Quivira - Mexico

This is a course with multiple really amazing views and multiple quirky holes. As has been noted in prior reviews, the number of blind shots, downhill plays to greens which may not hold the ball (despite the grabby nature of pasalum), and the need to fit the course into this quite varied landscape make this a challenge not always worth the views which accompany the holes. The first four holes are set in the valley and are straightforward. After the 4.5 minute cart ride to the second comfort station, which has an amazing view, the next hole starts the quirky nature of the course. This hole, along with the snaking par 5 on the back, reminded me so much of Mahogany Run in St. Thomas and the Four Seasons Course in Nevis that I had to make sure that Jack had not designed all of those properties. Regardless, this started a series of holes on this course which featured blind shots, the need to use sideboards or backboards, and split fairways which were unseen that the whole experience was unsettled. Certainly if you play here enough and learn the quirks they become familiar but the overall sense for a first timer somewhat odd. Again, some spectacular holes along the ocean (although many of them were quirky) and commanding views from holes 5 and on. The comfort stations were great. Not the best in the area as I believe that Diamante has a better food and liquor selection but certainly places to linger and enjoy the scenery and company. Overall this course is definitely worth playing once, perhaps more if you can get off peak rates, or if you just want a great day of fantastic views and are willing to sacrifice some golf balls to the unseen shots in front of you. And, as a warning, you probably don't want to play when the wind is up as it tends to blow harder here than on the Sea of Cortez side. Lastly, I'm sure the esthetics of this course will change over time with the development which is already starting, as the 17th hole is being rerouted as we speak and the course was nice enough to offer a discount on the rate as it was being played as a par 3 until the new hole has grown in. Lots of properties being planned to change the nature of these unspoiled views but that is par for the course on the Pacific side of Cabo.

A very good course with some beautiful and challenging holes overlooking sweeping ocean fews. It can be very windy, which is not always great, but the layout and distance make it a pleasure to play.

Jack Nicklaus completed Quivira GC for play in 2014, but took 8 years to do so. The site is located on the tip of the Baja Peninsula in Mexico jutting out into the Pacific Ocean. The course is the centrepiece of a luxury resort, and the golf club is private.

Quivira was an expensive build with huge infrastructure required to to access cliffside holes. After the first four opening holes play through relatively quiet terrain, the golfer undertakes quite a journey to reach the fifth tee. The cart path covers 3/4 of a mile, and winds it's way up the mountain, over impressive bridge spans over crevices and gullies, past a snack station to the fifth tee.

You are then faced with three ridiculously spectacular cliff top holes- 5, 6 & 7.. Each hole appears to cling to the cliffside, and is bordered by 300 foot cliff drops to the Pacific Ocean.

Hole 5 is a short par 4 with only a sliver of fairway to hit and what is there has a severe slope. And being elevated on the clifftops the site is unprotected from the wind. It's only 310 yards long, but rates as the hardest hole on the course.. It is an extreme golf hole!

Hole 6 is a medium length par 3 to a narrow green perched again on the cliff tops Again the wind is a big factor- and played into and across when we played, requiring a long accurate approach….

Hole 7 is a medium length par 4, but is not quite as dramatic as it's predecessors as the fairways are a little wider, a little more level, and not overhanging the cliffs quite as much.

The shorter par 3 thirteenthth hole runs in the opposite direction along the coast and is perhaps the most picturesque hole at Quivira, as the small green sits perched atop the dramatic granite clifftops. Playing downwind it is a hard target to hit and stop the ball, but it's a fantastic golf hole!

Perhaps my favourite hole was the short par 4 14th hole which is driveable in calm conditions for some. The green runs at right angles to the tee, only 231 yards away, but is protected by a large dune running across in front. Play sensibly up the left and leave yourself with a short iron flip to a lovely dell green in the dunes, or have a crack if you must… Other good holes include the unique snaking downhill par 5 twelfth, and the long downhill par 4 sixteenth hole.

Quivira is a good course, but not a great one in my opinion. But it is certainly spectacular and dramatic, and great fun to play. And because it is so unique I think it is worth travelling to play if you can get access. Green fees are not cheap, but it is a game of golf you will likely never forget.

Peter Wood is the founder of The Travelling Golfer – click the link to read his full review.

