Challenging Provo Golf Club is the only game in town on Providenciales in Turks & Caicos

PROVIDENCIALES, Turks & Caicos -- Provo Golf Club, the only course on this British Overseas Territory south of the Bahamas, isn't like most Caribbean resort tracks. It doesn't serve up ocean views, but maybe that's not such a bad thing.

The 6,719-yard course plays narrow and demanding through lush vegetation and water hazards. It's better not to be distracted from the challenge at hand. When visitors rent clubs, they are given two sleeves of balls, a sure sign that danger lurks ahead.

"It's tough but fair," said Sean Wilson, Provo's associate head professional. "The further you get into the course, the more teeth it has."

Architect Karl Litten cut his design from rocky terrain back in 1991. The limestone still pokes through the grass in places along the fairways. The club, located across the street from Ocean Club Resorts on the famous Grace Bay Beach, continues to follow an aggressive improvement plan. Within the past three years, nearly 2,000 trees and landscaping have been added.

Lakes, added or expanded on No. 7, No. 11 and No. 17, give the golf course more strategic options. The greens on the front nine will be redone this summer with new TifEagle Bermuda, which will provide more consistent and faster surfaces in time for the club's 20th anniversary in October 2012.

"We are constantly doing something," says Jason Bailey, Provo Golf Club's superintendent. "We are removing brush to make it easier and adding lakes to make it harder. It keeps the membership energized and keeps it from being boring.

Jason Scott Deegan has reviewed and photographed more than 1,100 courses and written about golf destinations in 25 countries for some of the industry's biggest publications. His work has been honored by the Golf Writer's Association of America and the Michigan Press Association. Follow him on Instagram at @jasondeegangolfpass and Twitter at @WorldGolfer.
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Challenging Provo Golf Club is the only game in town on Providenciales in Turks & Caicos