At Sandals regency St. Lucia Golf Resort and Spa at La Toc, a round at the sporty 9-hole golf course is a perfect ending to a day at the sea. The course nettles in a picturesque valley surrounded by lush, villa-studded hills, its emerald, undulating terrain punctuated by bursts of crepe myrtle, bougainvillea and other flamboyant blossoms.

Measuring only 3,141 yards, this layout is short but not always sweet. Erratic breezes often make club selection a nail-biting dilemma, and several holes are as tight as tunnels, demanding laser like accuracy of the tee. On the par-3 down hill on the 8th hole, for example, a mere fade or draw could land you in a jungle of white cedars, mango and almond tress and bamboo.

"Number 8 is the only hole I get nervous on," confides the knowledgeable and experienced head pro, Gregory Mann, who grew-up on the island and is a former star on the Caribbean amateur golf tour. "You have to dead straight on this hole or your're dead."

Rewards my not come in the form of birdies on this tricky track, but the views more than compensate. Four holes (4,7,8 and 3) render astonishing vistas, so pack your camera along with your clubs. The ultimate panorama awaits on the elevated 4th tee, so spellbinding that golfers can hardly keep their eyes on the ball. From that majestic perch, you can see great white cruise ships gliding across the vast, turquoise Caribbean Sea, while the occasional light plane swoops overhead.

Sandals Golf Club at La Toc is accessible at all three St. Lucia's Sandals Resorts, and every kind of player is catered to. Golfers who have a soft spot for tradition (and what serious golfer doesn't?) are cheered to learn about the course's corps of 28 caddies, all eager to read greens, scout lost balls an provide crucial tips on club selection.

Indeed, cadies-a sadly dwindling breed in the States-are mandatory at Sandals and Beaches golf courses. You have the option of chasing par with a caddy and golf cart or, for a truly vintage experience, going to the caddy only route. For novices who wouldn't know a caddy from a daddy, Mann-a member of the U.S. Golf Teachers Association-conducts a comprehensive, 30 minute beginners' clinic every Wednesday at 9 a.m. he also gives private lessons to intermediate and advanced players intent on fine tuning their games.