The views alone are a reason to spend the money to play this place. I find myself often telling people how cool the holes are that play along the cliff side. Bucket list for sure.

Visually incredible course. It seemed every hole was on the ocean. Sadly, there were too mant blind shots which made the course borderline unplayable. The resort atmosphere of the course made it a long round and questionable cost. Condition was good but nothing overly impressive.

There are certain courses you could not put enough money in front of me to play again. Quivira is one of those courses.

I can understand and accept the attraction for others. I read much of the other reviews and can sympathize with their points of view. If one is going to the Los Cabos area and want a golf course designed to “chill out” with amazing views, then this the golf course for you. It is memorable and likely fun. The comfort stations are outstanding with the food, service, variety of drinks all top rate. The golf course is kept in very good condition. In some regards, it is the epitome of what a resort golf course should be, especially in an area where the emphasis is on sunshine, tequila, dos equs, margaritas, other cocktails, and tacos.

This course has been ranked by Golf Digest as a top 3 in Mexico and top 100 in the world. I have my theories as to why and they aren’t good. In my opinion, it is one of the worst golf courses I have ever played given that type of ranking. Of the 706 different courses I have played to this point, this one is #570.

But for me, this is a golf course of multiple personalities and lacks consistency. The back nine is considerably longer than the front nine and is built on terrible, sloped land. Due to the terrain, many of the holes are either silly, outright bad, or do not provide adequate challenge. To be clear, this course is built around the idea of how to get to the other side of the hill as well as playing around that hill. Designing an acceptable routing must have been quite the challenge. But for me, this is a prime example of an architect doing a project for the money, and not to create a worthy golf course. There is a lack of shaping in many of the holes. I don’t know why anyone wants to put a rock formation in the middle of a fairway nor build a hole where it is impossible to stop a ball from falling over the cliff behind it. Why are nearly every par fives steeply downhill and reachable with a mid iron or less for the longer hitter.

I get that every hole has a view of the Sea of Cortez…..if you stop and turn to look at various points of each hole. It is not as if the ocean is staring you in the face on every hole. That is good marketing to pull that off.

It begins okay with the first four holes playing both away and then back towards the clubhouse. I thought these holes were all above average and made me look forward to the rest of the course.

The first is a par 4 of 425/413/399 yards that slopes gently left to right with a bunker greenside right and higher ground left. It’s a nice starting hole.

The second is a long par 3 of 230/211/196 with a green angled diagonally left (closest) to right with a bunker front middle and back right and another rear right. It is a simple hole, but a nice one.

The third is a short par 4 346/301/284 that is meant to be driveable. It has three bunkers either short or to the right of the green. The green itself is sort of a boomerang. It is another good hole.

The fourth is the first par 5 and for me the best par 5 on the golf course at 674/650/580. From the two back tees you drive over a bit of water to a fairway that is a dogleg right, but you should play out to the left even though there is a small bunker in the middle of the fairway and a larger one to the left. There is another small fairway bunker in the middle to navigate around for the second shot. The fairway is wide but one can easily get off into the waste area of sand/rock. The green itself has one bunker front right and a slight fall off to the left. It has a good green on it.

If only the course stayed down in the valley.

Then you take a 0.75 mile cart ridge up a steep hill for perhaps the best view in golf from a smallish comfort station. It is splendid and for many I am certain it only justifies the green fee and time spent on the course. We spent 20 minutes here before proceeding to the fifth tee where the starter told us how to play the hole hitting straight down the left side as one dares and then wait to see if the ball arrives down on the green about ten seconds later. This is an almost 90 degree dogleg left par 4 of 330 yards but plays like 190 yard par 3. The turn of the hole goes down a very steep embankment that has mounds, waste areas and some plateaus in it that can stop a ball from proceeding down. Two in our group did not make the fairway ending up in the sand left. One other must have just kicked out from the sand on the left as his ball was on the fairway in one of those small waste areas about 100 yards up. They punched out or hit down and we watched all three balls go down towards the green which is perched down on a man-made shelf with potentially 300-500 feet (I don’t know) of cliff behind it. The view is spectacular whether from the tee looking behind you, out to the sea, or ahead of you. The view from the top of the fairway is equally pretty. The view on the green is perhaps the best of all as you notice the cliff. Oh, back to the golf, all three balls made their way down to the green with all three balls going through the green and over the cliff. My ball, however, was on the green…..having been stopped by a putter the previous group had inadvertently left on the green. I’ve never seen a green complex built so poorly as this other than perhaps the sixteenth at Tobacco Road. The golf hole is a complete waste.

