Teeth of the Dog… is back!
PHOTOGRAPHY: ANDREA CERASO
On December 7, 2025 - after a year-long renovation and revival - the Teeth Of The Dog golf course at Casa de Campo in LaRomana, Dominican Republic, was re-opened for play…
almost 55 years to the day after the renowned course opened.
Immediately hailed ‘The Jewel of the Caribbean’ when it opened, ‘Teeth’ - as the Teeth Of The Dog is commonly called - has maintained a position as one of the 100 Best Golf Courses in the World ever since. It was the first of the five courses at Casa de Campo designed by the legendary golf course architect and designer Pete Dye, and it then set the standard for what a beachfront Caribbean golf course could be. Twelve of the holes have ocean views…and seven of those holes - ‘The Heaven Seven’ - are perched dramatically on the rocky shore of the beach! Dye loved the course - and the place - so much, he built a home alongside the 7th Fairway…and his ashes were interred near the 8th Green when he passed in 2020.
The course’s total renovation was undertaken under the direction of leading golf course designer, architect and engineer Jerry Pate - who won the U.S. Open in 1976 as a 22-year old rookie. During the course of the renovation, the entire golf course was stripped and replanted with a new grass designed for top performance in warm climates, called ‘Pure Dynasty Paspalla’. Every one of the 70 Tee Boxes was dug-up, leveled, and rebuilt - utilizing 679 cubic meters of sand. Every Green was reconstructed, with subtle changes to size, shape, and undulation, and to make most of the Greens more approachable for the average golfer. Every one of the 127 Bunkers on the course was redone in order to flatten the sand surface, provide an easy point of access on foot, and generally improve playability. All 14 Fairways were sand-capped before seeding - utilizing 4,487 cubic meters of sand. New cart paths on all 18 holes required 4,487 cubic meters of concrete, and 5 new stone retaining walls were constructed to keep the course from the ocean - and visa versa.And the course was extended to 7,312 yards from the Back Tees. All-in-all, it took more than a half-million man-hours of work for Pate’s team to bring the project to fruition.
Gilles Gagnon, who started as Golf Director at Casa de Campo in 1980 and who is now the Golf Director Emeritus, is part of the fabric of the golf course…and the Casa de Campo community. He’s 77, still hits his drives 235, still plays just over par, and boasts 8 lifetime holes-in-one! And he still gets out on the course just about every day - some days for 36 or more holes! He’s a purely affable guy…and he’s met, played with, and befriended just about every notable figure of the last half-Century - including, but definitely not limited to, both Presidents Bush, President Clinton, Vice President Nelson Rockefeller, Canadian Prime Minister Jean Cretien, Guy de Rothschild, Henry Cisneros, Joe DiMaggio, local resident and PGA Pro Miguel Angel Jiminez, homeowner Herb Kohler, and - maybe Gilles all-time favorite - Sean Connery. …And has thousands of stories to tell…like the time Oscar de la Renta’s wife called and said she had one of the famous operatic ‘Four Tenors’, Placido Domingo, staying at the house, and that he was asking to try to play golf for the first time. …Gilles arranged four caddies along each side of the fairway with instructions to retrieve every ball and tee it up in the middle of the fairway for the next shot. …Only to have Placido call the next morning to declare that he loved the sport and would like to try it again!
Gilles is a French Canadian who grew up in Montreal playing hockey, played in college at Michigan State - where he also started playing a lot of golf, and advanced to be drafted by the Montreal Canadians and play for their Detroit farm club. In 1975, he landed the job of Assistant Coach of the Men’s Hockey Team at Colgate…and convinced the Athletic Director to give him the job of Head Coach of the Men’s Golf Team as well. And in 1980, Casa de Campo’s then-owner Gulf & Western hired Gilles to become the resort’s Golf Director.
