Cabo Golf

[bobjones59]

Just got back from Cabo San Lucas Mexico and played a couple of rounds while I was down there. Didn't bring my sticks because I didn't really plan on golfing but on the way down in the plane I was reading my latest issue of Golf Digest and they had an article on the top ten places to play in Mexico so that kind of got me thinking on the plane ride down. When we booked into the hotel I walked down to the pool area and about a sand wedge away was a beautiful green overlooking the ocean. Our damn room was a lob wedge away from the 14th fairway so I knew I had to do it. Watched groups approach that green all day Sunday and realized that in the afternoon the wind was so strong coming of the Sea of Cortez that an early morning tee-off was the way to go. It was a bit pricy ($280 for green fees, $55 for TM rental clubs and about $40 for some Cally balls but it was worth it. Had the whole course to myself with the 7am tee time. Buddy picked me up in a brand new Cadillac SUV and had me at the Clubhouse by 6:35. Paid for my round and extras and was on the range by 6:45. They give you a very nice leather pouch with tees, ball markers, divot tool, yardage book and golf guide. Exactly like playing Clublink only maybe a bit better service and nicer views, but the course conditions we're above average. It only rains 10 days a year in Cabo and that is in the fall so you can imagine the irrigation system they have. Guys' we're watering everywhere. The course actually hosted 2 Senior PGA Tour events back in 99 and 2002. Our hotel was located in "the Corridor" which is a stretch of Highway between Cabo San Lucas and Cabo San Jose. There are about 10 magnificent course along that stretch, one of which is rated #1 in Mexico, Cabo Del Sol I think is the name. $350 + rentals so I decided to play the same course beside my hotel, it was called the Cabo Real, a Robert Trent Jones design. Lefty or FIG JAM is designing a course down there as we speak. It's a little more inland and will be more of a desert course. If you ever get a chance to check it out, there's a bar called CABO WABO in Cabo San Lucas and it's owned by former Van Halen frontman Sammy Hagar. Really good food and atmosphere. Went there for supper last night and Sammy showed up and did 5-6 songs with the band and opened a bottle of Tequila and passed it around to everyone. Another cool thing that happened was when I got back from golfing on Monday morning, they were about 150 armed Federal police offices in their tactical gear. I asked the concierge what was going on and he told me that The Justice Dept. from both the US and Mexico were going to be having meetings there from Tuesday until Friday. The "official" notice we got slipped under the door was that there was a police convention going on. The FBI showed up Tuesday morning also. They had guys around the perimeter of the hotel about every 100 feet. All armed with AK-47's and bulletproof vests. They also had the all over the roof with snipers at all corners. I got a few pics of them on the roof and outside out hotel room they had 2 guys not more than 50 feet from us. Some people we're scared and worried at first but we got used to it. They also brought in metal detectors to screen everyone. It was actually kind of cool having them around. A lot of people got they're pics taken with them and one guy let me get a close up of his rifle. They had the army helicopter buzzing around and they had patrols on the beach. Every exit/entrance had an armed guard so I would say there we about 100-150 guys there at all times. Big hotel, over 33 rooms and the land it was on was huge. Geoff Johnson couln't have hit driver from the front of the hotel to the back pool area, over 300 yards long. Went out and saw some whales (they were everywhere) got about 50 feet away and took some pics and got some great pics of "the arc" which is what Cabo is famous for. All in all it was a blast and will definitely go back again soon with my own sticks of course. Total golf bill for 2 rounds was $650.00...I think I could have gotten a full membership at Dunnderosa for that! LOL! Highly recommend the area for both golfing and any other water/land sport you can think of. Already looking into next year's trip.
Jeff

[spackler]

[fundonny]

I have a bottle of Cabo Wabo tequila here, it's awesome (the one I have tastes more scotch like)! You can get it at the Liquor Store at Merivale and Hunt Club.

Did you see Jack's Ocean Course?

[bobjones59]

Yeah I drove by Jack' ocean course everytime I went in to Cabo San Lucas. It was booked solid and the price was $350 and I had to rent clubs also so I golfed Cabo Real which was right beside my hotel. The hotel I stayed at is about ten minutes away from Jack's course which is rated #1 in Mexico. Cabo Real has 2 holes right beside the ocean, Jack's has 6 or 7. The wind blows pretty strong in the afternoon so ocean golfing is best done in the morning hours. Yeah, Cabo Wabo tequila is available everywhere. On Friday night, Sammy opened a bottle on stage, took a few snorts and then passed it around to all the customers. Pretty cool. There's 3 different types you can buy, each different from the other. It's definitely a golf mecca and the views are absolutely spectacular. Can't wait to go back.
Jeff

[LobWedge]

I played Cabo Real when I was down there about 10 years ago. The par-3 15th, with the green hanging over the beach, was pretty spectacular. The Nicklaus course (Cabo del Sol) had just been finished when I was there. Did they warn you to stay off the desert areas because of snakes and scorpions?

It's too bad that Cabo has changed so much since I was there. It used to be a fairly quiet area.

[bobjones59]

It's funny you say that about the snakes and scorpions. I asked the driver on the way over to the course about snakes and he said that he's been working there since it opened and has only ever seen 4 rattlesnakes. I only lost 1 ball each round and I found a ProV1X on the first hole the first day I played. I didn't venture too far off the fairway as I didn't want to take a chance of running into a rattler while all by myself. All they had was Cally balls so I tried a sleeve of HX HOT SPIN and kind of liked them. Also picked up some HX Tour and HX56 Tour but never got a chance to try them. Not quite as good as the ProV's but enough bite for me as the greens were pretty receptive first thing in the morning. I wanted to play Cabo Del Sol but it was booked solid in the morning so I just played Cabo Real twice since it was so close. Never saw any snakes or scorpions but I saw some worms at the bottom of a couple of bottles of tequila! LOL! Will definitely try to get back down there in the next couple of years, weather this time of year if PERFECT!
Jeff

[LobWedge]

It's funny you say that about the snakes and scorpions. I asked the driver on the way over to the course about snakes and he said that he's been working there since it opened and has only ever seen 4 rattlesnakes.

Yeah, but that's still 4 more than you've ever seen here, I bet.

[The Saint]

Sounds like a pretty nice time.. Be sure to post our pics there Jeff.

[matsanders]

I went to los cabos 2 weeks ago and I played in Cabo Real golf course, the package that I bought provides accommodations in the hotel Sheraton Hacienda del Mar and the green fees and I must say that the golf course is beautiful, and the city of los cabos it was wonderful, I went to play with my foursome and we were surprised, we bought a package in discover golf mexico, I loved to have vacations in Mexico and maybe we return to Mexico the next year.