TPC Danzante Bay

Positioned half an hour’s drive south of Loreto international airport, on the east coast of the Baja California Sur peninsula, the Rees Jones-designed Danzante Bay golf course is set within the Villa del Palmar Beach Resort & Spa at The Islands of Loreto and it's laid out around a master-planned community that’s been developed by entrepreneur Owen Perry and his Villa Group.

The 18-hole layout was constructed in two phases; eleven holes were completed in 2016 and the remaining seven holes (the 2nd to the 8th) were brought into use the following year. Depending on choice of tees, the course plays between 4,916 and 7,237 yards, with many holes offering wonderful views across the shimmering waters of the Sea of Cortez.

The property has been spoken of as “part desert, part mountain, part sand dune,” which goes some way to describing the diverse landscape on which the course is laid out. Holes are characterised by generously wide fairways and greens with open entrances, allowing running approach shots if so desired as well as adding infinite variety to playing the game.

The newer holes on the front nine occupy a canyon setting, bringing dry river beds into play, before the routing then returns to the clubhouse. The par five 12th heads towards the beach, followed by a par three that runs along the strand then the par four 14th veers inland to set up a dramatic finale to the round.

The 15th and 16th rise along another ravine, arriving at a fabulous clifftop tee position for the 17th hole – a truly spectacular drop shot par three that plays down to a rocky outcrop, with steep falloffs on three sides of the green into the Sea of Cortez. The long par four 18th then drops back downhill to the clubhouse, where most golfers walking off the home green will be happy to mark a par on their card.