• Press Release from Brian McCallen, Golf Public Relations for the Los Cabos Tourism Board

Puerto Los Cabos Golf Course

April 17, 2018 – Situated on the East Cape a short drive from the colonial city of San Jose del Cabo, the resort community of Puerto Los Cabos has functioned as a hybrid venue for more than 10 years, with a pair of nine-hole courses designed by Jack Nicklaus and Greg Norman.

Until now.

As per the development’s original blueprint, Nicklaus has returned to build his long-awaited second nine at Puerto Los Cabos. Opened for limited member play in late 2017 and unveiled for resort play last week, the new holes emulate the original design style. Subtly contoured greens, large sculpted bunkers and dramatic elevation changes mark the new additions. The debut of the new nine transforms Puerto Los Cabos into a 27-hole facility, with three 18-hole combinations now available to members, resort guests and daily-fee play.

“We did our best to match up the new holes with the pre-existing holes,” said Jim Lipe, a veteran design consultant for Jack Nicklaus who worked on the original layout. “We softened things a little, but the green sizes and bunker shapes on the new holes are about the same as before. Unless you knew so beforehand, you wouldn’t be able to tell that the two nines were built at different times.”

According to director of golf Sergio Castillo, “He (Nicklaus) created some great risk-reward par-4’s on the new nine where you can plainly see his design philosophy shine through.” He added that the reversal in direction of the old 10^th hole, previously an arduous uphill climb since converted to the downhill par-5 ninth, has significantly improved the course. Given a second bite at the apple, “Jack took one of the least popular holes on the course and made it into one of the best,” Castillo said.

The opening stretch, routed at sea level and swept by gentle breezes, is designed to get players off to a good start. The first hole, a links-style par 5 flanked by an arroyo and framed in the distance by dunes, plays directly to the Sea of Cortes. The par-4 second hole, 332 yards at full stretch, invites big hitters to carry a large central bunker to reach the slightly elevated green, with trouble in store for misplayed shots.

The new nine’s picturesque closing stretch—holes 6 through 9—ascends to higher ground and has been the talk of the club since they opened. Each presents a fair but formidable challenge. The par-4 sixth, while not long on the card, demands an exacting approach to a well-protected tabletop green. From an elevated tee, the dramatic par-4 seventh plays to a ramped-up fairway, the uphill target a wishbone-shaped green indented by a deep bunker. At 191 yards from the tips, the sturdy par-3 eighth hole, its green benched into a hillside and ringed by bunkers, plays much longer than the listed yardage due to the prevailing wind. The new par-5 ninth, which occupies the corridor of the former 10^th hole but plays in the opposite direction, offers a wide fairway that tumbles downhill to a green defended on the right by a pond. Nicklaus also built a new 10^th hole, this one a testing 541-yard par 5 that skirts a winding arroyo on the right and rises to a well-protected green.

On the original nine, the Nicklaus design team recast the former par-5 14^th as the new par-4 fifth hole by sliding the tee boxes to the left to straighten and shorten the hole. A breezy, links-style creation with a dazzling view of the sea behind the dune-framed green, the fifth, which calls for a forced carry over an arroyo on the approach shot, measures 451 yards from the back tees. It’s the number-one handicap hole on the Nicklaus I & II course, which stretches to 7,194 yards (par 72).

The new clubhouse at Puerto Los Cabos, opened last October, is a distinctive blend of traditional Spanish Mission revival architecture and contemporary styling.  It offers an excellent snack bar open for breakfast and lunch as well as shaded outdoor seating. Ingredients for dishes are sourced from Miraflores, a local organic farm.  Complimentary refreshments, including fresh fish tacos, are served to players at the Bear’s Den, an on-course palapa.

In tandem with the roll-out of the new nine, Puerto Los Cabos recently debuted a new chipping green and doubled the size of its practice putting green for resort and daily-fee golfers. In addition, the club’s new fleet of platinum-colored golf carts features a pair of USB ports and Visage GPS monitors.

Read the Top Nine Golf Courses of Mexico and the Caribbean.  How many are in Cabo San Lucas – READ HERE

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Saludos,

Chris Sands

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Part of a luxury master-planned community adjacent to the coastline of Baja’s inland Pacific marine sanctuary, Danzante Bay Golf Club debuted 11 holes late last year.  The new seven holes will play as No. 2 through No. 8.

“We’re thrilled to unveil the completed 18 holes,” said Owen Perry, owner and president of The Villa Group, developer of the property. “It is like no other place. We have been able to create a golf experience that changes as you play, on a golf course that allows you to see and landscape and wildlife that you never would have seen before.”

The views at Danzante Bay stretch out toward the indigo horizon, amplifying the shimmering waters of the Sea of Cortez. Golfers can enjoy glimpses of migrating whales and other marine life that surfaces below the jutting cliffs.

The seven new holes cover many different terrains, including beach, cliff, and canyon. They combine the genius of Jones with the natural scenery provided by Mother Nature to charm golfers with views that spread out in virtually every direction.

“The creation of the newest holes is an opportunity for us to showcase a completely different part of the property to golfers,” Jones said. “There are interesting landforms that allow us to create unique holes that are different from, but also complementary to, the other 11 holes.”

Known as “The Open Doctor” for his renovation work on golf courses preparing to host the U.S. Open, Jones fashioned Danzante Bay between the breathtaking Sierra de la Giganta mountain range and the crystal-clear waters of the Sea of Cortez, finding a unique balance for a challenging course that is not overly long or grueling – and thoroughly enjoyable.

Now playing between 4,916 and 7,237 yards from five sets of tees, Danzante Bay features wide fairways and greens that must be carefully judged but are never unfair. Most of the entrances to the greens are open as well — allowing approach shots to run on safely — while the holes along the cliffs feature strategically placed collection areas to keep errant shots from taking the plunge into the blue water below.

Along with the changing terrain come winds that can be different day to day and during the day, conditions that influence shot value and strategy. That, says Jones, makes for a new challenge at Danzante Bay every time.

“The golf course is a complete journey that golfers will really enjoy taking again and again,” Jones said.

Perry believes the new golf course has the potential to position Loreto as one of the best and most sought-after vacation destinations in the world, while still maintaining its serene and secluded environment.

“We are being extremely careful about the integration of the real estate with the golf course,” Perry said. “That is why we gave Rees all the time necessary to build Danzante Bay. His only mandate was to get it right.”

Villa del Palmar Resort takes full advantage of the region’s unique beauty, authentic culture, quiet beaches, scenic vistas, rich history, and natural habitats. The resort’s complimentary shuttle service enables guests to explore historic Loreto and visit the 1697 mission that made the town famous. The area is also known for its wildlife, including the 900 species of fish in an area that has been declared a World Heritage Site.

Guests can also experience Villa del Palmar Beach Resort & Spa’s 4,447 acres of unspoiled beauty. The resort boasts stretches of exquisite shoreline, stunning ocean and mountain views, three outstanding restaurants, five swimming pools, the 39,000-square-foot luxurious Sabila Spa, tennis courts, miles of hiking trails, glass-bottomed kayaks, and sport fishing.

Danzante Bay Golf Club and Villa del Palmar Resort at The Islands of Loreto are only a two-hour non-stop flight from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) on Alaska Airlines. They also are accessible with non-stop flights from Calgary, and from Tijuana via Calafia Airlines (three times a week year-round).

For additional information on the golf course, go to www.danzantebay.com

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