Cliffs on their bucket list—I’m in that camp, too—but setting up shop on an island for a week or two and chasing your ball around the coast sounds pretty damn good.

But when I said island golf, I’m sure you’re mind went straight to Hawaii or the Bahamas. We have a different place in mind.

We sent our friend Bradford Wilson down to Barbados to discover the island’s golf scene and what the sport means to the locals. Oh, and he had a pretty great sherpa.

Related: What I Learned About Golf, Cricket, and Life in Barbados by Bradford Wilson

Desmond Haynes is a legend. If you’re into cricket, I’m sure you already know his name well. But if you don’t, he was part of the West Indies team that won the 1979 Cricket World Cup over England and was inducted into the ICC Hall of Fame in 2021. Lucky for us, Haynes is a golf nut.

Bradford and Haynes played Royal Westmoreland and Barbados Golf Club, while also playing a little cricket and checking out the food scene. Barbados GC is a public course on the island and seems like a special place for the locals, so it’s hard not to gravitate towards that place.

While playing with a couple of juniors, Haynes explained why BGC and places like it are so important to the game in Barbados and what it means to the young kids just getting their feet wet.

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It’s pretty special to see how much this game means to the younger generation in different parts of the world. Really, really cool.

If you want to watch Desmond’s full trip to Barbados—I suggest you do—check it out below or on the Skratch YouTube channel.