A par 3 follows of 197/180/148 follows playing along the cliff edge. The green has raised ground to the right and a bunker below it on the left. There is a bit of land if you hit it short. It is an all or nothing hole with another fabulous view. But it plays so downhill that it plays 25-30 yards shorter than the yardage which makes it too easy. This is a wasted opportunity except from the back tees.

The seventh is a par four playing along the edge of the hill, a bit farther in from the cliff and is 447/400/377 yards. The fairway has a waste area that creeps into the fairway, a center bunker and is sloped right to left with a second middle fairway bunker as well as a bunker left of the green. Once again the views are terrific, but the hole had nothing exciting or dramatic to the hole itself.

Another par 4 follows at 399/376/348 with the bigger hitters taking on the fairway to the right of the waste area while the shorter hitters end up way below down a slope with a blind shot up the hill to where the green sits. A lot of balls end up down to the left way below the green due to the slope of the fairway. The green has a waste area which I questioned the reason for it as well as a bunker front middle. I thought this hole was on a bad piece of land and would have been better for housing.

I think we stopped at another comfort station before the next hole as there was a back-up. This comfort station took 35 minutes.

The ninth is a long slightly downhill par 3 of 243/220/198. You have to carry a waste area and there is a bunker in the front middle. There is plenty of room to miss to the right but if you miss to the left you go down a steep slope perhaps even into the rocks. It’s a long hole and somewhat dramatic if you are on your third or fourth cocktail. For me I thought it lacked definition.

At this point I was hoping things would improve but they really did not. The tenth hole is a long par five of 606/578/546 and is one of three par 5’s on the back. The back nine is a lot longer than the front nine, 1134 yards longer from the back tees and 1075 from the next set. I have rarely seen such a discrepancy in yardage.

This hole goes downhill for the tee shot and then really downhill for the second shot on this sharp dogleg right. The big hitters in our groups hit 6 irons in for their second shots such is the slope of the hole. The green is somewhat protected sitting slightly to the right. I disliked the hole as it was simply hit and watch it go.

The eleventh is a par 4 of 410/396/373 playing uphill with a split fairway of vegetation that itself sits on a ridge so the fairway has an upper tier and a lower tier as well as the upper tier/left side of the fairway is steeply sloped left to right back towards the valley/sea. I hit a ball down the left side of the left fairway. A worker at the top told me my ball had not quite cleared the vegetation in the middle and was down in there. 5 minutes later we gave up searching for it. Maybe this hole is as bad as the fifth. Certainly a golf hole should not have been built on such steeply sloped land. The green sits slightly to the right at the bottom of another slope. Ugh.

The twelfth is the longest hole on the golf course at 694/651/632 and doglegs steeply downhill first to the right and then back to the left. The longer hitters in our group cut both doglegs and hit 6 irons into the green for their second shots. The green is cliffside. There are no bunkers on this hole as the waste area is its defense, yet despite the doglegs there is plenty of room to land a ball. I played it poorly as I got lost thinking about how silly this hole is.

The short thirteenth is a nice par 3 of 162/148/133 built into the side of the cliff hill. There are small bunkers front left but huge rocks middle and to the right of this 22 yard deep green. It is a nice golf hole and the first hole I actually liked since the fourth.

Fourteen is a shorter par 4 of 388/381/339 yards and plays downhill to a wide fairway. It is a sharp dogleg right with a hill to carry as the green is settled into a dell of rocks and sand. I liked this hole. For the shorter hitter playing straight or to the left, you really get no roll as your tee shot hits the uphill fairway and you can be left with a semi-blind shot. I liked this hole as well and at this point I was counting…six holes I liked and eight I did not.

The fifteenth is the last par 5 on the course, another seemingly long hole that plays much shorter than the yardage listed due to the terrain. It is 617/575/542 yards playing uphill and then downhill. The longer players easily made the crest and had hybrids or less in again. I came close to making the crest but with the downhill second it became easier.

