Los Cabos: A Golfer’s Paradise
All “fore!” Cabo! From the glistening waters of the Sea of Cortez, to the peaks of the Sierra de la Laguna mountain range, the natural beauty of Los Cabos makes for an incredible golfing experience. While each varies in style and difficulty, all the Cabo golf courses share this breathtaking landscape that has brought the region into the golfing spotlight.
From Nicklaus to Norman, world-renowned golf champions have made their mark in the golfing scene on the tip of the Baja Peninsula. With courses for novice and expert golfers alike, the following courses brilliantly combine world-class golfing styles and use of the natural landscape to create some of the best golf the world has to offer.
Cabo del Sol – The Ocean Golf Course
Consistently ranked as one of the top 100 golf courses in the world by Golf Magazine, this Jack Nicklaus-designed course offers a world-class golfing experience, and is framed by dramatic views of the Sea of Cortez, mountains and desert. Jack Nicklaus himself described the course as, “the best golf property I’ve ever seen.” Seven of the course’s 18 holes are artistically placed along the rocky outcroppings of the coastline, and the 7075-yard course stretches over a mile across some of the most beautiful terrain in the country. The design of the Ocean Golf Course both harnesses the natural beauty of the landscape, and allows all levels of golfers to be challenged and excited by the course.
When you go: Watch out for the 5th and the signature 17th holes – Golf Magazine ranks these in the top 500 holes in the world.
The Desert Golf Course: A Challenging Cabo Favorite
The Desert Golf Course is unique among other Los Cabos golf courses, with its primarily desert landscape. Designed by Tom Weiskopf, each of the 18 holes on the Desert Golf Course features a beautiful ocean view. The course length varies from 4,810 to 7,100, and experienced golfers will find challenges with the combination of undulating greens, challenging elevation changes and dramatic bunkering. The Golf Digest ranks this course 6th among all courses in Mexico, just behind Nicklaus’ Ocean Course. While The Desert Course is not for the beginner golfer, more advanced players will enjoy the technical challenges this course presents.
When you go: Look for the beer cart. Cheers!
Puerto Los Cabos Golf Courses
On this exciting and interesting course designed by a combination of two world-renowned golf champions, golfers can spend their first nine holes on a Jack Nicklaus course and their second nine on a Greg Norman course. The Puerto Los Cabos course presents a unique chance to experience the contrasting styles of Nicklaus “The Golden Bear” and Norman “The Great White Shark” in 18 holes. Both courses are set to be expanded to each have 18 holes, but for now, golfers can pit the styles up against each other, enjoying incredible views and world-class holes throughout.
When you go: Check out the Shark’s Cove on the front nine and the Bear’s Den on the back.
Cabo Real Golf Club
Cabo Real features 3.2 miles of beachfront, and was designed by Robert Trent Jones, Jr. This course has been the location for the 1996 and 1999 PGA Senior Slam Events. The first nine of the course offers a gentle and scenic warm-up, while the back nine provide a true test of golfing ability. Like at all other Los Cabos courses, golfers are surrounded by the natural beauty of the rugged coastline and mountainous backdrop. The mounds on the course are designed to mimic the natural landscape of the Sierra de la Laguna mountain peaks. The Cabo Real Golf course provides beautiful, yet challenging, golf experience.
When you go: Get ready for the 14th hole, carved into a precipice at the edge of a steep canyon at the highest point of the course, sitting at almost 500 feet above the sea.
Palmilla: Golf at Cabo’s Best
The grande dame of Los Cabos golf, Palmilla Golf Club is famous for 27 holes of world-class golf and spectacular views. The first Jack Nicklaus-designed course in Latin America, this masterfully conceived golf course is both stunning and challenging. There are spectacular views of the sea on every hole, and each of the nine-hole Palmilla golf courses (Ocean, Arroyo, and Mountain) features five sets of tees to test golfers of all skill levels. Palmilla Golf Club has a great clubhouse, onsite golf shop, and plenty of pros to assist you. With skillful design, expert management, and an idyllic setting, Palmilla Golf Club is consistently recognized as one of Los Cabos’ top golf courses and one of the finest resort golf properties in the world. The One&Only Palmilla has received numerous awards including “The 75 Best Golf Resorts in North America” from Golf Digest, “Top 100 Golf Resort” from Travel + Leisure, and the “#1 Golf Course in Mexico” by Cigar Aficionado.
Quivera Golf Club: Great Golf in Cabo
Situated at the tip of the Baja Peninsula is a Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Course unlike any other in Mexico. Routed along sheer cliffs, windswept dunes and desert foothills, Quivera has views off the Pacific from all 18 holes and offers more oceanfront exposure than any other course in Los Cabos. The well-strategized layout has four tee placements ranging from 7,139 to 4,763 yards. The course starts at sea level, scales cliffs 200 feet above the surf, spans canyons and arroyos and meanders through dunes and desert before returning to the sea.