Puerto Los Cabos

The verdict

Few courses give you two design legends in a single round. At Puerto Los Cabos the nines of Greg Norman and Jack Nicklaus combine into one championship 18, and the result is dramatic, generous and very much a resort experience in the best sense. The land does the heavy lifting, falling over 400 feet from the arroyos and cactus of the desert foothills down to the blue of the Sea of Cortez, so the views are spectacular and several holes finish hard against the water.

It is built for enjoyment as much as challenge. Wide corridors and forgiving lines let mid handicappers swing freely, while the back tees and the cliff edge greens give better players plenty to think about. The on course palapas, staffed and stocked so that food and drink are included in the fee, are part of the appeal, and the whole thing slots neatly into a Los Cabos trip rich with great courses. Pair it with the Nicklaus and Norman designs nearby and you have one of the strongest golf destinations in the Americas.

The holes worth the trip

The routing makes the most of more than 400 feet of elevation change. The Norman holes are bold and muscular, cut through desert arroyos with generous landing areas and dramatic drops, while the Nicklaus holes bring a more strategic, target style of golf and some of the closest contact with the Sea of Cortez. Together they give a round of real variety, from inland desert drama to oceanfront finishes.

It is a course that flatters good shots and forgives the occasional poor one, which is exactly what most resort golfers want. The fairways are wide, the trouble is mostly desert and sand rather than punishing rough, and the greens are sized to receive long approaches. From the back tees, though, the wind off the water and the cliff edge green sites will test the lowest handicaps.

The signature stretch runs along the Sea of Cortez, where the holes flirt with the beach and the views are simply enormous. Add the included food and drink waiting at the palapas and a round at Puerto Los Cabos becomes as much an event as a test, the kind of day that defines a Los Cabos golf trip.

Where to stay nearby

Most golfers playing Puerto Los Cabos stay in or around San Jose del Cabo, the more relaxed of the two Cabo towns, where boutique hotels and large beach resorts sit minutes from the course. The wider Los Cabos corridor down to Cabo San Lucas puts a remarkable concentration of championship golf within a short drive.

For a golf focused trip we can pair Puerto Los Cabos with the best of the Baja coast, from the oceanfront Nicklaus courses to the desert layouts inland, and arrange the lodging, tee times and transfers around them. Los Cabos rewards a multi course itinerary, and we will build it around the courses you most want to play.

Looking for a base? See our recommended hotels and resorts near Puerto Los Cabos.