In the 1990’s legendary golfer Jack Nicklaus visited Los Cabos and launched a ‘desert by the sea’ paradise that attracts golfers of all abilities from around the world. Other renowned designers have followed, with names like Robert Trent Jones Jr, Greg Norman, Tom Fazio, Roy and Pete Dye, and Tom Wiesopf creating premier courses with stunning beauty and challenging play. Often termed the Golf Capital of Latin America, nearly twenty courses are spread along a twenty mile stretch bracketed by Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo with four courses being ranked by Golfing Digest among the top hundred in the world.
There are both public and private courses in Los Cabos, with the latter typically requiring a membership in order to reserve play. Advance tee time reservations for individuals and groups are strongly advised and can in many cases be secured as early as a full year in advance. Note that advantageous rates and availability can often be found for times later in the afternoon and evening. Rental clubs and lessons are readily available, though best to be pre-arranged.
Club Campestre
Settled at the base of the Sierra de la Laguna Mountains, Club Campestre takes perfect advantage of gentle foothills and desert panoramas. This well maintained Jack Nicklaus designed championship level course dramatically and seamlessly blends into the natural landscape and the raised elevation of the back nine allows for a breathtaking overlook of the ocean waters below. Club Campestre was the first local course to plan paspalum, a brilliant green saltwater resistant grass that undulates along the course contours.
Puerto Los Cabos
Enclosed within an innovative master planned resort community on the East Cape, the links at Puerto Los Cabos offer three unique 18 hole combinations that celebrate the styles of two legendary designers, Jack Nicklaus and Greg Norman. Surrounded by exclusive gated vacation residences and perched above the waters below, Puerto Los Cabos showcases Baja’s iconic ‘desert meets sea’ landscape with a sea view found at every hole. This championship quality course meticulously integrates rolling foothills within and features vistas of Baja dunes, the Sierra de la Laguna mountains, and the Puerto Los Cabos marina.
Palmilla
The ‘Grand Dame of Los Cabos golf’ is Jack Nicklaus’ first signature designed course in Latin America, and considered by many as the premier course in Southern Baja. The challenging and championship grade Palmilla course straddles deep desert canyon arroyos populated by ancient cacti, serving as a celebration of desert and mountain terrain. The nine holes of the ocean section allow for beachside play and all 27 holes feature mesmerizing views of the Sea of Cortez. Daily tradewinds make for pleasant conditions at a course that is considered as a masterpiece.
Cabo del Sol
Composed of two legendary courses, Cabo del Sol affords a thrilling play experience amidst a timeless landscape of desert and mountain while grandly overlooking the Sea of Cortez, Formerly the Desert Course, the Cabo del Sol course was designed by Tom Weiskopf, his first in Mexico. This challenging course is masterfully crafted, incorporating natural river washes and dramatic bunkering. A foliaged oasis winds through canyon arroyos and the course delivers a panoramic ocean view from every hole. Formerly the Ocean course, the Cove Club course is a Jack Nicklaus signature design; running for a mile alongside the water, the final three holes in this course are oceanfront and unforgettable, perched stunningly above roaring waters. The site of numerous championships, both courses attract golfers from around the world.
Cabo Real
Serving as a delightful centerpiece of Cabo Real resort and associated residences, the Cabo Real golf course is a multi themed target style course designed by Robert Trent Jones Jr. The host of two Senior Slams and additional prestigious tournaments, all holes at Cabo Real enjoy an iconic view of the Sea of Cortez, The gentle front nine was artfully refashioned from a previous design and features broad, undulating fairways that tumble down to the sea waters The back nine holes are carved into desert foothills, crossing arroyos, winding through cacti laden canyons, and incorporating freeform bunkering, creating a joyous impression of expansiveness.
Costa Palmas (East Cape)
A world class jewel upon the East Cape, Costa Palmas was designed by Robert Trent Jones Jr as an 18 hole walkable links style course with firm and fast terrain suitable for all levels. Incorporating panoramic desert and ocean scenery, Costa Palmas celebrates the diverse natural beauty of the East Cape through a design that gracefully mimics the native terrain. The course is composed of three sections: a manicured dunescape, an upland section, and the marina series of holes that ends with gorgeous views of the Costa Palmas marina.
Cabo Del Sol Golf Club and Resort offers its visitors two championship courses with five tee boxes to choose from.
The Cabo Del Sol Ocean Course – Designed by Jack Nicklaus and presently ranked 68th by Golf Magazine in its list of the “Top 100 Courses in the World” is known as the Pebble Beach of Mexico.
