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 Travel & Outdoors
Golfing in Puerto Vallarta
While Puerto Vallarta is best known for white sand beaches, tropical weather and beach vacation getaways, one of its most striking assets is the wide range of golf courses found here. With 6 world-class golfing facilities in the Banderas Bay area, and 3 exclusive golf resorts just a few hours' drive south, Puerto Vallarta is quickly becoming one of Mexico's leading golf destinations.
With the Sierra Madre Mountains and the Mexican Pacific providing a stunning tropical backdrop, it's no wonder that some of the world's greatest golf course architects have chosen to design golf courses in this region, including Jack Nicklaus, Tom Weiskopf and Robert von Hagge.
 The first golf course in Puerto Vallarta was built almost 20 years ago at the Flamingos Hotel located in the Bahia de Banderas municipality in the state of Nayarit. This golf course was renovated and reopened last November to the delight of Vallartans and visitors alike. For several years, the Flamingos Golf Course was the only one in the area. It was not until the Marina Vallarta mega construction project that Puerto Vallarta could claim its own Marina Vallarta Golf Course.
With time, additional golf courses were designed and built: Golf great Jack Nicklaus designed the one at Punta de Mita, as well as one of the two Vista Vallarta Golf Courses, where the World Golf Championship was played last December - the other was designed by Tom Weiskopf.
Eight of the holes at Four Seasons Golf Course have a view of the ocean. The 13th hole runs parallel to a lagoon surrounded by natural flowers and animals. It also includes and optional par-3 hole that will challenge the most ardent golfers. The tee is on the mainland while the green is located on a natural island, 194 yards from de coast.
Later on came the Mayan Palace and Paradise Village golf courses. The latter, designed by Robert Von Hagge, is appropriately called El Tigre Golf Course. Professionals say that the El Tigre can be intimidating from the very tight first hole all the way up to the end. It has traps in 13 of the 18 holes, including the island green.
For its part, the Mayan Palace Golf Course, designed by Jim Lipe is a encounter with nature. The beautiful, whimsical facilities created by the hand of man turn this golf course into a unique challenge. As a reward for the effort they have made, players get an incredible, panoramic view of the Bay of Banderas from the 18th hole. This natural scenario represents a challenge to all those willing to face it and conquer it!
About a 2 hour drive from Puerto Vallarta, El Tamarindo Golf Course has been rated "The Best Hidden Link in the World" by many golf publications. Rivaling some of the greatest golf courses in the world, El Tamarindo features fairways that wander through the jungle, 3 breathtaking oceanfront holes, and 9 holes with spectacular views of beautiful beaches.
A little further south, the Isla Navidad Golf Course is one of the most lush golf resorts in the world, with twenty seven holes that offer spectacular ocean, lagoon and mountain views. In Manzanillo, you'll find La Mantarraya Golf Course at Las Hadas, which is considered one the best golf resorts in Latin America, featuring wide fairways and 11 water holes including #18, an Island green built on the ocean. |
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