Trade Snow for Sand

Winter Golf Escapes: Why Colorado Golfers Flock to Mexico

By Jim Bebbington

When the Rockies turn white, smart golfers head south. Just a few hours from Colorado’s chill, Mexico’s Pacific coast glows with sunshine, surf, and some of the most spectacular golf on the planet. Trade snow boots for flip-flops and follow your tee shots toward turquoise horizons — from the jungle-backed fairways of Puerto Vallarta to the cliffside drama of Cabo San Lucas. Here, margaritas replace mittens, and every round feels like vacation. So grab your passport, chase a little adventure, and discover why winter golf feels better with sand underfoot — the beach kind.

Visitors have been wintering in Mexico for golf for more than 100 years, and Colorado players have a unique advantage: the country’s two largest clusters of beautiful courses are less than a four-hour direct flight away. Resort operators are now in full swing, bringing new courses and hotels online almost every year. Both Cabo San Lucas — at the southern tip of the Baja peninsula — and Puerto Vallarta, across el Golfo de California, offer growing, world-class golf options. Many of the best PGA Tour professionals who ventured into course design over the past 40 years — Woods, Nicklaus, Norman, Weiskopf, Els — have flagship properties throughout the region.

Both regions offer unforgettable experiences with or without golf: lush beaches, exclusive resorts, and welcoming restaurants and nightlife. As the region’s high season begins, it’s a perfect time to catch up on the latest courses, communities, and resorts that make a winter golf trip here special.

Puerto Vallarta

Any golf visit to Puerto Vallarta begins with deciding how to incorporate the two championship courses at the region’s largest resort, Vidanta Nuevo Vallarta. The massive resort complex north of the city includes seven hotels, 20 pools, and more than 2,400 acres. There is enough to do here even without golf, but the addition of two championship courses and a new lighted course for night play makes it possible to stay on property for a long weekend without repeating a single activity.

Guests who stay on the property have easy access to the complex’s two 18-hole courses. However, winter room availability can be extremely tight, so staying off-site and playing as a daily-fee guest is often the best approach. Spring and summer visits, when the heat becomes a factor, make staying on-site more appealing.

The Greg Norman-designed Norman Course hosted the Mexico Open last February (Brian Campbell won at 20-under par and took home $1.2 million). The PGA Tour is expected to return in fall 2026. Angel Eduardo Gomez Torres, Vidanta’s director of golf, said they work hard to keep the courses “Always tournament ready.”

At more than 7,200 yards from the back tees, the Norman Course offers as much challenge as players can handle. The Nayarit Course, a par-70 measuring nearly 6,700 yards, brings the natural tropical surroundings into play. The resort also offers a lighted 10-hole short Lakes Course open until 10 p.m., ideal for a relaxed second round with drinks. Additional amenities include a golf academy and the Par Tee Zone with simulators.

Nearby, Invited Clubs offers two additional course complexes. Vista Vallarta’s two courses, designed by Jack Nicklaus and Tom Weiskopf, opened 25 years ago in the eastern foothills. The Nicklaus course stretches just over 7,000 yards and offers sweeping views of downtown and the bay. The Weiskopf course plays nearly as long and cuts through dense forest with ravines and fast-running streams. Caddies are available upon request.

Closer to downtown, Vista Marina — also part of Invited Clubs — sits steps from the beach and near many top hotels. Afternoon tee times can be found for around $65 in fall. The 6,700-yard course winds through a modern shoreline development near the harbor, and local clubs offer stay-and-play packages.

Cabo San Lucas

The southern tip of the Baja peninsula is packed with excellent resorts and golf courses, with more on the way. Questro Golf operates three resort/public complexes that provide tremendous variety. Cabo Real Golf Club is one of the region’s pioneering layouts. Its 6,900-yard course has hosted two PGA Senior Slam events. Club Campestre, a short drive up the Sea of Cortez coast, plays nearly 7,000 yards. Puerto Los Cabos features 27 holes designed by Greg Norman and Jack Nicklaus, allowing for a variety of routing combinations.

One of the newest additions, Oleada Golf Links, is being built north of Cabo along the Pacific coast. Designed by Ernie Els, the course sits away from the ocean and features true links-style character. It anchors a major new resort development that includes the upcoming Grand Hyatt Los Cabos and Conrad Los Cabos.

Pamilla Golf Club offers three 9-hole tracks that resort guests can mix and match. For day-trippers, only the Ocean Course is available beginning this year. Combined, the Ocean, Mountain, and Arroyo courses provide tremendous variety. The Ocean Course alone features more than 600 feet of elevation change in the first six holes.

Vidanta also operates one of the peninsula’s oldest courses — Vidanta Los Cabos, a nine-hole layout built just before the regional golf boom. A new 18-hole par-70 course called East Cape, designed by Greg Norman, is set to open in 2027.

Cabo’s most iconic offering is Quivira Golf Club, home to a dramatic Jack Nicklaus-designed course perched high on seaside cliffs. The world-famous sixth hole sits nearly 300 feet above the ocean and tempts golfers with a short but daring risk-reward tee shot. It’s no wonder this hole is the first image shown on the Nicklaus Design website.

The Grand Solmar Pacific Dunes Resort and Solmar Golf Links also offer strong golf-and-stay options for visitors.

Getting There

Flights from Denver to Los Cabos or Puerto Vallarta typically start around $250+, making Mexico one of the most accessible winter golf destinations for Colorado players.