The sixteenth is silly. It is a par 4 of 539/491/468 that plays straight down the valley with hills on both sides of the fairway designed to bring balls back towards the middle. There is a tall rock formation that very much comes into play on the second shot if you are on the right side of the fairway. Who does this? Its not natural. Its goofy. I strongly disliked the hole.

I did like the seventeenth, another slightly downhill par 4 of some length at 539/491/481. The fairway is split and the second half slopes right to left with a middle bunker well short of the green and two bunkers left of the green which is angled to the left away from you.

Finally the eighteenth is here and it is another long par 4 of 531/486/439 that has no bunkers with a green situated to the left.

So overall in the end I liked seven holes, pushed on two and disliked nine. I did not think there is a single superlative golf hole. I will never understand the ranking of Quivira, but then I would not go back to figure out why. But as I said, if you want to play golf and not take it serious by wanting a good vibe, good food, good cocktails and great views, then this is the place for you. It just is not the place for golf.

We played this gem the next day after the the Ocean course. We stayed at a property that got us on. The range must be one of the best views with the ocean crashing so close. The refreshment stations are great and you need a few extra drinks in between some of the holes and the time it takes to get to and from. Once you make the turn and begin to make the climb you know your in for a treat. This course has a great array of holes uphill downhill island greens. If your lucky as we were and had the course to yourself you can take the time and enjoy all that this course offers.

In 2014 I posted the first Top 100 Player Review for Top 100 after a 6 days Fam Trip with other gellow TTOOs. It was then when the course had just opened a few days before and it was literally "brand new" with no divots on fairways, no pitch marks on greens, all carts with almost no use, club house just "learning" and a little bit influenced as I played great that day.

3 years later I led a 40 golfers group and it was my decision to end the trip playing 2 rounds at Quivira. In December 2014 it was a calm day with almost no wind and very nice temperature while this April it was extremely windy (in the 160yds par 3 6th I hit a great stinger with the 4 iron to reach the green) and I have to say course had got enough maturity and play.

As the group had handicaps going from 1 to 30, I decided to play middle tees and try to make it enjoyable. It was a wise decision as from a further tee it would have been a real nightmare. We played 4 previous rounds and the higher team and individual scores were registered at Quivira although we played "easier" tees, that much is how the wind was blowing as in the lower parts of Los Cabos (Palmilla, Cabo del Sol and Puerto Los Cabos) wind was not that strong. And it was even cold! We used sweaters in both days while for example at Palmilla it was around 30°C.

My game was not as good this time but not bad, but I have to put this apart to describe my renewed sensations at Quivira. It was great to play it twice on consecutive days, it is a sort of rematch with all the mistakes you make the first round. People were extremely happy with the decision of replaying the course.

My first refreshed opinion about Driving Range is it is one of the best I have used. Not only comfortable and well designed, but even nice to watch. The same goes for the putting green, with sort of wild wast bunker sorrounding it in the same feel as Diamante Dunes. And you have the breakfast comfort station to enjoy a drink, coffee and a small bite before the round.

Club House is a typical tropical building with straw in the ceiling and open spaces, decorated with very good test and as we had all inclusive from the Hotel a great place to lunch!

Directly from the Club House you are sent to the tee by the starter which is a 300mts drive from the carts area. And it is not the only long drive in beteween holes, being the longest from 4th to 5th which is at least 1500mts uphill to the spectacular first comfort station where you will have tequila (the waiter complained all argentines asked for Diet Coke instead of alcohol!) and something fresh to eat.

The second one is at tee 9th and hot food (mini burgers and wraps) waits for you ready when you arrive. Third comfort station is just a small refuel before getting to play the final 3 holes. All in one it is not only a golf round, it is a food and beverage experience!

About the course, the 4 opening holes in the wind will play as the easier ones and where you should get some good notes before you get to the high part of the course.

In 2014 I drove 5th and made birdie, this time it was 2 bogeys as the hole was playing into a very strong wind. Same for 6th, it seemed easy in 2014 and this time it was a killer. Even 7-8 into the wind played extremely tough from the middle tees, hitting 5 iron in both ones to the green.

