Golf in Punta Mita & Nayarit.
Updated May 2026
Riviera Nayarit holds five championship golf courses within a 75-kilometer corridor north of Puerto Vallarta International (PVR) — anchored by the private Punta Mita peninsula and extending to Mandarina and Siari. Designs by Jack Nicklaus, Greg Norman, and Tom Fazio. Green fees run $150 to $400 per round. Four of the five courses require a room key or membership. This guide covers all five, what each costs, and exactly how to get on.
Punta Mita
Everything you need to know before you book.
Riviera Nayarit golf — anchored by Punta Mita.
Punta Mita is a luxury destination on the Riviera Nayarit coastline that happens to have world-class golf. Four Seasons, St. Regis, One&Only, Rosewood, and Ritz-Carlton Reserve built here for the coastline, not the courses — and that sequence defines everything from the caddie program to the quality of the greens.
Punta Mita anchors the corridor. The 1,500-acre private peninsula 45 minutes north of Puerto Vallarta International (PVR) holds two Jack Nicklaus Signature courses — Pacifico and Bahia — both restricted to Four Seasons and St. Regis guests, villa renters, and property owners. Pacifico features an optional island green — the Tail of the Whale (hole 3B) — reached across a natural stone causeway at low tide. It is the only natural island green in golf and the single most photographed hole in Mexico.
Punta Mita has spent almost three decades perfecting the stay — private villas, in-home dining, airport transport, full service, all inside the property. That's what the peninsula is actually built around. We build the trip around the golfer who notices those details, so the stay and the game arrive as one experience instead of two bookings.
The reputation has receipts. Punta Mita's own partnerships run to golf.com, American Express and the Punta Mita Invitational, and the ambassador list reads like a leaderboard: Lorena Ochoa, Carlos Ortiz, Abraham Ancer, Checo Pérez. We've worked with them before — a few years back Pablo connected Punta Mita with players including Abraham Ancer and Isabella Fierro, both now on the PGA Tour and LPGA.
We've seen the service ourselves. We arrived by Mercedes Sprinter to three full-size carts already parked and waiting, and Carl, Stephanie and Vero stayed with us through the entire shoot. Lunch and dinner followed at an Italian restaurant on the property, drinks on the house. That is the standard the courses sit inside, and it is the reason the round here feels different from a resort tee time.
Beyond the Punta Mita gate, the Riviera Nayarit opens up. Higuera Golf Club — 10 minutes south, Greg Norman 2010 — is the only course in the corridor that takes public bookings without resort affiliation. Mandarina Golf Club, a new Greg Norman short course of nine par-3s plus one challenge hole, opened in 2025 at One&Only Mandarina and Rosewood Mandarina (30 minutes north of the gate). Nauka Golf Club — Tom Fazio, 920-acre private community 75 minutes north alongside Siari, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve — opened the same year. By 2027 Montage and Pendry will add two more Nicklaus designs inside the Punta Mita peninsula. The density of brand investment in this corridor is not found elsewhere in Mexican golf.
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Five courses every one worth your round.
From Nicklaus to Fazio — the complete field guide to golf in Punta Mita and the upper Riviera Nayarit corridor.
