The Pacifico Course at Punta Mita features a par-3 with the world’s only natural island green.
Evan Schiller
For decades, Puerto VallartaMexico has been known worldwide for its atmosphere of romance. These days, his hobbies include golf.
Known as the Narayit Riviera, this scenic stretch, which stretches some 200 miles along the Pacific Ocean, is filled with unforgettable resorts and public access courses. As prime golf season approaches south of the border, here are five of the best spots to play in and around Riviera Nayarit.
Punta Mita Golf Club
There are many ways to tell the story of golf at Punta Mita, a 1,500-acre resort and residential community set along a vast expanse of white-sand beaches. A good place to start is with “The Tale of the Whale.” This is the name of a special par-3 that contains the only natural island green in the world. The hole, which requires a 194-yard carry from the tips onto a rocky ring surface lapped by ocean waves, plays as the 3B hole on the Pacifico course. It is, in other words, an ‘alternative’ hole on the scoreboard. But this is not an experience you want to miss (note: at low tide, the green is only accessible by speedboat). The Pacifico course is one of two privates Jack Nicklaus Unique designs in Punta Mita that cater to vacation resort visitors, offering pristine golf on open palm-fringed fairways with sweeping ocean views. Both courses also host one of Mexico’s most popular golf and lifestyle events, the Punta Mita Invitational, a five-day food-and-wine gathering where winners from the major professional golf tournaments play alongside participants. amateurs in an atmosphere above.
Courtesy of Punta Mita
El Tigre Golf Club
At more than 7,200 yards from the back tee, with a course and slope of 75.4/144, this Robert von Hagge course has been described as one of the toughest in Mexico. It sure has a lot of teeth. An animal house lives on the property, including crocodiles and monkeys. The par-3 17th, which plays over water on a peninsula green, is all the more nervous for the danger that lies behind it: a large enclosure inhabited by tigers, who were rescued by the property’s director of golf.
Vista Vallarta Golf Club
In Spanish, as in English, ‘vista’ means view. And, boy, are they in awe at this 36-hole facility in the foothills east of Puerto Vallarta. The two courses here, designed, respectively, by Nicklaus and Tom Weiskopfcomplement each other in their aesthetics and photography requirements. The former, which is just over 7,000 yards, twists and turns through thickets of palms and ficus trees, its course joined by streams and arroyos, while the slightly shorter latter cleverly uses elevation changes to increase the start. her. end risk and rewards. What both layouts have in common are the stunning views, which stretch from the coast and the Bay of Banderas to the green ridges of the Sierra Madre mountains.
Courtesy Vista Vallarta
Vidanta advice from Nayarit-Valla
This sprawling resort, north of the Puerto Vallarta airport, spans more than 3,500 acres, allowing for dozens of pools, numerous bars and restaurants, nine miles of boardwalks, and golf courses. Lots of golf, including a Nicklaus Signature design and a Greg Norman course that hosts the Mexico Open. Both layouts can be strong or good, depending on which tee you choose, and there’s also a 10-hole par-3 layout that’s illuminated at night, as well as a golf academy to help guide you.
Flamingo Golf Course
Built in 1970, this Percy Clifford design is one of the area’s OGs and offers a traditional tropical experience. Its gentle roll winds through a backdrop of mangroves, lagoons and lush tropical forests. Although coastal breezes are an almost constant presence, the fairways are forgiving and the greens roll as simply as anything around.