“When I first arrived at Casa de Campo,” Gilles recalls, “Pete took me out to walk The Teeth with him, and he asked me ‘what do you know about golf course architecture and agronomy?’. I said, ‘Well I’ve been the Head Coach at Colgate for the last five years!’. And Pete replied, ‘Well then you don’t know shit! …Just take notes…and help me up if I fall down!’ …But, over time, Pete and his wife Alice, who was a competitive amateur golfer, and me and my wife Merilee, became best friends! …And I want to tell you that, aside from being one the most genuine, humble, trustworthy, and warm people I’ve ever met, Pete had a kind of weird genius about geography, topography, and architecture in general. When they first constructed the whole Marina area here at Casa de Campo with all kinds of engineers and experts certifying its geodetic and structural integrity, Pete warned one section of the facility and a few of the new buildings were not properly situated…and, sure enough, when the next hurricane rolled in, that part of the facility and those buildings were all wiped out…and then resituated and redesigned as Pete had first advised. …And he loved to tinker with his beloved Teeth Of The Dog - so much so that you might say he’d already redesigned the course by the time he passed! We’d play a round and he’d find that a fairway bunker would be better if it was repositioned or extended…and, sure enough, the next day he’d have a crew out there making his perceived correction or improvement. When the 15th Tee washed into the ocean during Hurricane George, Pete rebuilt it atop a new fortress of a sea wall. And, based on Alice’s advice, he moved-around the Ladie’s Tees, so that a good woman playing with a good man would have about the same Iron to play into the Green after both hitting their Drives. …I played with Pete to celebrate his 80th Birthday, and I played what turned out to be his last round with him a couple of years later - when I got the opportunity to say to him - about his whole life and not just his famed career as a golf course architect - ‘Pete, you’ve done good!’. …I loved the man…and if I can have it my way, I’d like my ashes interred right next to Pete’s - right there overlooking the 8th! …And my view is that Jerry Pate cleaned-up, refreshed, and revived Pete’s masterpiece, but that the new Teeth Of The Dog is an improvement and not a redesign.”
“I’m too old to get fired and I never want to retire, and the owners, and particularly Alfie Fanjul, have always treated me like family...so my primary responsibility these days is booking groups to come stay and play at Casa de Campo …and I still get out to play at least a round a day with one or a few of my guests, and Merilee and I are usually out to dinner just about every night with others,” Gilles comments. “We host an endless schedule of buddy trips, pro ams, PGA Ambassador and Invited Clubs events, and other group bookings. I have club pros who’ve been putting together trips for their club members and returning to Casa de Campo year-after-year for decades. And I’m most proud to boast an 80%+ rate of return for at least a second trip. …These days the term ‘Best Golf Course’ gets overused, and there are certainly some golf courses in the world - like at Sand Hills or Bandon Dunes or Whistling Straights - that may be fairly ranked ‘Best’ for one reason or another…but if you ask me, there’s no better overall first-class laid-back golf experience in the world than on Teeth Of The Dog!”
Above: Pete Dye and Gilles Gagnon during the last round Pete ever played; Pete Dye’s ashes interred near the 8th green
PGA Professional Robert Birtel moved to Casa de Campo in 2015, and has since succeeded Gilles as the Director of Golf. Robert grew up in New Orleans and played his high school golf for Newman at the New Orleans Country Club. He went on to Mississippi State in order to attend their then-one-of-four-in-the-nation PGA-accredited professional golf management programs and earn a degree in business. He earned his PGA Professional membership in 2005 at the age of only 22, and immediately landed the prestigious position of Head Pro at Dorado Beach in Puerto Rico - where he oversaw the complete redesign and renovation of their ‘East Course’ - now known as Ritz Carlton’s ‘Reserve’. And, in 2014, he returned to New Orleans for a bit more than a year as the Head Pro at English Turn - before being lured to Casa de Campo for his combined expertise as a golf professional, golf business manager, and overseer of golf course management and renovations.
“I’m not sure the Fanjuls had already decided to renovate Teeth Of The Dog when they brought me on…but it was time,” Robert remarks. “The course was tired. We were trying to maintain the Greens where the sand cap had eroded over time leaving only a clay base. Many of the Bunkers were so worn or lopsided from years of wind-effect that they’d lost their ‘Pete Dye character’. A lot of trees needed to be trimmed-back, repositioned, or replaced. And, because of the encroachment over time of several varieties of grass, the main point of the renovation was to redo all the Fairways. …We selected Jerry Pate, at least in part, because Pete Dye had mentored Jerry as course architect and we knew Jerry would remain true to Pete’s vision. You may recall that it was Jerry who threw Pete into the lake at Sawgrass immediately following Jerry’s win at the 1982 inaugural Tournament Players Championship at Dye’s then-new Stadium Course. …We walked the course a thousand times, making notes hole-by-hole on absolutely everything we wanted to do. And the Fanjuls signed-off on the overall project without a change! …From start to finish the project took about five years, including the actual year of construction, and I’m pleased to say that - despite a big rain event that washed away an awful lot of seed in September 2025 - we got it all done on-time…if not on-budget! Pete Dye would have been 100 on December 29, 2025, and - having factored into every decision and the execution of every detail - I’m quite honored to have played a part in restoring and polishing this jewel in his legacy in time for that Centennial!”
