If you have been traveling recently, you have likely noticed that many others are as well. Airports are busy once again and hotel reservations, especially in resorts, are hard to come by.

Tee times aren’t easy to come by and if you are going to need a rental car this summer, some advice: Reserve now.

As the demand for travel normalizes, and in some cases exceeds pre-COVID levels, the industry as a whole is struggling to bring back staff as quickly as needed. Two words to keep in mind for the coming months are “planning” and “patience.”

This brings me to a favorite winter destination. While you may think it is a bit early to start thinking about where to golf when the snow starts, others are acting accordingly. That is why Casa de Campo in the Dominican Republic is filling up quickly. With four resort golf courses – including Pete Dye’s masterpiece, Teeth of Dog – Casa is the perfect winter golf getaway.

For those who have not been, Casa de Campo is a private Caribbean resort spread across 7,000 acres. In addition to the great golf, there is a terrific hotel, hundreds of homes, many great restaurants, a massive marina, world-class sport shooting, equestrian, polo, Minitas Beach, and Catalina Island.

The variety of dining options is outstanding. Long-time favorites include Minitas Beach Club (fresh seafood, of course); La Piazzetta, where upscale Italian shines; La Casita at the Marina offers a Spanish-focused menu with great views of the yachts; and La Cana has food choices that reflect global palates. The newest addition to the dining scene is Causa with its Peruvian dishes.

Yes, so many options will keep you moving, but don’t fret. Golf carts are included with each room to help accommodate.

An abundance of choices helps explain why Casa de Campo is closing in on a 50th birthday and why it has been a favorite destination of many New Englanders. My first trip was in 1998 and I don’t hesitate to say: If you have not been there in a while, it is time to visit again. Recent renovations to the Hotel and Beach Club stand out and the very solid 27-hole Dye Fore Course, opened in 2003, might be new to some.

Located at Altos de Chavon, a replica of an ancient Italian village set within the resort, Dye Fore features dramatic views of the Marina on the front nine and the Chavon River along the back.

Of course, Teeth of the Dog remains the centerpiece, and it is as good as ever. With the Caribbean serving as a very-much-in-play penalty area on seven holes and as a brilliant backdrop on others, Teeth of the Dog redefines what it means for a golf course to be “seaside.”

Pete Dye said on many occasions that Teeth of the Dog was his favorite of the many fantastic courses he designed.

The Links Course at Casa is always a treat. While it does not have the dramatic scenery that punctuates Teeth of the Dog and even Dye Fore,

The Links presents a satisfying challenge and a good number of memorable holes.

There is an airport at Casa de Campo, but not for commercial flights. Instead, Punta Cana Airport is about a 40-minute ride from the resort, though a highway built 10 years ago makes it an easy trip. Flights from east coast airports are plentiful.