Cabo San Lucas Golf Guide

There really is an impressive display of riches when it comes to options for Cabo San Lucas golf. There are 16 courses in the region, and, of those 16 courses, four of them received the prestigious designation of being ranked among Golf Digest’s 100 Best Courses (U.S. excluded) for 2018. A whopping 25 percent of the courses in Cabo are considered to be world-class. Those championship courses are Querencia, Quivira, The Dunes at Diamante, and the Ocean Course at Cabo del Sol. There are several other rankings that contain Los Cabos golf courses as well, along with new ones that are published each year.

The Cabo Golf landscape could also change very quickly. During the time this cabo golf guide was written, there are four more courses in various stages of development in Cabo, and those courses are slated to feature designs from some of the most popular golfers of all time, including Jack Nicklaus, Greg Norman, and Tiger Woods. In other words, Cabo San Lucas is currently in the midst of a golf boom. This, however, is not a recent occurrence. This Cabo golf boom actually started back in the early ‘90s when Jack Nicklaus first came to the region and fell in love with the climate, weather, and beautiful Baja California Pacific Ocean views, all of which add up to a challenging championship golfer environment that is absolutely perfect for golf.

Like everything else in Los Cabos these days, the newer goof course layouts will feature the utmost trappings of high luxury, including amenities such as golf carts with GPS yardage displays, mid-course comfort stops with cocktails and snacks, and, in one instance, a fine steakhouse rather than a standard 19th Hole lounge adjacent to the pro shop. There is, quite simply, a lot to love about Los Cabos golf. The following courses top our list of the most impressive and accessible golf in Cabo. If you need help gaining access to any of the following, please contact our concierge who will assist in anyway they can.

While the desert course is an excellent choice for a round of Cabo golf on its own merits, the real star of the show at Cabo del Sol is the Ocean Course. This, you may remember from earlier, is one of the four Cabo San Lucas golf courses that was ranked by Golf Digest as the top 100 in the entire world. It is, simply put, a well-deserved title. This is one of a handful of courses in the region that was designed by the legendary golfer Jack Nicklaus, who has had arguably the single greatest impact on Cabo golf over the years. While Nicklaus has gone on to design others, this was his first local masterpiece, making its debut all the way back in 1994.

Nicklaus was quoted at the time as saying this was “the best golf property” that he’d ever seen, paying special praise to the final two holes, which he described as being the best finishing holes of any golf course not just in Los Cabos, but in the entire world. Nicklaus is not alone in loving this course. Over the years it has proven to be quite popular among residents and guests. The aforementioned Golf Digest accolade is just one in a long line of awards, praise, and rankings accumulated by the Cabo del Sol Ocean Course.

Why, you may wonder, is this location so popular? Well, it really gets at the heart of what Los Cabos golf has to offer. Cabo del Sol is a world-class layout, spanning a total of 7,111 absolutely gorgeous yards when it is played from the tips. In addition, it also boasts stunning desert landscape views, majestic mountain vistas, and a whopping seven holes that border the Sea of Cortéz. In fact, the water is so close to the dual par 3s of holes six and seven, that golfers may be tempted to wade right in.

* This is a private course that can only be played with a member.

Not only are we big fans of Cabo del Sol Golf, but we also love the community and amentities that surround it. The Cabo del Sol pro shop is hands down one of the best in the region. With an incredible source of high end fashion, kids clothes and leisure/sports wear, the Cabo del Sol pro shop is stocked to outfit anyone for a semi-formal “baja style” event. The pro shop is across the breezeway from the Cabo del Sol restaurant, which hosts one of Cabo’s best Sunday Brunches. On any given Sunday, you can witenss families indulging in the wide array of buffet brunch while waiting for Dad and Big Brother to finish on the course.

As this article was being written, the Cabo del Sol community was undergoing a massive development which is changing the community layout, design and structure of the Cabo de Sol environment. This new development is called The Cove and will be the coveted section of Cabo del Sol. Developed by the same partners that assisted with El Dorado, The Cove at Cabo del Sol will be a high-end luxury offering to those that desire solitude and exclusivity. The Cove has made reference to taking a portion of the Cabo del Sol Golf course private and packaging this together with an exclusive members-only beach club and other amentities. As the landscape is ever changing during a period of development, our Cabo Platinum real estate agents are always finding new information. Please call us for the latest updates and new product offerings from the Cove at Cabo del Sol.

