Golf in Los Cabos

Los Cabos, stretching between the two towns of Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo, has become a world famous golf destination. With its great year-round weather and challenging courses that take advantage of the natural dessert terrain and spectacular ocean views, it has become one of my favorites.

Each of the three-featured courses has five sets of staggered tee boxes to ensure an exciting game for golfers of all skill levels. Prices vary depending upon season and weather, but for 18 holes, you should expect to pay between and during the winter and between and in summer. Twilight rates, of course, are the lowest. Some hotels offer special rates to their guests at several of the courses. All prices include cart, practice balls & bottled water.

I visited three of these courses -- Cabo Real, Eldorado and Palmilla -- on my January trip, and delighted in teeing off with the warm ocean breezes at my back.

Quick Tips:

Be sure to check with your hotel to see if they offer their guests a discount for a round of golf at any of the courses in the area. Also, prior to leaving for your trip to Cabo, you can check out the website allaboutcabo.com for savings coupons to several courses.

Best Way To Get Around:

Depending upon where your hotel is, some of the courses will pick you up. Other options are hotel shuttle, taxi or rental car.

Cabo Real Golf Resort is situated halfway between San Jose and Cabo San Lucas. This 18-hole golf course was designed by Robert Trent Jones II and was the sight of the 1996 and 1999 PGA Senior Slam Tournament. With the rolling fairways and greens, narrow terrain, arroyos and well-placed traps it’s a challenge for low handicap golfers, but is also fun for the high-handicapper. The 7,000-yard course works its way through spectacular views of the sea and the mountains.

Eldorado Golf Course is situated primarily in the arroyo near the Westin Regina Hotel in the Cabo Real development. Designed by Jack Nicklaus, it extends on both sides of the Transpeninsular Highway and features 6 oceanfront holes on the Sea of Cortez. The remaining 12 holes are carved out in 2 pristine canyons with beautiful trees, cacti and rock formations. It has some very difficult terrain that even low-handicappers will find a challenge.

The Palmilla Golf Club is Mexico’s first Jack Nicklaus course. The 27-hole course is divided into the Arroyo Nine, the Mountain Nine, and the Ocean Nine. It winds through centuries-old cardon cacti and rugged desert mountain terrain, and offers spectacular views of the Sea of Cortez from nearly every hole.

Although shorter than the other two courses, each hole is a memorable experience for golfers of every skill level. I found hole #5 of the Mountain Course particularly impressive; this par 4, #1 handicap hole, has a fairway that’s surrounded by canyon and arroyo. From the tee box, you are required to hit over the canyon and onto the fairway, and then again over the canyon to get to the green.