This Jamaica Resort Is Turning a Golf Vacation Into a Week of Elite Instruction, Unlimited Rounds, and Championship Play

A drive down the opening fairway brings the hills above Montego Bay into view. White bunkers guard broad greens. Palm trees, tropical gardens, and the lower slopes of the former sugarcane estate follow you across one of Jamaica’s landmark golf courses.

Half Moon is expanding the golf program at its 400-acre Montego Bay resort, adding visiting instructors, bringing back its long-running Founders Cup charity tournament, and offering unlimited play across 2 of northern Jamaica’s leading courses.

The new program gives you several ways to plan a golf trip at the resort. You can schedule private instruction with a visiting teacher, play a 2-day golf school, enter a tournament connected to Jamaican charities, or pair a stay with repeated rounds at Half Moon Golf Course and the nearby Cinnamon Hill Golf Course.

The first visiting instructor arrives in September, while the Founders Cup returns in December.

A Robert Trent Jones Sr. Course Near Montego Bay

The Half Moon Golf Course opened in 1962, with a design by Robert Trent Jones Sr. and later updates led by Roger Rulewich.

The course runs through a former sugarcane estate beneath the hills east of Montego Bay. Multiple tee positions allow golfers with different handicaps to play from appropriate distances, while the championship tees extend the course to 7,120 yards.

Bunkers protect many of the greens, and the routing repeatedly changes direction across the property. The course’s bowtie configuration brings players back near the clubhouse during the round, a practical feature during Jamaica’s warmer months.

The course also has a driving range, putting areas, practice facilities, caddies, club rentals, and instruction. Resort guests staying several nights can treat golf as a central part of the trip rather than fitting a single round between beach and pool plans.

The resort’s location places the course near several of Jamaica’s best-known golf addresses. Cinnamon Hill Golf Course, included in Half Moon’s new package, combines inland holes with Caribbean Sea views and historic estate land near Rose Hall.

Who Is Teaching at Half Moon This Fall?

Half Moon’s relaunched Guest Instructor Series begins from Sept. 22 through Sept. 29 with Canadian golf instructor Nick Starchuk.

Starchuk will offer private one-hour lessons, full-day coaching sessions, and on-course “Hit & Play” instruction. The on-course format lets players address decisions as they arise during a round, including club selection, uneven lies, recovery shots, bunker play, and approach strategy.

Full-day sessions will include an individualized practice plan, giving golfers material they can continue using after they leave Jamaica.

The series continues from Dec. 10 through Dec. 16 with Brian Mogg, a former PGA Tour professional who has coached more than 30 tour winners.

Mogg’s program will include private instruction and an immersive 2-day golf school. The longer format creates additional time for swing work, short-game instruction, putting, course management, and supervised play.

Half Moon plans to announce more visiting instructors for the first quarter of 2027 and later dates.

Visiting-teacher residencies have become an increasingly useful resort offering for golfers who want more from a Caribbean golf vacation than reserved tee times. A player can work with an instructor, practice between sessions, and apply each lesson on the same course over several days.

At Half Moon, the beach, pools, spa, equestrian center, and restaurants give couples and families plenty to do while one member of the group attends a lesson or plays a round.

The Founders Cup Returns in December

The Half Moon Founders Cup returns on Dec. 12, continuing a tournament tradition connected to charitable organizations across Jamaica.

The event has raised more than $16.8 million since its launch. Beneficiaries have included Cornwall Regional Hospital, SOS Children’s Village, Granville Place of Safety in St. James, and the Margaret Steuart Scholarship Fund.

The tournament uses a scramble format, allowing each team to select its best shot before all members play from the chosen position. The format keeps play social and gives mixed-handicap groups a chance to compete together.

Teams will also take part in longest-drive contests, nearest-the-pin competitions, specialty course challenges, and an awards celebration after play.

Registration is open to teams of 4, and businesses can participate through tournament sponsorships.

The charitable program gives visiting golfers a direct connection to local hospitals, children’s services, education programs, and community organizations. Many resort tournaments raise funds through entry fees, auctions, sponsorships, and on-course contests, allowing a vacation round to support work beyond the resort grounds.

The December date also overlaps with Brian Mogg’s instructor residency, giving golfers an opportunity to schedule coaching and tournament play during the same Montego Bay trip.

Unlimited Golf at 2 Jamaica Courses

Half Moon has also introduced an Unlimited Golf Package for stays of at least 4 nights.

The offer includes unlimited rounds at Half Moon Golf Course and Cinnamon Hill Golf Course. Complimentary use of Half Moon’s practice facility and a weekly Friday golf clinic are included.

Playing both courses provides 2 distinct Jamaica golf experiences during one stay. Half Moon presents a classic Robert Trent Jones Sr. test with strategic bunkering and several tee options. Cinnamon Hill crosses land associated with the historic Rose Hall estate and reaches holes with broad views toward the Caribbean Sea.

Repeated rounds can also be especially useful after a private lesson. You can return to the range, test a swing adjustment on the course, and review the result during a later session.

The minimum stay leaves room for golf and the wider resort experience. A 4-night visit could include rounds on both courses, a lesson, a practice session, beach time, dinner at the resort, and an afternoon at the spa.

What Else Can You Do at Half Moon?

Half Moon extends across 400 acres of tropical gardens and 2 miles of beachfront near Montego Bay.

The resort has 3 main accommodation collections: Eclipse at Half Moon, Founders Cove, and Rose Hall Villas.

Eclipse forms the newer resort hub, with rooms and suites near the beach, restaurants, bars, and an infinity-edge pool. Founders Cove contains classic rooms and suites along the water and gardens. Rose Hall Villas offer private residences with pools, multiple bedrooms, and dedicated staff, making them useful for golf groups and multigenerational trips.

Dining options include Delmare, the Italian seafood restaurant at Eclipse; Sugar Mill, located near the historic waterwheel; and Hayward’s, a Jamaican restaurant overlooking the water. The resort also has casual beach dining, bars, cafés, and in-room dining.

Golfers traveling with non-playing companions can plan separate activities at the Fern Tree Spa, the resort’s equestrian center, the beach, tennis courts, or water-sports facilities.

The equestrian center is one of Half Moon’s signature features, offering riding lessons and experiences near the sea. Tennis, pickleball, swimming, snorkeling, paddleboarding, and boating add more options across a longer stay.

Getting to Half Moon

Half Moon is located east of central Montego Bay, near the Rose Hall resort area.

The drive from Sangster International Airport generally takes about 15 minutes, depending on traffic. Montego Bay receives nonstop service from major cities in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and other Caribbean destinations.

The short trip from the airport allows golfers to arrive, check in, visit the practice range, or schedule an afternoon round on the same travel day when flight schedules permit.

Airport transfers can be arranged through the resort. Golf bags may also be checked with most airlines, although fees and equipment policies vary by carrier.

A Bigger Golf Calendar for Jamaica

Half Moon’s new instructor dates, December tournament, and unlimited-play offer create several reasons to plan a Jamaica golf trip during the coming months.

September brings the first residency with Nick Starchuk. Brian Mogg arrives in December, followed by the Founders Cup on Dec. 12. More instructor dates are planned for 2027.

You could arrive for focused coaching, organize a team for the charity tournament, or divide several days between 2 courses, the practice range, the beach, and Half Moon’s restaurants.

Across the course, the hills remain visible beyond the fairways, caddies read the greens, and the next lesson can continue where the previous round ended.