Golf in Los Cabos has come a long way since Jack Nicklaus designed his first course there – Palmilla – in 1992. The once rural area known primarily for its party atmosphere and deep-sea fishing now has 15 golf courses and several high-end resorts throughout the region.
While some debate the merits of that growth in an area that weaves through areas that pristine and impoverished in hardscrabble fashion, the tourism industry has been helped by the golf and resort additions, according to Esteban Toledo, a Champions Tour player from Mexico who lived in Orange County before a recent move to Houston.
“The average person wants to come out and enjoy himself here,” said Toledo, who promotes Los Cabos on his golf bag and clothing. “It’s important to let the tourists know that we have everything here – nice resorts, good food, great beaches, family activities and superb golf.”
Nicklaus – a designer in high demand – now has six course layouts in Los Cabos, with the latest being Quivira Golf Club that opened in late 2014. Quivira director of golf Brad Wheatley has witnessed much of the region’s golf and resort growth, and his latest venture with Nicklaus is his fourth overall and third in Los Cabos, having helped with Palmilla and Cabo del Sol, another stunning piece of property with two courses, the other designed by Tom Weiskopf.
“Cabo del Sol is spectacular, but nothing compared to this as far as sheer dramatic beauty,” Wheatley said about Quvira. “Ninety nine percent of the players here say this is the most spectacular golf course they’ve ever played.”
Having another Nicklaus course in the region also enhances the draw, Wheatley said about Quivira, which includes resorts and residential properties and is abutted by the Tiger Woods-designed El Cardonal and Davis Love-designed Dunes Course at Diamante, both of which are also new to Cabo’s golf scene.
“He’s the king of the game and, in my mind, the king of the design business too,” Wheatley said about Nicklaus. “Having his name attached to Quivira is huge for the property and another good thing for Los Cabos.”
Quivira and other sites at the tip of the Baja Peninsula are part of a roundup in this issue (June 2016) of cool golf resorts and clubs, with Toledo picking nine of his favorite holes in Los Cabos as part of the package. We also offer you a glimpse of some nice golf courses and resorts in Hawaii, Arizona and the Southland, with all three areas teeming with options.
I’ve have had an opportunity to play or visit many of the featured sites in the previous decade or so. Needless to say, most are spectacular and worthy of a visit if your time and budget allows.
