Luxury Vacations: Avid horseman Sir Winston Churchill once said that “A polo handicap is your passport to the world.” Jeff Evelyn, vice captain of the storied Barbados Polo Club on the posh island resort, is now offering polo lessons for those who want to learn the sport of kings. Polo in the former British colony, where Queen Elizabeth II is nominally still head of state, dates back to 1884 and has long been the province of British aristocrats with mansions on the island paradise. Barbados is also home to Sandy Lane, considered by many to be the world’s finest beach resort.

You’ll need to have at least basic horse riding skills before setting out to learn playing polo. Evelyn’s beginner’s course consists of personal instruction on wielding the mallet, hitting the ball, and of course staying in the saddle while doing so; he provides the polo ponies from the club’s stable. Once you’re comfortable Evelyn will stage practice matches at the club’s Holders polo grounds in St. James so you can try scoring a goal. The Barbados Polo Open, where world-class sportsmen such as Britain’s Prince Harry compete, takes place March 14-21.