When the world’s rich and famous want to get away from it all, nothing says rest and relaxation like a few rounds on the golf course. Some of the biggest names in golf have lent their expertise and brand to designing courses around the capes. A number of these courses frequently feature in lists of the best around the world, thanks to the sheer and rugged shores, huge mountains and crystal clear oceans. If you happen to be teeing-off from any of these, make sure to have your phone handy for that very instagrammable snap.

Palmilla Golf Club

Nicknamed the “Grand Dame of Los Cabos golf”, this 27-hole club was Jack Nicklaus’ first signature design in Latin America. On the Mountain Course, you tee off facing the beautiful blue waters of the Sea of Cortez, while the Ocean course lives up to its moniker, descending nearly 200m in altitude to hug the coastline. The Arroyo Course features some incredible views, and the last three holes are often considered among the best in Los Cabos. Once you’ve finished out on the course, head to the Cantina for a delicious selection of local staple foods, like fish tacos, salads, and at least one hydrating Pacifico Cerveza.   

Image courtesy of Palmilla Golf Club Instagram

Cabo del Sol

Another Jack Nicklaus signature design, the Cabo del Mar Golf Club features two courses, the Desert and Ocean Course, and was labelled by Nicklaus himself as “the best piece of golfing property”. Seven of the 18 holes run along the ocean, including a spectacular Par 3 17^th that sees players shooting up onto an exposed green sitting on a rocky shelf across the water. The club proudly tends to the array of desert flora that punctuate the courses, and the steep cliffs make for incredible back drops to your play.

Image courtesy of Cabo del Sol Golf Club

Club Campestre San Jose

Sitting just outside of San Jose on the eastern end of Los Cabos, this course opened in 2007 to take in the panoramic views at the foot of the Sierra de la Laguna Mountains. The 7^th hole is one of the most spectacular on the course, with stark contrasts between the desert on one side and the water on the other, with the mountains framing your every shot. The beach club gives you access to the Zippers beach, home of the Los Cabos Open of Surf, or you could relax after your game in the Jacuzzi or infinity pool.

Image courtesy of @cathy_caborealestate on Instagram

Quivira

If you’re not confident in your game, then perhaps Quivira isn’t your best bet, because there’s a good chance you might be feeding the marine life with your stray balls. A number of the 18 holes on the course are sitting right atop the cliffs leading down to the sea, and as you rise further and further up into the mountains, you’re faced with steeper and more precarious greens. This club is the southern-most in all of Los Cabos, and you’re not far from the Arch at Land’s End when you’re teeing off at the first hole.

Image Courtesy of Quivira Golf Club

Rancho San Lucas

Tucked into the western side of Cabo San Lucas, the small residential community of Rancho San Lucas is about to boast one of the most picturesque courses on the cape. Designed by Australia’s Greg Norman, The Great White Shark himself was recently on site to survey and plan the whole course, which will include some incredible beachfront holes and an innovative island green when it opens in just a few months. It may not be a fully completed course yet, but with views and great course designer on hand, we’re giving it a nod ahead of the first tee-off.

Image Courtesy of Rancho San Lucas