“Teeth Of The Dog is an iconic and amazing course …and I think we’ve enhanced the look and play to make it even better!” Robert declares. “We have the prestige of being one of the regular hosts of the Latin America Amateur Championship and we’re known by most people as the best championship course in the Caribbean, but I think the real tribute is how Teeth has inspired golfers of every ability level and from all around the world! …And we’re proud to host one of the top junior development programs in the world - and certainly the most robust in the Caribbean. This August we hosted the Latin American Junior Golf Academy, with a dozen of the top juniors in the region, and throughout the year we sponsor local up-and-comers, providing them with free room, board, equipment, access to all our golf and training facilities, and golf instruction and coaching, as needed. …The Fanjuls are really terrific owners - with outstanding values!”
“My job includes overseeing the entirety of golf operations at Casa de Campo - including everything from course condition, to golf instruction, to the caddy program,” Robert explains. “ “But the most important part of my job is enhancing each guest’s golf experience - every day! It’s a daunting task, but I keep an eye on every single guest’s golf while they’re here - working hard to ensure that all tee times go according to plan, and that every guest gets to golf without any hassle or disturbance. …And I think one thing that really sets us apart at Casa de Campo, is our golf tournament vacations - where we organize all sorts of competitive but fun events in all sorts of formats for all levels of play. Whether it’s a couples’ scramble, or a foursome best ball, or a pro am, or a stroke play championship, we attend to all the details…so the guests can just enjoy themselves!”
“But I’d be remiss to laud all this attention on Teeth Of The Dog - however deserved - without also mentioning all the other superlative golf Casa de Campo has to offer,” Robert adds. “We have three unbelievably good ‘nines’ at Dye Fore, on the eastern end of the property! …The first, called Chavon, sits high atop the banks of the Chavon River - where Jewel of the Nile was filmed - with half of the holes practically hanging on the cliff! It’s like golfing in Jurassic Park. And the long Par Threes, undulating fairways, and tight greens make this ‘nine’ a challenging favorite. The second ‘nine’, called the Marina for its views of the yacht-filled harbor and the open ocean, is probably equally as challenging - but stands-out as a pure and pleasurable play. Elevated Tee Boxes and wide Fairways give the player the feeling that par is possible on every hole - even if the reality is really quite different. And the third and newest ‘nine’, called Lagos for the many lakes interspersed around this links-styled course, just may be the toughest ‘nine’ on the property. It’s long and lanky, and difficult and demanding. …And then there’s The Links, which meanders up and down the hills inland of the beach. It has several great dog-legs, a couple of Greens surrounded by Bunkers like an island surrounded by water, and a couple of Greens set just behind large water features, and quite a few incredibly dramatic elevated Greens complexes. While many golfers feel The Links may be the easiest course on the property for anyone looking for more pleasure than predicament, Pete Dye used to say that The Link’s Greens were some of the best he ever created, and players who lack a sharp short-game may experience some of their highest scores on this exceptional layout.
“And Casa de Campo is much more than just golf!” adds Jason Kycek, who is VP of Sales and the Chief Marketing Officer of the entire 7,000 acre resort. “We’re a world-class premier luxury resort and work hard to live-up to the highest standards in every respect!”
“…We’re well-known for our villas, including the resort’s multi-bedroom suites, and the selection of private residences managed by the resort - that have as many bedrooms as are required, come with maids and butlers and cooks, and private pools, and golf carts, and just about any other indulgent and catered luxury desired. Our main hotel, with a variety of rooms and casitas, includes its own pool with swim-up bar among other superlative features. And we’ve recently completed a total of 58 ultra-luxurious Premier Suites, with elevated concierge services and a dedicated and substantial guest lounge with complimentary all-day nibbles, a full service bar, and plenty of seating and space to take some time out to read or get some work done.”
