Cabo San Lucas has been one of the world’s most renowned golfing destinations since the 1980s, attracting golfers from around the globe to its beautiful championship golf courses. In fact, on its list of the World’s 100 Best Golf Courses in 2022, Golf Digest featured three golf courses in Los Cabos and Baja California — that’s pretty impressive if you ask us!

Top Public Golf Courses in Cabo San Lucas & San José del Cabo

Los Cabos groups its courses into three categories — private, public, and semi-private. Usually, to play at the private courses in Los Cabos, you’ll need to pay an annual membership fee or be a resort guest, which can be problematic, especially if you’re only staying for a week or two or want to stay at another resort or a vacation home.

Below, you can read more about the best public Cabo golf courses, open to anyone in Cabo San Lucas or San Jose del Cab,  so you can play a spectacular round of golf — no matter where you are staying!

1. Puerto Los Cabos Golf Club

Puerto Los Cabos Golf Club opened in 2007 and features three courses with championship layouts designed by Jack Nicklaus and Greg Norman.

The Mission Course, also known as the Greg Norman Signature Course, features jaw-dropping desert foothills and views of the Pacific Ocean. The Ocean Course, also known as the Jack Nicklaus Signature Design, is equally gorgeous. Nicklaus also designed a second nine-hole course at this club, dubbed Nicklaus II, so visitors can choose which 18 of 27 holes they would like to play from these unique courses.

While you’re here, you can also enjoy fresh food, like tacos, burritos, and chilled beverages, to make your day at this golf course as comfortable as possible.

2. Palmilla Golf Club

Palmilla Golf Club offers three of the most stunning courses in the Tourist Corridor of Los Cabos — the Arroyo Course, Mountain Course, and Ocean Course. It is also the first of many course designs by Jack Nicklaus in Latin America.

Because of the dramatic elevation changes, the courses at this popular club are some of the most challenging in the Los Cabos area, but the rugged coastline and views of the Sea of Cortez make this golf experience worth the challenge. Since the greens fees include 18 holes, visiting golfers can choose to play two of these nine-hole courses in one day.

3. Cabo Real Golf Club

Cabo Real Golf Club was designed in 1994 by Robert Trent Jones Jr. — the same designer who dreamed up the recently-opened Costa Palmas Golf Club at the Four Seasons Resort Los Cabos at Costa Palmas, on the East Cape. Owned by Questro Golf, visitors can purchase a multiple-round pass to golf at Club Campestre and Puerto Los Cabos.

This course was made famous during a PGA Senior Grand Slam event in 1996 and, since then, has been beloved by golfers around the globe for its gorgeous views of palm trees, white-sand beaches, and the Pacific Ocean — the epitome of what makes Baja California Sur so great!

4. Rancho San Lucas Golf Club

Rancho San Lucas Golf Club is a stunning beachfront golf course in Cabo San Lucas designed by the professional and world-renowned golfer, Greg Norman.

On this golf course, you will find sand dunes, deep canyons, and other course elements reflective of the natural terrain in Cabo San Lucas. However, you will also enjoy incredible ocean views from nearly any vantage point. You can also take a short break at the two comfort stations on the golf course.

5. Cabo del Sol – Desert Course

Cabo del Sol is a fabulous resort located in the Tourist Corridor between Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo. It features two courses — the Cabo del Sol Desert Course, recently renamed the Cabo del Sol Course, which is a public course, and the Cabo del Sol Ocean Course, renamed The Cove Club, which is now exclusive to guests at the resort.

However, the public Cabo del Sol Course, located in the mountain foothills of Baja California Sur with panoramic views of the Sea of Cortez, shouldn’t be missed. The course was designed by Tom Weiskopf in 2001 and features 18 holes spanning over 7,000 yards.

Top Private Golf Courses in Cabo San Lucas

It’s unlikely you’ll want to pay a membership fee for a private country club or resort club during your vacation — especially with so many fabulous public courses to explore.

However, here is some information about the best private golf courses in Cabo San Lucas and San José del Cabo, just in case you’re curious about what other courses are available:

  • Quivira Golf Club — This stunning golf course, designed by Jack Nicklaus, winds around rocky cliffs and sandy dunes and offers spectacular views of the Pacific Ocean. It is only accessible to luxury residential developments and guests at Pueblo Bonito Resorts.
  • Old Lighthouse Golf and Ocean Club — The Old Lighthouse Golf and Ocean Club is located on the southern end of the Baja California Sur Peninsula and offers gorgeous views of the Sea of Cortez — in addition to luxury amenities, a cliffside restaurant, and exclusive beach club.
  • Dunes Course at Diamante — Tee times at this course, designed by Davis Love III, are reserved for guests of The Resort at Diamante or Nobu Hotel Los Cabos.
  • El Cardonal at Diamante — Designed by Tiger Woods with an “Old California” theme and built around the natural landscape of the Baja Peninsula, El Cardonal is also exclusively reserved for guests of The Resort at Diamante or Nobu Hotel Los Cabos.
  • Chileno Bay Golf Course — The Chileno Bay Golf Course is only accessible to guests staying at the Chileno Bay Resort. It offers fun amenities in addition to the course itself, like grilling stations, a snack shack, and drink stations.

Stay in Cabo San Lucas for Quick Access to the Top Golf Courses in Los Cabos & Baja California Sur

It’s easy to see how you could go golfing every day on your vacation in Los Cabos, and you would still not scratch the surface of all the incredible golf courses in San Jose del Cabo and Cabo San Lucas!

If you want to stay near the top public golf courses during your vacation to Cabo San Lucas, consider booking a beachfront condo at Villa La Estancia from Cabo Rentals by Jane. Browse our properties to find the perfect luxury stay for your trip to Los Cabos.