A short transfer after breakfast, a morning on the course, and the afternoon opens up again to continue the journey. In destinations such as Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, and Mexico, golf integrates naturally into the itinerary, without imposing a different rhythm or requiring parallel logistics.
The climate in these regions also allows year-round play, with dry seasons particularly attractive to North American and European travelers during winter. This stability reinforces the integration of golf into both short stays and longer journeys.
From coastlines open to the Caribbean to the expanses of the Mesoamerican Pacific, the region offers highly varied playing environments. There is no single model or fixed itinerary: each geography has developed its own way of integrating golf into the travel experience, with different scales, infrastructures, and levels of specialization.
A game from one ocean to the other
Mexico concentrates one of the largest golf offerings in the region, with 239 registered courses and a regular presence in international rankings such as the World Golf Awards and Golf Digest. This scale supports both specialized tourism and high-level play, and explains the structural integration of golf into tourism developments in destinations such as Riviera Maya and Los Cabos.
Since the 1990s, the country has seen growing investment linked to golf, particularly along its two coastlines. Baja California offers courses integrated into desert landscapes overlooking the Pacific, while the Yucatán Peninsula favors layouts set within tropical jungle and Caribbean coastal zones. This geographic diversity attracts different segments while responding to strong North American winter demand.
Courses such as PGA Riviera Maya, integrated into the Tulum Country Club development, or El Camaleón Mayakoba—long part of the PGA Tour calendar—illustrate a professionalized model aligned with international standards in operations, maintenance, and player experience. Meanwhile, more recent designs such as Solmar Golf Links, created by Greg Norman—former world number one and one of the most influential course designers worldwide—reinforce the perception of a destination that continues to renew its offering.
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From tropical forest to technical play
With 15 active courses, Costa Rica has opted for a model based more on territorial integration than scale. Most courses are concentrated along the Pacific coast and associated with high-end resorts, facilitating the integration of one or two rounds into flexible stays.
The dry season, which generally runs from December to April on the Pacific coast, is the most stable period for play, although golf remains possible year-round thanks to a relatively constant climate.
Iguana Golf Course, in Puntarenas, illustrates this approach: an 18-hole, par-72 course integrated into a complex with marina and hotel, set between tropical forest and open ocean views, where the layout uses natural topography and offers a technical challenge without isolating the experience from the rest of the journey. In Guanacaste, Reserva Conchal offers a different register, with a course favoring precision and control, remaining a reference in one of the country’s historic golf regions.
The maturity of a Caribbean offering
The Dominican Republic, with 40 courses designed by professional architects and concentrated mainly along the eastern coast, has built a solid and internationally recognized offering, where courses and resorts function as an integrated experience.
The dry season, from December to April, corresponds to peak activity, particularly favored by North American and European markets. However, play remains possible year-round thanks to adapted infrastructure and consistent course maintenance.
PGA Ocean’s 4, in Playa Nueva Romana, represents a more recent stage in this evolution, with contemporary design, an academy accredited by the Professional Golfers’ Association of America, and the possibility of night play. Added to this are the historic courses of Casa de Campo, which have hosted recognized competitions such as the Latin America Amateur Championship, as well as Pro-Am events and regional championships, consolidating a lasting link with the international competitive circuit.
In these destinations, golf does not interrupt the journey; it becomes a pause within it. A morning on a course facing the ocean, followed by a return to the beach, the forest, or the city. The possibility of playing almost all year, without heavy organization or logistical detours, changes the way a stay is structured.
More than a specialized product, golf becomes a subtle thread connecting the stages of an itinerary. It attracts experienced players, of course, but also appeals to travelers who wish to integrate one or two rounds into their route without turning their trip into an exclusively sports-focused stay. This may be where the region’s singularity lies: a game that adapts to the rhythm of the territory, not the other way around.
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Photo: Solmar Golf Link