“...We have a wide selection of fine dining, including a total of 12 restaurants. There’s La Caña in the main hotel, which offers an upscale Modern American menu - including a perfectly prepared Filet Mignon and a best-ever Pumpkin Risotto. There’s the open-air Minitas at the Minitas Beach Club - a pool reserved for adults alongside Casa de Campo’s long white-sand beach, offering everything from a Fried Chicken Sandwich to a Dominican-styled Red Snapper…and plenty of delicious specialty drinks to keep the party going after the beach day is over! At Altos de Chavon - the medieval-styled stone fortress overlooking the Chavon RIver, complete with a church and a 6,000 seat amphitheater - there’s Piazzetta for fine Italian, Mariettas for a more fun mixed fare, Chilango for Mexican food, and several other charming restaurants. And in the Marina, there’s SBG’s fine food offering, with a Spaghetti served from a Wheel of Parmesan Cheese as one of the house specialities, La Casita for a more European selection of dishes, and Causa for some tasty Peruvian treats. …And then, right next to The Teeth’s Pro Shop, there’s Lagos - for a buffet breakfast that will satisfy any breakfast buff, with a stunning view overlooking the Teeth’s 9th Hole and out to the wide blue Caribbean. …And Coco Mar or Squeeze Bar to catch a snack at the beech. …And 24-hour a day room service.”
“And we recently added a full-service world-class Spa, that includes an outdoor pool with a waterfall and all sorts of high-pressure water features, an ice bath, a hot tub, a shaven ice dispenser, a steam and a sauna, and an ample suite of treatment and relaxation rooms. The Spa is the Dominican Republic’s first and only Forbes Four Star rated Spa, and it has taken our focus on health and wellness for our guests and homeowner community to another level.”
“Our racquet sport facilities are as exceptional as our golf! We have 12 tennis courts, 4 pickleball courts, and 4 padel courts located adjacent and dedicated to our collection of Tennis Villas. And we have 12 tennis courts, 4 pickleball courts - with 4 more planned, and 4 brand-new padel courts at our Racquets Center - with top quality pros and ‘hitters’ who are like backboards always available.”
“We have a complete shooting center with trap and skeet, and a new archery center, both with expert instructors and quality equipment available.
…And an expansive equestrian center, with horses available for hire, which includes facilities to house numerous polo teams, which becomes the center of the universe for the international polo community each winter. …And, again, our breaker-protected Minitas Beach, complete with an offering of snorkeling gear, rafts, paddle-wheelers, and other toys for the sand and surf.”
“And we’ve developed a ton of programming for our guests’ entertainment and enjoyment, including our now annual Food & Wine Festival, held each October, when a handful of internationally acclaimed chefs come in to delight and ‘full-fill’ our guests, and a number of concerts and holiday festivals peppered throughout the yearly schedule.”
“And if all that isn’t enough, you can tour the old Tabacalera de Garcia cigar factory located on-property to watch cigars being processed, rolled, and prepared for sale, or the old La Casa del Ron sugar cane refinery also located on property, or go off-property for a short trip to Catalina Island to go snorkeling, or take a fishing charter to go after the giant Marlin, Sailfish, Amberjack, and Giant Grouper that are prevalent in the deep water just offshore.”
“The only way to truly understand what a paradise Casa de Campo is - is to come and experience the property for yourself!” Jason entreats. “And notwithstanding everything we have to offer, the achievement of completing the total renovation of Teeth Of The Dog, and our continuing to win all kinds of travel and golf accolades and awards for the excellence of our property and service…we will continue to invest and make improvements and additions to the property in the years ahead.”
For reservations, guests can call on their own personal travel professional or contact the resort directly by calling (855) 657-5955 or visiting the website at www.casadecampo.com.do.
Guests can fly-in privately or on American Airlines’ daily flight from Miami to the airport in La Romana (LRM) - only 5 minutes away from the resort! Or fly into Punta Cana (PUJ) or Santo Domingo (SDQ) - each only an easy 45 minute drive from the property.