Signature ViewsPhoto: Higuera Golf ClubHiguera Golf ClubGreg NormanThe only course in this corridor bookable without a room key. 18 holes between virgin jungle and Pacific beach. 7 links-style holes along the coast, 8 through jungle, 2 signature holes directly on the beach. The #8 green is surrounded by water on three sides. Two snack bars on the course. Open 7:30am to 3:00pm. The honest entry point to the Punta Mita golf region. Direct booking at higueragolfclub.com.$350 green feeView course →
Signature ViewsMandarina Golf ClubGreg NormanNot a full 18. Nine par 3s, each with a name and a concept: The Redan, The Devil's Hole, The Queen, The Theater, The Bell. Plus one challenge hole — The Kraken — a near-island green with a pot bunker as the only escape. Norman: "El campo de Mandarina no tendrá parangón." ("Mandarina will have no equal.") Fee includes two rounds of 10 holes, cart with GPS, unlimited practice, and all food and beverages. No membership required. Transportation to the property needed from outside the Mandarina community.$280 green feeView course →
Bucket ListPhoto: NaukaNauka Golf ClubTom Fazio920 acres. 400 memberships. One Tom Fazio course. Set against tropical jungle overlooking the Pacific. Undulating greens, challenging elevations, natural bunkering. A 9-hole short course runs alongside the championship layout for members of all levels. The community: 197-foot infinity pool, fresh seafood, firepits, a tequila room, a marina and yacht club, a wellness village, a beach racquet club. Siari, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve: 91 suites, 34 residences, five restaurants. No public access. No day-pass.Hotel guestsView course →
Bucket ListPunta Mita BahíaJack NicklausSame peninsula. Caddie included. More forgiving off the tee. Bahia moves through tropical jungle before finding the ocean on the closing holes. The last shot of the round is a forced carry over water — the only ocean-carry par 5 in Mexico. You make the decision before you take the club back. Resort access only — Four Seasons, St. Regis, private residences.Hotel guestsView course →
Bucket ListPunta Mita PacíficoJack Nicklaus380 acres of peninsula. Eight holes on the Pacific. The course features an optional island green — the Tail of the Whale (hole 3B) — reached across a natural stone causeway at low tide. It is the only natural island green in golf. Ask the pro shop the night before for the tide window. If your tee time falls inside it, go. If not, play 3A. The round holds either way. Caddie included from the shuttle to the final putt. Resort access only — Four Seasons, St. Regis, private residences.Hotel guestsView course →
Who we work with
Fora TravelWe are an independent Fora advisor: your stay is booked through Fora
PGA MéxicoEndorsed by Mexico's association of golf professionals
Punta MitaOur partner in Punta Mita: villas at Punta Mita Rentals' direct rate
Here is exactly what you will spend.
In this corridor, the hotel is the main cost — not the golf. A night at Siari Ritz-Carlton Reserve or One&Only Mandarina costs more than three rounds of combined green fees. Choose the hotel first. Add the courses second.
| Cost Element | Low | High | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flights (commercial) | $280 | $520 | LAX · DFW · IAH · ORD · SFO direct |
| Accommodation (4 nights) | $2,200 | $6,000 | Four Seasons / One&Only / Nauka |
| Green fees (3 rounds) | $825 | $1,185 | Higuera + Pacifico + Mandarina |
| Caddie tips | $120 | $180 | $40–$60/bag standard |
| Club rentals (optional) | $0 | $150 | TaylorMade at peninsula pro shops |
| Ground transport | $120 | $280 | PVR transfers + corridor |
| Food & beverage | $450 | $1,200 | Resort dining standard |
| Total all-in (per person) | $3,995 | $9,515 | Peak season · 4 nights · 3 rounds |
Every destination has green fees. Not every destination conditions its greens to the standard of the spa next door. In this corridor, the courses were built for the guests of the hotels next door — not for volume, not for walk-ins. That changes pace of play, caddie quality, halfway house food, and greens condition on a Tuesday in March. These are not details. They are the experience.
The 3B optional on Pacifico is playable at low tide only. Call the pro shop the night before. Tide window confirmed — go. No window — play 3A. The round holds either way.
Getting there and through the gate.
Airport + arrivals
Puerto Vallarta International (PVR) — direct from Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, Chicago, San Francisco, Phoenix, Seattle, and Toronto. Customs 30–45 min. Private operators handle G-IV and below.
Getting to the gate
PVR → Punta Mita gate: 45 minutes via coastal road. PVR → Mandarina: 55 minutes north. PVR → Nauka: 75 minutes north along the coast. Resort transfers standard inside each community. Uber reaches the Punta Mita exterior — cannot enter the gate.
Between courses
Pacifico ↔ Bahia: 5 minutes by cart inside the peninsula. Higuera: 10 minutes north of the gate. Mandarina: 40 minutes north of Punta Mita on the coastal road. Nauka: 75 minutes from Punta Mita — plan as a separate day.
Currency + tips
USD accepted throughout the corridor. Caddie tips: $40–$60 per round standard. Four Seasons includes caddies — acknowledge the service. Bring resort confirmation for gate entry; offline copy advisable.