Par 5 10th which we reached in two in 2014 was a long 3 shot one this time (put me 2 bogeys!) while for example 11th downwind was a lot easier this time. 12th was reachable in 2, but as wind was across in the second shot, it was not easy. But short par 3 13th (128yds) which played easy in 2014 this time was huge downwind with almost no chance of holding the ball. I hit both times 58° and ball rolled twice to the end of the green and I saw many balls flying the green to the rocks or even the water.

My only weak comment here goes for 14th (a 235yds par 4, stroke index 2!) where there is nothing you can guess from the tee although you can go the safe way to the left and then hit a 60yds shot. No single digit golfer able to carry 210yds will want to lay up but the real fact is you cannot guess where pin is or where the ball lands. There is space to change this, I love short drivable par 4s and fee this one needs to be improved.

After nice and typical links golf par 5 15th you go down and around the mountain to 18th green which is just 30mts short of the beach.

Do I have the same love for it than I had in 2014? Yes, even more. The place is one of the nicest I have visited. Has the Course Operation managed to match the level of what people expect? Yes, definitely.

How good is the thing about comfort stations? PERFECT. Due to long rides from green to next tee and slow play due to toughness it is a 5h30min round but it is still enjoyable, where food and beverage is necessary and a Beverage Cart would drive crazy and for miles here.

If you travel willing to play the best courses in the world, this is one you have to play for sure. Just be aware of wind and don't play tougher set of tees unecessarily. This is not a place where you have to seek for a championship round of golf (I would have to play middle tees in any course in the UK), just enjoy the views, have some drinks and food, get some birdies and get a big smile at the end of the round.

Quivera is a recent Jack Nicklaus project and while spectacular and even breath-taking in places makes me feel that Nicklaus might have been better just sticking to being the greatest player to ever hold a club. I’m admittedly not a huge fan of his courses or architecture outside of a few gems like Muirfield Village.

At Quivera he has put together a course that’s first of all literally impossible to walk. The 5th and 6th holes are high up on cliffs overlooking a couple hundred foot drops down to the ocean and rocks. The routing becomes seriously disjoined after hole 4 and there is about a ¾ mile cart ride up a steep winding path to the first pit stop and snack shack. There they welcome you with excellent snacks and serious drinks, think margaritas, tequila, beer and other hard drinks. After that you play the 5th which is perhaps the most failed golf hole I can remember running into. I would venture to say this one should not have been built and is literally on the reckless side. The tee box is high up on the edge of the world. The green can be partially seen along the cliff perhaps 80-100ft below. The drive is blind to a fairway that is quite narrow and at about 200yds out doglegs severe to the right and then straight down hill and at a literally dangerous grade to the green which is laying on the edge of the world high above the rocks and ocean below. It’s spectacular, yes, however, don’t forget the setting I described and the fact that golfers have just been liquored up and are driving carts. Where the fairway doglegs the cart path heads straight down the steep grade. Granted they have placed a net there to catch runaway carts but I wouldn’t bet my life on it. I’m holding my breath for the first tragedy here as if it hasn’t already happened it will. Spectacular, but in my view it’s a completely useless golf hole that should never have been built.

The following hole is an incredibly spectacular one shotter, from a high tee box located on the cliffs you play a medium length drop shot par 3. Ocean crashing far down to the left and the view is amazing. Still as amazing as it is it’s very hard to argue this works from a golf routing perspective as it creates such a disjointed and arguably unsafe routing only for the spectacular. On top of that it takes away any option to walk the course which in my view is a shame.

The holes on the top and back side of the hills are pretty good actually. One exception is the par 5 13th which is another miss in my opinion. The tee shot is ok but the second shot on this par 5 again plays blind and so steeply down hill that it makes for a very awkward hole. It’s a long par 5 so there is little hope for reaching the green in two for all but the longest hitters.

There are more spectacular holes on the back 9. The par 3 14th is another spectacular hole along the cliffs only this time with the cliffs to the right of the hole.

The par 4 16th is another spectacular hole which has a hugely elevated tee box basically up on this ridge and playing back down towards sea level.

The question is, should you play this course. My answer is absolutely but it won’t be for the architecture it will be for breathtaking spectacle and yes you might just love it and be blown away. The views are that good. My only recommendation would be to enjoy it and drive safely!

