Punta Mita Pacifico Course
Jack Nicklaus called this peninsula some of the prettiest land he had ever been given for golf, then proved it. The Pacifico, opened in 1999 on the tip of Mexico's Riviera Nayarit, is a 7,104 yard par 72 with eight holes on the Pacific and the most famous optional hole in golf: the Tail of the Whale, a par 3 to a natural island green in the ocean. Access runs through the Four Seasons and St. Regis. Here is the verdict, the facts, the holes and how to get on.
Photograph: James Sokolovic, via Google.
The verdict
The Pacifico is the round that made the Riviera Nayarit a golf destination. Nicklaus draped the course over a low headland where jungle meets ocean, and the routing keeps returning to the water: eight holes play along the Pacific, the rest move through palms, fig trees and flowering jungle with the Sierra Madre stacked behind. By Nicklaus Signature standards it is unusually relaxed, with wide landing areas, greens that accept the running shot, and the sense that the architect knew the setting needed no torture to be memorable.
The headline act is hole 3B, but the course around it is the most complete resort round in Mexico this side of Cabo, and the whole experience, amphibious carts, whales offshore in winter, ceviche cart on the back nine, is calibrated luxury. Among Mexico's marquee courses it sits alongside Quivira and Cabo del Sol on every shortlist, and for couples it may be the easiest of the three to love.
Punta Mita Pacifico at a glance
- Opened
- 1999
- Designer
- Jack Nicklaus
- Par
- 72
- Length
- 7,104 yds
- Type
- Oceanside resort
- Green fee
- ~$300 to $380
Designer, opening and layout verified June 2026. The Pacifico is a Jack Nicklaus Signature course that opened in 1999, a par 72 of 7,104 yards with eight oceanside holes and the optional Tail of the Whale island par 3. Indicative recent guest rates were advertised around 300 dollars with service fees and taxes taking the total toward 380 dollars per recent visitor reports; rates are quoted at booking and change by season and year, so always confirm directly before booking.
The holes worth the trip
The Tail of the Whale is golf's great novelty done seriously. From a tee on the beach, hole 3B plays about 199 yards across live ocean to a green set on a natural rock island shaped like a whale's tail, the first green of its kind anywhere in the world. At low tide you can walk to it across the rocks; otherwise the club's amphibious cart ferries you out. When surf or tide rules the island out, the alternate hole 3A waits on land, which is why scorecards here can read 19 holes. Nicklaus has called it his favorite par 3, and on a December day with humpbacks breaching beyond the green it is not hard to see why.
The rest of the course refuses to be a footnote. The oceanside stretch runs along rock and sand with the Pacific hard on one side, the par 3s play across coves and beach grass, and the inland holes turn through jungle where iguanas outnumber golfers. The closing holes return to the water for a finish that belongs in the brochure it inevitably appears in. Greens are slick, generous and beautifully kept, and the forward tees make the course an honest pleasure for every handicap in the group.
Take the caddie's read, order the ceviche at the comfort station, and budget an extra twenty minutes for photographs at 3B. Everyone does.
How to get on
| What to know | Detail |
|---|---|
| Access | Private club. Open to members, Punta Mita property owners and their guests, and guests of the Four Seasons Resort Punta Mita and the St. Regis Punta Mita; there is no walk up public play |
| Green fee | Indicative recent guest rates advertised around 300 dollars for 18 holes, with service fees and taxes pushing the all in figure toward 380 dollars per recent visitor reports |
| Booking | Reserve golf through your resort concierge when you book the room; winter high season tee sheets fill early, and the Pacifico and Bahia pair naturally as a 36 hole stay |
| On the day | Carts with GPS, caddies and forecaddies available, amphibious cart to the Tail of the Whale when conditions allow, and resort dress code throughout |
| Getting there | On the Punta Mita peninsula about 45 minutes northwest of Puerto Vallarta international airport |
| Best months | November to May for dry season sun; December to March adds the humpback whales the signature hole is named for |
Access and indicative green fees verified June 2026; they change without notice, so always confirm directly before booking with the club or your trip planner. Check tee time availability.
Where to stay nearby
Access is the accommodation here, so choose between the two gatekeepers. The Four Seasons Resort Punta Mita is the original, a low rise village of casitas above its own beaches with the golf clubhouse minutes away; the St. Regis Punta Mita is the newer, slightly glossier neighbor with butler service and a famous Sunday champagne ritual. Both put the Pacifico and the Bahia, the second Nicklaus course, on your room key. Sayulita's surf town color is 30 minutes up the coast for a rest day.
For the wider trip, our Mexico golf guide and best courses in Mexico ranking set the Pacifico against the Cabo and Cancun coasts, including El Camaleon at Mayakoba.
Looking for a base? See our recommended hotels and resorts across Punta Mita and the Riviera Nayarit.
Build a Punta Mita golf escape
We arrange resort stays that unlock the Pacifico and Bahia and build them into a full Mexico itinerary, flights met, transfers handled, every detail costed to the head. Tell us roughly when and who is travelling and one concierge does the rest, with no obligation.
Punta Mita Pacifico questions
Who designed the Pacifico Course at Punta Mita?
The Pacifico is a Jack Nicklaus Signature design that opened in 1999. Nicklaus called the site some of the prettiest land he had ever been given for golf, and he later added a second course, the Bahia, to complete 36 holes at Punta Mita.
What is the Tail of the Whale?
The Tail of the Whale is the Pacifico's optional par 3, hole 3B, played from the beach to a natural rock island green about 199 yards offshore, shaped like a whale's tail. It was the first natural island green in golf, reachable on foot at low tide and by amphibious cart otherwise. When the tide or surf rules it out, golfers play the alternate 3A on land.
Can the public play Punta Mita Pacifico?
No. The Punta Mita Golf Club is private, open to club members, Punta Mita property owners and their guests, and guests staying at the Four Seasons Resort Punta Mita or the St. Regis Punta Mita. Booking a stay at either resort is the practical way for a travelling golfer to play it.
How much does it cost to play the Pacifico?
Indicative recent guest rates have been advertised around 300 dollars for 18 holes, with service fees and taxes taking the all in figure toward 380 dollars per recent visitor reports. Rates are quoted to resort guests at booking and change by season and year, so always confirm directly before booking.
When is the best time to play golf at Punta Mita?
November to May is the dry season on the Riviera Nayarit, with sunny days, low humidity and the whales the signature hole is named for breaching offshore between December and March. Summer brings heat, humidity and afternoon storms, with lower resort rates to match.
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Designer, opening date and layout verified June 2026; indicative green fees verified June 2026. Last reviewed June 2026.