Puerto Vallarta is an increasingly popular golf destination; five courses have opened in the past 4 years, bringing the total in the region to nine. The Joe Finger-designed private course at the Marina Vallarta Golf Club (tel. 322/221-0073) is an 18-hole, par-74 course that winds through the Marina Vallarta peninsula and affords ocean views. It's for members only, but most luxury hotels in Puerto Vallarta have memberships for their guests. Greens fees are $136 in high season, $115 in low season. Fees include golf cart, range balls, and tax. Hiring a caddy costs $8 to $10. Club rentals, lessons, and special packages are available.
North of town in the state of Nayarit, about 16km (10 miles) beyond Puerto Vallarta, is the 18-hole, par-72 Los Flamingos Club de Golf (tel. 329/296-5006). It features beautiful jungle vegetation and has just undergone a renovation and upgrade of the course. It's open from 7am to 5pm daily, with a snack bar (but no restaurant) and full pro shop. The greens fee is $95 and includes the use of a golf cart; hiring a caddy costs $12 plus tip, and club rental is $22 to $44. A free shuttle runs from downtown Puerto Vallarta; call for pickup times and locations.
The breathtaking Jack Nicklaus Signature course at the Four Seasons Punta Mita (tel. 329/291-6000; fax 329/291-6060) has eight oceanfront holes and an ocean view from every hole. Its hallmark is the optional Hole 3B, the "Tail of the Whale," with a long drive to a green on a natural island -- the only natural-island green in the Americas. It requires an amphibious cart to take you over when the tide is high, and there's an alternate hole for when the ocean or tides are not accommodating. It's open only to guests of the Four Seasons resort or to members of other golf clubs with a letter of introduction from their pro. Selected other area hotels also have guest privileges -- ask your concierge. Greens fees for nonguests are $260, including cart, with (Calloway) club rentals for $60. Lessons are available from PGA pro Rick Avina.
A second Jack Nicklaus course is at the Vista Vallarta Golf Club (tel. 322/290-0030), along with one designed by Tom Weiskopf. These courses were the site of the 2002 PGA World Cup Golf Championships. It's in the foothills of the Sierra Madre, behind the bullring in Puerto Vallarta. A round costs $167 per person, including cart.
The Robert von Hagge-designed El Tigre course at Paradise Village (tel. 322/297-0773; www.paradisemexico.com), in Nuevo Vallarta, opened in March 2002. The 7,239-yard course is on a relatively flat piece of land, but the design incorporates challenging bunkers, undulating fairways, and water features on several holes. Troon Golf manages El Tigre, which offers lessons and has an expansive clubhouse. Greens fees are $185 a round, or $85 if you play after 2pm.
American Golf Tours of Mexico (tel. 322/225-2056; www.mexicogolftours.com) offers professionally guided tours to area courses and down Costa Alegre. Prices vary according to the number of golfers and whether you choose optional overnight stays. Personalized packages can be arranged, and club and shoe rentals are available.