Jack Nicklaus calls this piece of land “the best piece of golf property I’ve ever seen”. Jack even has his own tee box hidden behind the 16th green! In typical Nicklaus style, he has used the natural beauty of the area and with six holes bordered by the ocean, it is challenging and exhilarating to play. Nominating a signature hole is difficult here since outstanding views and proximity to the ocean render each hole memorable. On the front nine, Jack Nicklaus has placed two par-3s in a row, the sixth and the seventh hole. Both have the ocean on the left, with the seventh adding a carry over an arroyo to a three tier green, 44-yards long. The par-4 17th plays downhill towards the ocean, with the green sitting right on the edge of the beach, bordered by water.
Perhaps the most inspiring and most photographed hole on the course is the par-3 17th hole which requires a carry directly over the crashing surf of a small bay to a postage stamp of a green. Rock cliffs leading to the ocean frame the par-4 18th fairway, and as you play, you are easily reminded of the Nicklaus comment that these are “the best three finishing holes in all of golf!”
The Cabo Del Sol Desert Course – Designed by Tom Weiskopf and opened in January of 2002.
It is accessed by the same clubhouse as the Ocean course, spreading around it and across the other side of the highway up the mountainside. As a result, every hole has an ocean view. Throughout the desert course, you will notice several Weiskopf trademark features. Many of the holes have false fronts, which means you will inevitably seen your ball rolling away from you should you not land it squarely on the green. There are also “elephants” in the greens – interesting undulations – requiring patience and strategy when putting. To play this course well, you should consult the players booklet handed out by the starter or you will be misled by what you cannot see from the tee box. Rocky outcrops look as if they make the fairway too narrow to hit, until you arrive and find it opens out behind the rock face. This is a thinker’s course and Tom Weiskoft places long difficult holes followed by easier able ones. The par-5 third hole is a long 626-yards and tough since you are invariably playing into the wind while the par-4 fourth is more forgiving. There is not much water to be seen on this course but plenty of arroyos and rocks to challenge even the most talented player.
* Prices include 10% tax, cart, driving range, ball markers, course guide, tees and bottled water.
Palmilla offers golfers spectacular views of the Sea of Cortèz from nearly every hole as it winds through centuries-old cardon cacti and rugged desert mountain terrain, making each hole a memorable experience for golfers of every skill level. The course is divided into the 3,337-yard Arroyo Nine, the 3,602-yard Mountain Nine and the 3,548-yard*Prices include cart, practice balls, and bottled water.
Cabo Real Golf Club – Designed by Robert Trent Jones II, this amazing course winds its way around beautiful homes and the ultra-exclusive Las Ventanas al Paraiso Hotel. But the development is not so intrusive as to spoil the feeling of space and expansive ocean views. The site of the 1996 PGA Senior Slam Tournament, it is designed to challenge the low handicapper, yet with multiple tees, it is also fun for players of any level.Trent Jones II places fairway sand traps at distances from the tee boxes that require straight and direct tee shots or one will be playing from the sand! Rolling fairways move up the mountainside then drop back down toward the beach.From the elevated tee box on the par-4 ninth, a lake on the left and the ocean in the distance frames the fairway. The course moves towards the water for the back nine, with the par-4 14th sweeping down to the ocean on a palm tree-lined fairway, culminating in an elevated green right next to the rolling surf. The par-3 15th runs along the beach where tee shot accuracy once again becomes important in order to stay out of the surf.Recognition & Beauty:Grass Type: Tees y Fairways – Bermuda, Greens – TIF Dwarf
* Includes 10% Tax, cart, driving range and bottled water.
Cabo San Lucas Country Club (formerly known as The Raven) – At the southernmost tip of Sea of Cortez meets the Pacific Ocean, unspoiled desert melts into emerald waters. Days are sunny, humidity is low, vegetation is lush. Is any place more perfect for golf? The beautiful Cabo san Lucas Golf Club is open to the public and is the only course in Los Cabos located close enough to town for a reasonable taxi ride.“With elevation changes of 300 feet and subtle terracing up the hillside, Cabo San Lucas Country Club’s sensational Dye designed championship course offers the area’s only fairway views of Land’s End, San Lucas Bay and the Sea of Cortez. Carved out of the natural mountain and desert terrain, the challenging Cabo San Lucas Country Golf Club at Cabo San Lucas features expansive fairways, nine sparkling lakes and a lush landscape of Torote trees, Cardon Cacti and Palo Blancos.
* Prices above for the Cabo San Lucas Country Golf Club at Cabo San Lucas include cart, practice range, and bottled water.
