Along the Pacific shores near Cabo San Lucas, a five-star resort combines luxury and world-class golf
The first thing one may notice at Grand Solmar Pacific Dunes Golf & Spa, perched along the southernmost coastline of Baja California Sur near Cabo San Lucas, is the vastness of it all — wide skies, rolling desert hills, and an endless ocean horizon.
There is certainly no shortage of resorts throughout Cabo San Lucas, but this 834-acre coastal enclave is the kind of place that produces a sense of sophistication and relaxation to nurture a resort experience that is worlds away from Cabo’s downtown buzz. It’s also one of those rare properties that feels equally suited for golfers, couples, and families looking to reconnect with nature — and themselves.
The Course: Where Desert Meets the Deep Blue
Golfers will find paradise in the Greg Norman–designed Solmar Golf Links, a Baja masterpiece that unfolds across a wild stretch of sand dunes, arroyos, and coastal ridges, offering sweeping ocean views from every hole. The routing that runs from the oceanfront up a hillside embraces the natural terrain rather than forcing it with greens that demand creative short-game touch when the breeze picks up.
“The golf course has everything that you’d expect from a links course with sand dunes, fescue and warmer ocean breezes than what you’d find in Scotland,” said José Marcellán Guinot, Head Golf Professional, who has been a major force catapulting Solmar Golf Links into Golfweek’s Top 20 courses in Mexico and Central America. “You can tell these breezes were taken into account when Norman designed the course, so when they do come up, you can shoot low and enjoy it. It’s a course that rewards both imagination and precision, so it’s never boring.”
The front nine of the 7,240-yard layout dances through desert canyons; the back nine climbs and drops toward the sea, peaking at the signature 17th hole, a 191-yard par-3 with an island green that seems to float between the desert and sea. Bring your camera and maybe an extra ball. But it’s not just one hole, it’s the entire track.
“I like to tell people I really enjoy No. 2 with the green being right at the ocean,” said Guinot. “A couple of my other favorites are the 5th hole, a long par-3 with sand dunes on both sides and No. 16, a reachable par-4 with an interesting green shaped like a half moon with a bunker in the center. When people are finished playing, they come away saying this place is just spectacular, amazing, and that they’re coming back.”
If that’s not enough motivation, to embrace the local rhythm while keeping your energy – and spirits – high at this golfer’s playground, there are four comfort stations throughout the round serving complimentary fresh ceviche, shrimp tacos, and craft margaritas. These aren’t just your normal pit stops – they’re experiences.
Stay & Play in Style
Upon first entry to the lobby of the Grand Solmar Resort guests are greeted with a clear sign of the luxury that awaits and during an escorted golf cart ride to the suite, one gets a sense of how the architecture embraces its surroundings with natural stone, earth tones, and elegant curves that echo the Baja landscape. Accommodations range from studios to one-, two-, three-, and four-bedroom suites and with all rewarding a front-row view of the Pacific, mornings begin with the sound of waves and the sight of whales breaching offshore during migration season (usually December to April).
When you’re not playing 18 holes, resort’s infinity pools, a huge two- to three-foot deep lagoon for aquatic activities (canoe, kayak, swimming, waterslide) make for easy transition from golf shoes to sandals – or not – without missing a beat.
For those whose idea of bliss is quiet rather than competitive, The Spa by the Ocean offers a restorative sanctuary along with a soundtrack of the sea just steps away. Overlooking the surf, spa treatments draw inspiration from local traditions and the natural environment, with beachfront ritual spaces and custom therapies designed to renew mind, body, and spirit.
Grand Solmar isn’t just a place to stay and play — it’s a place to exhale.
Article by: Robert Kaufman, Photographer & Travel Expert
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