- Estrella del Mar. Estrella Del Mar’s 18-hole Robert Trent Jones Jr. championship golf course is the crown jewel of golf in Mazatlán, Mexico. No wonder it’s ranked as one of the top 100 golf courses in the world! It’s also a regular stop on the Mexican PGA Tour, Canadian PGA, and Greg Norman tours. Six of the holes and fairways play along with the Pacific Ocean with breathtaking views. Now that management has enlarged the greens and added some new tee boxes, resort guests and property owners can confidently play where the pros play. If you’re only going to play one round in Mazatlán, you’ll want to play it here. It’s well worth the 20-minute drive from the Golden Zone. I’d recommend getting a morning tee time, as the wind is more forgiving then along the ocean. The resort recently added the world-renowned John Jacobs Golf Academy, so you can get help for whatever fix your game may need. Estrella Del Mar’s Jorge Corral is a top professional golfer in Mexico and well-respected in the golf industry. He’ll give you some helpful tips before your round.
Website / Facebook - El Cid Resorts. I was at El Cid for the opening of the Lee Trevino Marina nine-hole golf course with Lee himself. He put on a helluva show. Let’s face it; Trevino is a golf icon and one of the sport’s real characters. This is Trevino’s only golf course design in Mexico. But the beauty of golf at El Cid resides in its three distinct nine-hole tracks, each one with its own personality. Trevino’s Marina is the newest with a lot of water coming into play. It’s an open course, so the crosswinds can be tricky, but that’s part of the challenge. You can also try the Moro and Castilla nines. I prefer Castilla because it’s more open and rich with native vegetation. I need the extra room for my game. Lined with palm trees, the Moro is a bit tighter, and I’ve put a few errant shots in swimming pools and rooftops in El Cid’s residential neighborhoods. Bottom line, you’ll have fun golfing at El Cid! Their head golf professional, Adrian Salum, is a great guy and will be happy to talk to you.
Website / Instagram - Marina Mazatlán. This David Fleming design is the newest 18-hole championship golf course in Mazatlán, opening in 2009. The course features wide fairways and large greens, which make for a fun, resort-friendly round. The two nines are very distinct, and water comes into play during the final four finishing holes. If the general manager, Jorge Frannsen, is on the property during your visit, he’d love to tell you about the course.Website