10 Hours of Flying for a Weekend in Curaçao and Not the Weather You Expect!
Getting flown in for a photoshoot in Curaçao, only to have disappointing weather every morning. Golf course photography is about playing with the weather—maybe I should have been a weatherman instead. That’s what makes the job of a golf course photographer so difficult. Despite the weather not being perfect, I was still able to capture some fantastic photos. Here’s a short report on the Curaçao photoshoot at Old Quarry Golf Course.
A Weekend Trip for a Fantastic Photoshoot at Old Quarry Golf
Early Friday morning, I headed to Schiphol for a flight of about 10 hours. Leaving at 0 degrees Celsius and arriving at 30 degrees is quite a contrast. When I land at 6:00 PM local time, I still catch the beautiful evening light as we grab a drink and some food on the way to the golf course. The sky is stunning. What immediately stands out to me is how quickly the sun sets. In the Netherlands, sunset takes around 45 minutes; here, it’s over in just 15. That will be a challenge. The first photoshoot is scheduled for tomorrow morning. This won’t be a relaxing weekend.
No Sleeping In for a Golf Course Photographer
At 5:30 AM, the alarm goes off (in my head, it already feels like 10:30 AM due to the time difference, but thankfully, that doesn’t bother me much. Getting used to the heat is more challenging). At 6:00 AM, we are all ready to head to the golf course. Once we arrive, it quickly becomes clear that the lighting is, to put it mildly, disappointing. The sun rises in the east, and unfortunately, that’s also where the clouds are coming from. Hmm… guess we’ll have to wait. This is the reality of photography—even in a place like Curaçao, where you’d think it’s always sunny, clouds can still appear.
Fortunately, the Light Turned Out Beautiful in the Following Days
Even though the first morning was a washout due to the clouds, the late afternoon, evening, and the next two mornings turned out to be much better. The result? A fantastic photography weekend in an incredible location—where, apparently, the sun doesn’t always shine. As I’ve learned over the years, the weather is never completely predictable, especially on an island.
Old Quarry Golf Course
Old Quarry Golf Course is truly stunning. Not a single hole looks the same. The variety of holes, elevation changes, and breathtaking views make this course well worth playing. In particular, holes 1, 2, and 7 offer spectacular views of the ocean and harbor. The quality is superb—pristine greens, beautifully mowed fairways, and immaculate tee boxes. What more could you ask for? Playing golf in 30-degree weather with a sea breeze on a beautifully maintained course.
If you ever find yourself in Curaçao and want to play a round of golf, book a tee time at Old Quarry Golf Course!
