Since its February 2020 debut, the Greg Norman-designed course at Rancho San Lucas Golf Club, its fairways etched across desert foothills that tumble to the sea, has been acclaimed as one of the finest tests of golf in a destination known for its superlative layouts.
According to a Solmar spokesman, “Greg Norman crafted a rollicking, lay-of-the-land journey characterized by glorious Pacific Ocean vistas and a plethora of ground game options. The superb golf course isn’t going anywhere, but change is in the air. Rancho San Lucas Golf Club is now Solmar Golf Links. The new name aptly describes the layout, while the splashy new logo (see above) is a perfect fit for the golf course.”
Known for his ‘least-disturbance’ design approach, Norman tailored the course to the site’s native terrain, creating a versatile, strategic layout with ocean views from every hole. Spanning three different ecosystems, the layout rambles through huge windswept dunes at the start, climbs through a thick cactus forest crossed by arroyos, and returns players to the beach and sea on the back nine.
Two on-course comfort stations, each accessible twice, serve complimentary Mexican fare and refreshments. A handsome ranchero-style clubhouse, newly expanded, overlooks the fairways and sea.
Solmar Golf Links is the first facility in Los Cabos to be designated a Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary by Audubon International. The club’s environmental initiatives include preserving native acreage, enhancing wildlife habitat, reducing irrigated areas to conserve water, and other eco-friendly actions.
Andrew Gilchrist, director of golf at Solmar Golf Links, is a native Scotsman who knows his way around seaside courses. “You’ve got the dunes here, the sandy soil and the ocean breeze,” Gilchrist said. “You’ve got fairways that blend into the natural vegetation. You’ve got flat-faced, revetted bunkers—the only ones in Mexico—and you’ve got Seadwarf paspalum turf, which encourages run-up ground game shots. We call this a links-inspired golf course, but in truth, it plays a lot like an authentic links.”
Evoking Spanish Colonial design motifs and a coastal Baja ambience, the on-site resort hotel, Grand Solmar at Rancho San Lucas, offers deluxe accommodations with ocean views, abundant amenities and gracious service. Resort guests enjoy exclusive access to Solmar Golf Links.
The new logo depicts a breaching humpback whale, a common occurrence in Cabo from mid-December through April, set against the backdrop of a brilliant rising sun. “Sol,” Spanish for sun, and “Mar,” Spanish for sea, form Solmar, the company name behind the development of the golf course and resort community.
