Club Campestre, Los Cabos  

- The tip of Baja California recently welcomed another quality golf course in the popular Mexican resort destination of Los Cabos. Club Campestre in San José del Cabo is much more than just a golf course. This new 550-acre upscale community will include a beach club, social club and large retail center with cinemas. The master plan calls for 1,200 low-rise condominiums and 950 estate building lots. The aforementioned 18-hole golf course was designed by Jack Nicklaus and opened to the public in late June. The 7,055 yard, par 71 course will serve as the development’s centerpiece. Its natural beauty can already be appreciated as the course features beautiful panoramic views of the ocean and desert mountains. Club Campestre’s USGA course rating is 73.5, while the slope is 137.

According to head professional Fernando Ortiz, the course is the first to use Paspalum grass, which is resistant to salt water. And if it’s sand traps and target golf you’re after, this new course that’s currently open to the public is calling your name. With more than 120 sand traps, Los Cabos’ newest course is challenging and rewarding at the same time. Many holes also offer great views of the Sea of Cortes. The par 5 fourth, which measures 553 yards, looks like a mine field near the green. There are no less than a dozen sand traps protecting the green on both sides.

Holes 5, 6, and 7 are located on the opposite side of the highway, but it’s a nice drive in the golf cart en route. Number 7 is the signature hole. When the final touches are added, the 541-yard, par 5 will feature a man-made creek and lake, along with the requisite bunkers.

The 13th, one of the longest on the course at 565 yards, is a par 5 that features a host of bunkers at 250 yards down the fairway, thus forcing golfers to choose their shot wisely. The longest hole honors goes to number 17, a par 5, 606-yarder. It, too, has its share of bunkers, but the wide fairways are an added bonus.

According to Ortiz, while yardage markers are gradually being added, each cart is equipped with a Lazer Link range finder that proves quite accurate. This is a demanding course that promises to get better with age. In addition to the omnipresent sand traps, golfers will also see an abundance of bull trees, the picturesque image of which is used in the course’s signage. The 40,000-square-foot clubhouse also features club rentals, a restaurant, and top-of-the-line golf attire for purchase.

Club Campestre Golf Course is currently open to the public and community members. But don’t wait too long to experience this course for it will become a private facility in about three years. “The addition of Club Campestre reiterates Los Cabos’ versatility as not only a place to visit but a place to live,” says Alberto Coppola, president of the Los Cabos Tourism Board. Information: www.clubcampestresanjose.com; 877-795-8727.