IF YOU’RE COLLECTING spectacular views, enjoy watching humpback whales slap their pectoral fins while you line up a putt, and want a challenging round of golf all in one place, Quivira Golf Club delivers. I arrived after an Aeromexico red-eye from New York (JFK) to Mexico City (MEX) and an easy connection to Cabo (SJD). When asked why I took that flight, I gave a simple answer: I was the only person in our group with the luxury of playing Quivira the first day — all 18 holes. What a gift to myself.
The Jack Nicklaus–designed signature course sits on granite cliffs and wind-sculpted dunes that soar above the Baja Peninsula where the Sea of Cortez meets the Pacific Ocean. From the back tees at 7,139 yards (par 72) the course is imposing; during three full days I rotated between gold and white tees depending on who joined my group. Those tee changes may seem subtle, but they often required a different club for the second shot and made many holes play in distinctly different ways.
Quivira exposes you to more ocean scenery than any other course in Los Cabos, with dramatic drops from tee boxes to fairways and greens. The course also features well-placed comfort stations where players can pause, refresh and admire the views — each offering a full bar and substantial snacks. You’ll find them at the starter area, between holes 4 and 5, between holes 8 and 9, and at the 16th tee. If you must finish in under four hours, book the first tee time. Otherwise, slow down, enjoy the comfort stations, watch the whales, spot falcons flying level with you, sample one of Luis’s special tequila drinks and embrace the Quivira lifestyle. A second Nicklaus course is already in development.
Over my three days I teed off with a lively mix: Eric from Forbes.com; John, a roving journalist who writes about cars, motorcycles, golf and boxing; James, a Texas newspaper editor and lifelong golf pro; Anita, a Canadian who splits her time between Mexico and Canada; and Tim, an architect and photographer. Talented golfers at many levels — and me. Yardages cited here are from the black tees unless otherwise noted.
HOLE 4 | 616 YARDS, PAR 5
After a few warm-up holes, Quivira presents a stretch that is both beautiful and thought-provoking. From this tee, shape your drive left-to-right to avoid the brush on the far side and the bunkers on the right. John blasted his tee shot straight into the brush on the slight dogleg right, surrendering any chance at par. I played a gentle draw that found the center of the fairway. My 3-wood second aimed slightly right to steer clear of front bunkers produced a lovely chip that landed high and true, only to be stopped dead by the paspalum turf. A bogey was the best I could salvage that day.
HOLE 5 | 310 YARDS, PAR 4
Past the second comfort station, you arrive at a dramatic hole where you can play all the way from the black tees across granite and sand cliffs to the green. The Pacific and migrating whales provide a breathtaking backdrop as you consider your shot. From the gold and white tees you can shorten the hole by driving over dunes to the green, but both lines demand power and precision. A third option is a conservative 3-wood to the right side, letting the fairway contours feed the ball right-to-left into the rough above the green, where it will sit up nicely. Anita and I used that strategy, chipping down to the green and allowing the ball to roll on — the paspalum cooperated, and par followed. Over repeated rounds you learn the best approach for your game.
HOLE 11 | 375 YARDS, PAR 4
This tee shot is completely blind, and first-timers will appreciate the course spotter who helped me line up to a skinny aiming pole on the left side of the rise. Without that marker, determining the correct line is tricky. The fairway splits around a central growth area, so a near-perfect tee shot is essential. Rumor has it the club plans to make the hole more playable by softening the rise and reducing the center overgrowth. If you survive the tee, the approach to the green is slightly uphill; favoring the right side can produce a helpful roll onto the green.
Hole 12 © QUIVIRA GOLF CLUB
HOLE 12 | 635 YARDS, PAR 5
This hole became my nemesis and the butt of the group’s jokes. My best was a double bogey; my worst didn’t make the card. From the tee the hole zigzags to the green, and many of us paused at the tee asking, “Where do I aim?” The correct strategy is to favor the left on your drive — not so far that you end up in the tall grass, but enough to use the slope to carry the ball rightward and down the fairway.
On three rounds I hit great drives only to struggle on the second shot. Eric launched one so long even James said, “Great drive.” I wrestled with my line on the second shot, wandered forward about 75 yards looking for the right angle, found a hump on the right and returned to my ball to hit an all-out 3-wood. After several messy attempts over three days, I finally landed a shot just right of the left bunkers about 140 yards from the green and managed to save a decent putt. Maybe a fourth outing will be the charm.
Hole 13 © QUIVIRA GOLF CLUB
HOLE 13 | 148 YARDS, PAR 3
I nicknamed this one “Planet of the Apes” because of the dramatic beach below and the enormous boulders rising from the sea. Like the movie’s obstructive rocks, the fairway here demands you stay clear of the cliffs and the beach. From the tee favor the left side; the green slopes noticeably left-to-right. My tee ball hugged the left hill and rolled onto the green, leaving a birdie putt I narrowly missed.
Quivira Golf Club
Cabo San Lucas
Baja California Sur
Mexico
tel 800 990 8250
quiviragolfclub.com