| | |  News from Around Banderas Bay | November 2009 
Jack Nicklaus to Open New Punta Mita Bahia Golf Course
 Scott Kauffman - Real Estate Channel
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November 05, 2009
| | Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Course - Tail of the Whale, 19th hole (Four Seasons) | |
Punta Mita, one of Mexico's most luxurious resort and residential communities, is preparing for the opening of its newest Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Course, Punta Mita Bahia.
The opening ceremony, to be held November 16, will feature Nicklaus hitting the ceremonial tee shot. This is the second course Nicklaus has designed for Punta Mita. Nicklaus' first course was Punta Mita Pacifico, which opened in 1999 and boasts the only natural par-3 ocean island hole in the world. Both courses are part of the private Punta Mita Club de Golf, exclusively for Punta Mita homeowners and guests.
Located 28 miles north of the Puerto Vallarta International Airport, Punta Mita is set on a peninsula with 9.5 miles of unspoiled beaches on the Pacific Ocean and the Banderas Bay. The new 18-hole championship course features breathtaking views of the blue-green sea, made even more spectacular from December to April when migrating humpback whales can easily be spotted from shore. In all, Bahia boasts five holes that play along the ocean and an additional two with ocean views.
"You would be hard-pressed to ask for a more beautiful backdrop for a golf course than Punta Mita," Nicklaus said. "To be given spectacular oceanfront land as a canvas not once, but twice, here at Punta Mita is exciting for a designer, and it reflects a commitment from ownership to provide a memorable golf experience. I'm confident people are going to enjoy the challenge and beauty of this golf course, as well as the incredible scenery."
"With the addition of our second Jack Nicklaus Signature Course, we've transformed from a luxury destination with golf to a world-class golfing destination," says Andres Rossetto, managing director of resort development for Punta Mita and DINE, Mexico's premier real estate development company. "The superlative Nicklaus golf not only adds to the leisure options but to the excellent investment potential for buyers as well."
Undulating greens and fairways make Bahia challenging but fun to play. Stretching 7,035 yards, this par-72 course features Miniverde greens constructed to USGA standards, Bermuda fairways and lush tropical landscaping. Its layout includes five par 3s, eight par 4s and five par 5s. Fairways wind around Punta Mita's residential communities and the luxurious St. Regis Punta Mita Resort.
Two of the most memorable holes of this new course are Nos. 15 and 17. The approach shot of the 462-yard, par-4 15th hole affords full views of the Banderas Bay and the Puerto Vallarta skyline. Its green has a tricky drop-off with a deep bunker on the left side. Hole No. 17, a 387-yard par 4, is a short dogleg left, which follows the contour of a cove and requires a carry over rocks and sand to a small waterfront green.
Punta Mita's par-72 Pacifico course (7,104 yards) offers equally stunning views, with eight ocean-side holes. Its defining feature is the one-of-a-kind alternate Hole 3b, called Tail of the Whale. Players tee off from the shore to the hole 199 yards away on a natural island in the Pacific Ocean. At low tide, a submerged stone path to the green becomes passable.
The Punta Mita Club de Golf is exclusively for Punta Mita homeowners, those renting a Punta Mita residence, and guests of Four Seasons Resort Punta Mita and St. Regis Punta Mita Resort. It features well-appointed men's and women's locker rooms, a pro shop and the Tail of the Whale restaurant and bar, serving light fare. The club also has a comprehensive practice facility and can schedule lessons with golf pros. On the course, the club's staff is readily available to provide anything from a cool scented towel, to cocktails, to a delicious snack or meal.
Punta Mita is a private and secure 1,500-acre gated resort and residential community that is home to luxury villas and condos for rent and sale, many of which are located along the golf courses. Those who rent or own a home in Punta Mita have access to additional community amenities, including a tennis center and a Residents' Beach Club, which features two swimming pools, spa cabanas, a restaurant, and more. Punta Mita also offers two five-star resorts - the new St. Regis Punta Mita Resort and the Four Seasons Resort Punta Mita, which, in 2008, was voted the "No. 1 Golf Resort in North America and the U.K." by readers of Condι Nast Traveler.
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