SAN JOSE DEL CABO, Mexico -- No fewer than eight world-class golf courses have been christened at the tip of Mexico's Baja Peninsula since Palmilla Golf Club opened in 1992.
All were developed with the same ideal -- trying to one-up Palmilla, a place that continues to set the bar high in Los Cabos. The luster of playing Palmilla never wanes.
The club -- which added an Ocean nine in 1997 -- exudes first-class, all thanks to a trio of stewards: Jack Nicklaus, Troon Golf and Mother Nature. The management by Troon assures that golfers receive excellent service and spotless conditioning. Nicklaus' first course in Latin America provides the theater.
The Ocean nine drops 600 feet in elevation during the first six holes with the third green perched on the beach. A three-hole stretch on the Mountain nine starting at the par-5 fourth derails many a round, including the two treacherous canyon-hopping shots at No. 5. The Arroyo nine twists through desert settings that make the region so scenic, yet so demanding for golf.
Palmilla Golf Club - Ocean nine - hole 3
The third green on the Ocean nine kisses the shore at Palmilla Golf Club.
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Palmilla Golf Club - Ocean nine - hole 4
The par-3 fourth on the Ocean nine at Palmilla Golf Club plays downhill to a green cut from the desert.
Jason Scott Deegan/TravelGolf
Palmilla Golf Club - Ocean nine - hole 6
An exclusive development of homes overlooks the par-3 sixth green at Palmilla Golf Club.
Jason Scott Deegan/TravelGolf
Palmilla Golf Club - Ocean nine - hole 9
Watch out for this obstacle near the ninth green of the Ocean nine at Palmilla Golf Club.
Jason Scott Deegan/TravelGolf
Palmilla G.C. - Mountain nine - hole 4
The par-5 fourth hole on the Mountain nine at Palmilla G.C. hops over water twice.
Jason Scott Deegan/TravelGolf
Palmilla Golf Club - Mountain nine - hole 5
The fifth hole on the Mountain nine at Palmilla Golf Club might be the most formidable in all of Los Cabos by requiring two canyon carries.
Jason Scott Deegan/TravelGolf
Palmilla Golf Club - Mountain nine - hole 6
Water lurks left of the sixth green on the Mountain nine at Palmilla Golf Club.
Jason Scott Deegan/TravelGolf
Palmilla Golf Club - Arroyo nine - hole 7
A golfer tees off on par-5 seventh hole of the Arroyo nine at Palmilla Golf Club.
Jason Scott Deegan/TravelGolf
Jack Nicklaus designed the 27-hole course at the One&Only Palmilla Golf Club. The golf course is divided into three nines that are played in different 18-hole combinations. The Ocean/Arroyo Course starts you off with incredible views of the shimmering blue waters of the Sea of Cortez.
Overlooking the Sea of Cortez, the One&Only Palmilla Golf Club offers a stunning 27-hole course designed by Jack Nicklaus. The Arroyo/Mountain Course has the most dramatic elevation changes of the three golf courses and also some of the best views.
The One&Only Palmilla Golf Club boasts a 27-hole layout that is divided into three scenic nines: Mountain, Ocean, and Arroyo. The Mountain/Ocean combination starts out with dramatic elevations. Expect some uneven lies and the occasional blind shot.