Quivira golf was originally conceived when it opened in2014 as an exclusive amenity for guests of nearby Pueblo Bonito Resorts, which total four in all — Pueblo Bonito Blanco, Pueblo Bonito Rosé, Adults-only Pacifica Hotel and Pueblo Bonito Sunset Beach — as well as owners within the luxury residential developments of Quivira, Copala, Coronado, Montecristo Estates, Novaispania and Lighthouse Estates. This is really a perfect example of why working with an experienced real estate concierge can help you find the best investment opportunity for you as a golfer. Oh, and in addition, a second Quivira course from Nicklaus is currently in development and slated to open in the near future.

Our advice is to take your time and thoroughly enjoy your day playing Quivira Golf; don’t try and rush the experience. Besides the breathtaking photo opportunities, you will be indulging in a unique golf experience during your golf cart drive to the 5th hole. It is winding and steep, but worth every moment as you ascend up the side of a mountain, which is home to a legendary Quivira lighthouse. From there you will relish in the sensationally constructed mountain topography, while ducking in and out of well-stocked comfort stations and sit-down table service. Snap photos and take it in, because this is the golf location you will love telling the guys back home about.

* This is a private course that can only be played with a member or if you're staying on property - Call our office for more details.

Of the two Tiger Woods Cabo courses, The Oasis comes especially recommended, consisting as it does of 12 short par 3s that are in a practice-park setting with a central lake. Each hole is generally less than 100 yards, with the longest of the bunch being 143 yards. In this course, players will find short greens defended by sticky paspalum grass that is guaranteed to give their short game a work out.

The Tiger Woods’ designed “El Cardonal” course is a competitive work-out that winds through several sand dunes and ends on a vertical climb, with picture perfect views of the Pacific Ocean. Diamante’s El Cardonal is also a competitive round where the courses bend and break quickly, requiring expert shots on a fairway that many will only play once. With the same private-play rules required on Diamante’s Dunes Course, El Cardonal will require a special arrangement to reserve a tee-time.

* This is a private course that can only be played with a member or if you're staying on property.

Puerto Los Cabos, which first opened in 2007, is the only composite course in the world that features design elements from both Jack Nicklaus and Greg Norman. While Norman designed the nine-hole Mission Course, Nicklaus designed the challenging nine-hole Ocean Course. The original plan was for both Puerto Los Cabos Golf courses to be expanded into 18-hole layouts, although so far only Nicklaus has returned to complete his work. While Norman’s second half is not yet finished, this San Jose Del Cabo course is a great one for golf enthusiasts who enjoy variety, enabling them as it does to mix and match their favorite 18 from the 27 total holes. Puerto Los Cabos also has the distinction of serving tacos and burritos at its mid-course comfort stations.

With the completion of 27-holes, Puerto Los Cabos Gold also installed a brand new Club House facility. Complete with restaurant, pro shop, bar and meeting facilities, the new club house gives a refreshed look and feel to Puerto Los Cabos Golf. If it's your first time playing PLC, we recommend arriving with plenty of time to see the facilities and experience the practice range.

The popular Cabo San Lucas Country Club is a long-time favorite of golf enthusiasts who have been visiting or living in Cabo San Lucas for years. Part of the reason is that this club has been around longer than most. The Cabo San Lucas Country Club was actually part of the first wave of the golf boom in Los Cabos, way back in 1994. Its initial design was done by Roy Dye and his son Matt. Then, in December 2018 renowned Mexican golf course architect Agustín Pizá led a massive renovation of the course after it was damaged by Tropical Storm Lidia, one year prior. That renovation, which both shortened the back nine and also widened the fairway corridors to maximize the grandeur of the ocean views, repaired the course without seeming so drastic that it alienated those who had long loved to play there. All told, the renovation resulted in seven new holes, which experts have praised as giving new life to a course that has long been known for being one of the best values in Cabo San Lucas.

The signature trappings of Cabo San Lucas Country Club golf include picturesque fairways where golfers can enjoy the sights of colorful bougainvillea, palo blanco trees, and a smattering of a species of cacti that is the tallest in the entire world. What is perhaps most notable about Cabo San Lucas Country Club is that it is the only local layout in all of Cabo that treats players to views of Land’s End and its internationally-famous Arch. Even for those who are only vaguely interested in golf, playing these links may be worth it for the view of the Arch alone. Finally, for those who enjoy practice, this facility is also home to the area’s only after-hours driving range, which provides neon targets and well-priced buckets of beers.

This is a great golf location for stronger players who can really drive the ball, featuring as it does two holes that span more than 500 yards in total distance.