Among world golf destinations Cabo San Lucas Mexico is clearly at the very top of the charts for the overall interest it creates on a range of fronts. Located at the far southern tip of Baja California where the Pacific Ocean and Sea of Cortez intersect -- the area has become a hotbed for golf course development and the main man responsible for playing such a leading role in elevating the area's presence is none other than 18-time major champion and course designer Jack Nicklaus.

Located on the Pacific side -- Quivira is just minutes from the core of Cabo and it immediately near the noted Diamante facility which gained stature when opening just a few years prior.

Quivira allows players to stretch the muscles with a fairly rudimentary opening hole. The par-3 2nd is one of the most underrated holes at the course with its smartly designed putting surface. The short uphill par-4 3rd is nicely done but not especially compelling. The long par-5 4th doglegs slightly to the right and takes you back in the opposite direction. It's a good hole but Nicklaus has done better.

When you finally get to the par-4 5th you come to the hole that has been photographed numerous times -- especially in the club's own promotional efforts. The par-4 plays 310 yards and you start from an elevated -- the Pacific Ocean hugging closely to your left and roughly 100 or so feet below. The hole dog-legs left and the landing area is hard to discern -- literally requiring a guess on the player's part to decide just how far to play. The turning point comes at roughly just over 200 yards and going too far is a possibility -- save for the days when the wind is blowing from the north which can be rather significant given the high bluff from where you stand. The green sits well below the fairway and from the tee there is a direct line to the green -- albeit all carry and with the slightest of errors a quick donation to the Pacific Ocean golf ball fund. One will never link the 5th at Quivira with the likes of such stalwart great short par-4's as the 10th at Riviera or the 9th at Cypress Point, to name just two examples. Playability is clearly an issue with the 5th -- the views are clearly the elements that capture one's attention -- but with the present set-up the 5th at Quivira can be an instant card wrecker -- mandating a number of reloads for the player failing to execute to any real degree.

The 6th also follows the coast and is a dropshot par-3 hole. Instead of having a more natural appearance the 6th is overly shaped and clearly stands apart from the land -- rather than blending in with it.

Once you get past the 6th the qualities of Quivira emerge in a much consistent and thoughtful manner. The shotmaking challenges that Nicklaus brings forward is varied and well done. The 7th is a good uphill par-4 and it's followed by a superb par-4 that on the card says is only 399 yards but can play exceedingly much longer when the prevailing wind is blowing hard.

At the 8th Nicklaus provides for a bottleneck fairway that comes in at 266 yards from the tips. Players need to be mindful of this and stay to the right. The green is beautifully situated on a knoll high above the fairway with a false front which will repel any approach not hit with enthusiasm. A top quality hole through and through.

The par-3 9th at 222 is clear in its demands and unyielding without top tier execution. At the dog-leg par-5 10th you have a clear birdie opportunity but one that is not easily supplied.

The uphill 11th may not be endearing to many players because the hole is not so well defined when standing on the tee. Playing 375 yards the facility often has a staff person positioned halfway up the hill in order to better assist where balls land. I liked the hole because it clearly stands apart from the others one has played.

The sweeping downhill dog-leg right 12th at 635 yards is just glorious in its strategic qualities and overall beauty. The tees are perched high above the fairway and the turning point of the hole lures players into believing they can cut-off more than they think. Don't be misled. Keeping the tee shot to the left provides a safe haven and even though the second shot is longer it does play downhill. The green is well-protected and gauging the distance is central to securing par or birdie.

The 13th, unlike the 6th, is a riveting short par-3 that's just under 150 yards. The hole provides for a much more natural appearance and there is an opportunity to use the left side of the hole as a sideboard to propel one's ball to the green.

The short uphill par-4 14th at 355 yards is a good change of pace hole. The temptation is to play close to the right side where the hole turns at roughly 300 yards. Be wise and stay left -- the green is wonderfully situated in a slight bowl area and the more you play left the more open the target becomes.

The par-5 15th at 564 yards is another well done hole. The tee shot can be unnerving because the landing area is hard to discern. Playing up the right side looks to be the bad call but in reality is the best way to set up one's second shot. The green is set slightly below the fairway and will not yield to anything but well executed shots.

The final three holes at Quivira are all long par-4's -- the 16th and 17th both play downhill with the former having an exquisite putting surface protected by massive mound which shields the green. The closing hole provides a wide fairway but it is the approach that must be solidly struck as whipping winds can easily steer half-hearted plays to places with little hope of success.