When to play.
Dec – Mar · 70–85°F · Very High · $$$
Whale season and golf season are the same. Humpback whales enter Banderas Bay November through March — visible from Pacifico, Higuera, and Mandarina fairways. Pacifico tee times fill 6–9 months in advance. Book room and rounds together. Never separately.
Apr – May · 75–88°F · Moderate · $$
April is the most underrated month in the Punta Mita corridor. Near-peak conditions. Demand 25–35% below spring break. Rooms 20–30% off peak. Jungle fully green. Best pace of play. May begins to warm but the value holds.
Jun – Oct · 80–94°F · Low · $
Afternoon storms. Mornings still playable — particularly Higuera, protected by jungle canopy. Late October: the season opens as the hurricane window closes. Best off-season rates of the year.
Your questions, answered.
Two Jack Nicklaus Signature courses inside the private enclave (Pacifico and Bahia), one public Greg Norman layout 20 minutes south (Higuera Golf Club), one new public Greg Norman short course 30 minutes north (Mandarina Golf Club, opened 2025), and Nauka Golf Club (Tom Fazio, exclusive to Siari Ritz-Carlton Reserve guests).
Not at Pacifico or Bahia. Both are restricted to Four Seasons and St. Regis resort guests, Punta Mita villa renters, and property owners. Higuera Golf Club and Mandarina Golf Club accept public bookings with no resort affiliation required.
Pacifico and Bahia run $325–$400 USD per round for resort guests, varying by season and course. Higuera Golf Club is $150–$285 USD rack rate, with packages available around $180 per round. Mandarina requires contacting the resort directly for current rates.
Hole 3B on Pacifico — the world's only natural island green, reachable by a submerged stone path at low tide. At 194 yards over open Pacific with ocean wind, it is one of the most photographed and memorable par-3s in golf. Only playable at low tide. Confirm tidal conditions before your round.
November through May. Temperatures hold at 75–85°F with dry, clear skies. Humpback whale migrations run December through April — visible from several holes on Pacifico and Bahia. Avoid August through October.
28 miles — approximately 45 minutes in normal traffic, up to 90 minutes during peak periods. Pre-arranged private transfers are required. Uber cannot enter the Punta Mita gated enclave. The gate requires a confirmed resort reservation.
Yes — by every objective measure. Punta Mita holds two of the four Jack Nicklaus Signature courses in the entire Riviera Nayarit corridor, anchors the only stretch with Four Seasons, St. Regis, and (by 2027) Montage and Pendry brands operating in tandem, and is the closest premier golf destination to Puerto Vallarta International (PVR) at 45 minutes. Mandarina and Nauka extend the corridor to the north for variety, but Punta Mita is where the density of championship golf, hotel access, and infrastructure concentrates. For first-time visitors planning a Riviera Nayarit golf trip, Punta Mita is the right anchor.
No. Puerto Vallarta is a city. Punta Mita is a private 1,500-acre peninsula 45 minutes north on Banderas Bay. Staying in Puerto Vallarta and driving to Pacifico or Bahia is not possible — the gated enclave requires a confirmed stay at the Four Seasons or St. Regis.
Stay in the loop on Punta Mita golf.
We're publishing how to get inside the gate, which course suits your game, where to stay, and what each day really costs. Drop your email and we'll send it when it's live — no spam, unsubscribe anytime.
By submitting, you agree to hear from Golf in Mexico by email. Unsubscribe anytime. See our Privacy Policy.
Sources & notes
- · Pacifico Golf Course — Punta Mita pro shop and resort archives
- · Greg Norman Golf Course Design — Mandarina Golf Club design notes
- · Nauka Golf Club — Tom Fazio design archive, 2025 opening records
- · Higuera Golf Club — direct booking and rate card (2026)
- · Punta Mita — partnership and ambassador roster (golf.com, American Express, Punta Mita Invitational)
- · Banco de México — peso/USD exchange data (May 2026)
Read next
- golf in Mexico City — Historic private clubs at 2,240 m, where the ball carries 10–12% farther — and how visiting golfers get on.
- Los Cabos green fees and access — 18 championship courses on a 20-mile corridor, $95–$500 a round.
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