Las Iguanas, fifteen years in the making
Cap Cana's second Jack Nicklaus course was planned in the mid-2000s, stopped by the 2008 crisis, and finally opened its first nine holes in November 2025. For buyers, it matters twice: as golf, and as the anchor of a new residential district.
What Nicklaus built the second time
Las Iguanas is a Jack Nicklaus Signature design and the long-promised sibling to Punta Espada, the course that made Cap Cana a golf destination. The first nine holes opened officially in November 2025, with the remainder to follow.
The routing is the interesting part. Three holes play directly along the rocky Caribbean shoreline, and the course runs through a protected reserve of caves, wetlands and native vegetation — home to the iguanas that gave the course its name. The design brief leaned sustainable: keep the topography, keep the reserve, put the golf between rather than over it.
The backstory explains the odd timeline. Las Iguanas was shaped in the mid-2000s as the next jewel of the portfolio, then the 2008 financial crisis froze Cap Cana's expansion. The land sat contoured but dormant for roughly fifteen years until Nicklaus Design returned in 2023 to complete it. That pause is also why the district around it is only being built out now.
Why buyers should care about a half-open course
A new course inside an established gated development is rare — usually you either buy into mature golf at mature prices, or into promised golf that may never break ground. Las Iguanas is the in-between case: the golf is real and partly open, while the residential district around it is still at pre-construction prices.
That district is where Reef & Golf Residences sits — built directly on the course, from USD 388,000, with delivery scheduled for November 2027. It's the project we currently feature, and course-front position is a large part of its case. As always: renders are renders, and the course's own completion schedule is the developer's to keep — ask for current status in writing.
For green fees and public access, check directly with Cap Cana's golf operation; policies for a course this new tend to move. Punta Espada's published structure is the reference point for what golf costs inside the gates — see our Punta Espada page.
Asked most often
Is Las Iguanas golf course open?
Partially. Cap Cana officially opened the first nine holes in November 2025. The course is a Jack Nicklaus Signature design, with the remaining holes to follow — check current status before planning a round.
Who designed Las Iguanas?
Nicklaus Design, as a Jack Nicklaus Signature course — Cap Cana's second, alongside Punta Espada. Three holes play directly along the rocky Caribbean shoreline, and the routing runs through a protected reserve of caves, wetlands and native vegetation that shelters the iguanas the course is named after.
Why did Las Iguanas take so long to build?
The course was planned in the mid-2000s as the next jewel of Cap Cana's golf portfolio, then the 2008 financial crisis stopped it. The shaped land sat dormant for roughly fifteen years until Nicklaus Design returned in 2023 to finish the job.
Are there residences on Las Iguanas?
Yes — the course is the anchor of a residential district. Reef & Golf Residences, currently featured on this site, is built directly on the course, with pre-construction pricing from USD 388,000.
Want to live on this course?
Reef & Golf Residences sits directly on Las Iguanas — prices, unit mix and tax status stated plainly on the project page.