Guaranteed sunshine, lush green mountains, a turquoise sea and enough margaritas to stave off scurvy are a few of the reasons why I’ve made the Bay of Banderas my home-away-from-winter for almost twelve years. But I am also a self-confessed golf addict and the Riviera Nayarit is arguably one of Mexico’s top golf destinations.
Punta Mita
The Punta Mita resort (about 40-minute drive north of Puerto Vallarta Airport) boasts two Jack Nicklaus Signature courses. In June 2008, Pacifico was named the number one golf course in the world by the readers of Condé Nast Traveler. Pacifico boasts19 fairways and the world’s only natural island green. To play this signature Tail of the Whale third hole you must carry your drive about 180 yards across the Pacific Ocean. In low tide, if you haven’t made an offering to Neptune, walk over a rocky ocean-floor pathway to putt. Less adventuresome swingers can opt to play the alternate landlocked 3A. The Jack Nicklaus Signature design takes full advantage of vistas of the surrounding Sierra Madre Mountains, white coral sand beaches and a tropical landscape of palms and bougainvillea.
Jack’s new Bahia Course may be less dramatic but the severely contoured greens will challenge your putting acumen. The grand finale fairways 17 and 18 take golfers within steps of Punta Mita’s famed El Faro surfing beach.
These tracts are in such impeccable condition, you’d swear they trim the fairways with manicure scissors and sift the sand. And just when you’re feeling a bit parched, the waiter at the halfway house greets you with complimentary iced towels and mango smoothies. If only they could help me to hit that island green.
Note: The private Punta Mita Golf Club is open only to Punta Mita property owners and their guests, and guests of Four Seasons and St. Regis Resorts.
Whether you are a beginner or someone who has developed bad habits over the years, most golfers benefit from a dose of swinger doctoring. Fortunately, there’s a new Punta Mita Golf Academy where the director of instruction is Tom F. Stickney II whose long list of accolades includes being named one of America’s “Top Teachers” by Golf Digest and Golf Magazine.
Opened in December 2019, the Academy has an air-conditioned indoor hitting bay outfitted with a state-of-the-art V1 digital video system as well as a Trackman 4 Launch Monitor. In layman’s terms this equipment photographs your swing from various angles and measures such things as distance, trajectory, angle of impact.
Outside, there are four covered hitting stations plus areas to hone your putting, chipping and bunker play.
I had a quick session with Stickney last week. He videoed me hitting a few balls and then clearly explained that I wasn’t getting the distance I wanted because I wasn’t turning my shoulders. Stickney pulled up a video of a swing of a female LPGA Tour player and we compared the differences at various stages in the two swings. If you’ve ever seen your swing on video, I’m sure you’ll agree that a picture certainly is worth a thousand words. In my case it wasn’t a pretty picture. I am reminded by a quip from one of my non-golfing friends: “Surely there’s a cheaper and faster way to humiliate yourself in public.”
The technology is very impressive and can be tailored to different learning abilities. Some people respond best to visual clues. Stickney explained that he could even use auditory warnings. For example, if you are bending your arm too much you will hear a beep.
Stickney is also planning to bring in other well-known guest instructors to enhance the Academy experience.
“I want to make Punta Mita a mecca for golf instruction,” says Stickney who also informed me that the Punta Mita Golf Academy is the only facility in Mexico with this state-of-the-art technology.
A variety of lessons and packages at the Punta Mita Golf Academy are open to the public, not just residents or guests of the Four Seasons and St. Regis hotels. For more information email: tom.stickney@puntamita.com
Litibu
There’s been a shark sighting on the Riviera Nayarit, between Sayulita and Punta Mita. Litibu, the newest of the Mexican government’s Fonatur projects (the first was Cancun), means “song of the birds” in the language of the local Huichol Indians. With luck you’ll be able to chirp about a few birdies on this spectacularly challenging tract that meanders over jungle, mountain and oceanside fairways.
From the tips, Greg Norman’s design measures 6.4 km (7,022 yards). Number one is a narrow palm-lined par-four to a green protected by water—an indication that Norman’s challenge will be no walk in the park. You can let it rip on the uphill second par-five. At the number three green, golfers are treated to the roar of waves and beach below.
Norman’s par-threes at Litibu are outstanding. Surf’s up on the fourth, a downhill poke to a postage stamp green with a gorgeous view of the point at the end of the Bay of Banderas called Punta Mita. Another memorable par-three is the eighth where you must plop your ball on an almost-island green.
On the back nine Norman takes you on merry romp toward the undulating foothills of the Sierra Madre Mountains. Sixteen and seventeen are uphill battles fraught with plenty of bunkers. The stunning grand finale, number 18, brings you to an elevated green with the Pacific frothing below.
El Tigre
Further south, in Nuevo Vallarta, try to tame El Tigre. No, it’s not named after Tiger Woods, but for the larger than life rescued Bengal tigers that used to live in cages on the 17th. Robert von Hagge’s brutal bunkering, gorgeous sculpted fairways, an island green and brilliant three finishing holes makes you want to play El Tigre again and again.
Los Flamingos
Located at the south end of Bucerias, this is the best bargain in the area. Designed by Percy Clifford, Flamingos’ unique fairways have a bit of everything—from plenty of forced carries and elevation changes to resident crocodiles. Players can save on green fees by purchasing a discount package of five or more rounds. Golf cart, use of the driving range and bottled water are included in your green fee.
Vidanta
There’s been another shark sighting at Vidanta Nuevo Vallarta. The Greg Norman Signature Golf Course meanders along the banks of the mighty Ameca River with vistas of the Sierra Madre Mountains from every fairway. Your round starts with a ride across the world’s largest golf cart suspension bridge spanning the Ameca River from Nayarit to Jalisco States.
You don’t have to be a scratch swinger to have fun and score well on the new Norman Course. Choose from four different tee options on this par-73 tract with impeccable conditioning and manicuring. You will also have the advantage of a forecaddie (mandatory) who offers target advice, rakes bunkers, repairs divots and helps you line up your putts. Mr. Norman designed his tract as a resort-friendly course that achieves that fine balance between challenge and enjoyment. His generous fairways get tighter and trickier nearer the greens, often protected, in typical Norman style, by cavernous bunkers. Along the way, you will spot lovely birds, iguanas and maybe a croc or two.
Currently the facility has the original Jack Nicklaus 18-hole course that Stickney says is for the “average” golfer. He recommends the Norman Course for the “avid” player and another new course (designer still to be determined) will be for the “alpha” swinger.
The Lakes, the newest kid on the Vidanta block is a ten-hole, par-three executive course with night lighting, offering play until 11 p.m.