Quivira does have its lapses. Like other area courses Quivira opted to use paspalum grass as its main surface. The reasoning is fairly straightforward -- paspalum provides an ideal green color which provides a unique contrast to the desert areas surrounding the main playing areas of the course. In addition, paspalum uses far less water that other surfaces -- from a cost effective perspective the logic is unassailable. The main argument against the surface deals with its inability to work in concert with the architectural necessities when having a course routinely impacted by varying wind velocities. The existing paspalum I encountered at Quivira doesn't provide any real ground movement upon a ball landing on it -- most notably on tee shots. Quivira would play even better with truly firm and fast conditions but the nature of paspalum works against that, and, as a result, the golfers who would most certainly benefit from having some sort of rollout is penalized even more so than lower handicap type players who can consistently fly the ball to the desired areas.

For courses to be define as "great" there must be an incorporation of both flying the ball certain distances and being able to gauge how the ball reacts once it lands on the ground. Being able to gauge the bounce of the ball is the highest art of superior shotmaking -- witness why The Open Championship is so rightly regarded. Courses that limit or have no real bounce can still be solid courses but they fail to elevate themselves into the discussion at the elite level of design complexity and richness in shots encountered and holes played.

Can paspalum play at such a firm and fast level? For Quivira that remains to be seen but in all likelihood highly doubtful.

The other related issue deals with related elements of conditioning. For those spending $300+ to play in high season the detailing of the playing areas is of paramount importance. Unfortunately, during my visit a number of the tees were either not level or so soft as to allow for footprints to be made with one's golf shoes. Tees are the starting point of any hole -- they need to be no less in overall quality than any putting surface. Tees which are cut tight and provide for a firm foundation of one's feet are an absolute must.

On the flip side Quivira does have a number of marvelous putting surfaces -- credit team Nicklaus with creating a wide range of shapes and contours. The club is also smart in keeping green speeds manageable given the skill level of those playing daily.

While conditioning can be enhanced -- the more concerning issue at Quivira is the endlessly long power cart rides one must take when playing. I am fully aware the usage of carts is a necessity for many clubs -- especially Quivira as the overall site is sprawling. However, the Nicklaus team used cart path rides as a massive connector to get players from one hole to another. The overall rhythm of the round is needlessly disturbed as the round mandates several rides between holes which can only be charitably described as inordinately long.

The first four holes are sheltered away from the bulk of the course and after leaving the 4th green you have to ride for no less than a mile -- no misprint -- to the tee at the 5th. In so many ways the ride is akin to the build-up one gets when taking a rollercoaster ride at an amusement park. Quality routings do not permit rigor mortis to set in between shots.

There are other such rides between holes at Quivira -- albeit not of the length encountered from the 4th to the 5th but causing such an unnecessary delay in playing the round. There is also the inclusion of several refreshment stands placed specifically to cause players to stop during the round. Clearly, a facility such as Quivira is keen to provide a high level of satisfaction and getting various food / drink items is most welcomed to a degree. But the disruptions only cause the overall pace of play to suffer and I have to wonder if the purpose is to provide for a large scale picnic area for players at the expense of the overall golf experience.

During my visit there was talk of a second course for Quivira. Nothing determined as of yet -- including if the Nicklaus team will do the work. If a second course comes into fruition the key unresolved question is can that design alleviate the scatter shot nature of the existing routing. Possibly a routing can be done more in harmony with actually playing the game without excessive cart riding happening. Ultimately, that may mean some of the existing holes are merged into a routing with a second course.

I've played roughly a dozen courses in the immediate Cabo area and I have read the glowing accounts some have said of Quivira. There's little question a course abutting the Pacific Ocean is intoxicating for the views of land and water merging together. But Quivira does not build upon what Nicklaus did so spectacularly with the likes of Cabo del Sol's Ocean course just a short ride away. That iconic layout is one of the Golden Bear's all-time bests and remains so. While Quivira is entertaining in spots -- it's saddled with a discombobulated routing featuring a turf type mandating one specific way in playing the course. Alas -- elasticity -- a core ingredient in course greatness -- is missing for now.

By M. James Ward - photos courtesy of Quivira Golf Club