Considering moving to the DR from Canada

Welcome to the forums!   Two totally different areas. Both with pros and cons!

Everyone will have preferences! 

Punta cana has more gold courses close and better golf courses.  It's more expensive to live there. Beautiful beaches.

Puerto Plata only has one course nearby and it's okay.  Much prettier coast then punta cana and while it has some beautiful beaches it's more a rugged coast.  Puerto Plata is a Dominican small city with all it's culture I also consider it less expensive.

Please do NOT post personal contact information on a public forum. It is being removed!

Two very different parts of the country in a lot of ways.  From your post you seem to have golf high on your priorities.   If that is so, then stay in PC. 

As Planner mentioned, there is only one accessible course in POP. Playa Dorado is a Robert Trent Jones course. It hit hard time during Covid and nearly lost its rights to RTJ branding.  However they have made a lot of progress in the last couple of years and it’s much better now.

Plans are being discussed about a new development neat POP that would include a new course, but being in the DR, this could take years.

We are golfers but prefer the North Coast. A lot more personality and IMO much prettier as well. We hit PC once or twice a year for short golf trips.

Hopefully here is a more detailed answer to your question.  Yes, many more golf courses are in the PC area and all seem to be top-shelf, with a price to match.  For tourist the green fees are several hundred dollars, then add a high price club rental, cart rental, and maybe a fore-caddy, balls, and drinks.  Price per shot gets pretty expensive, unless you are a horrible player.  PP does have Playa Dorado, which is the lesser evil, but still costly.  PP also has Los Mangos, which I have played a few times which is not much of a course, but less than $100 for all.  Don't expect much, but just have a fun time.  There is also a course on the North Shore near Cabrerra.  It was a fairly inexpensive option, but has really gone up in price.  Good golfing!

Once living here and with residency you can join FEDOGOLF which lowers the costs dramatically! 

There is no golf course available near Cabrera..... very private only