Internationally designed Golf Courses in Costa Rica
If you’re an avid golfer you would be glad to know that there are a number of golf courses in Costa Rica designed by internationally recognized course architects like Robert Trent Jones Jr., Mike Young, Tracy May, George Fazio, and Ted Robinson Jr.
Upon arriving to Costa Rica, in both tee time and lounge time you will find yourself playing on some of earths most beautiful grounds and surroundings. Costa Rica is literally a tropical paradise and you can enjoy the golf course in a tropical dry forests or along amazing beaches with exotic wildlife. More commonly recognized for its fantastic beaches and Eco-tourism, Costa Rica is fast becoming a desirable golf destination. This could be due to hassle-free tee times and unhurried rounds which are the norm around here. As you’re making your swings you may encounter or get a glimpse of some wild life such as monkeys, pizotes (coati-mondi) and toucans. Ocean side holes, view to a volcano and lush tropical fauna are all part of the Costa Rican Golfing experience.
The golf courses are found located in the Pacific Central, Guanacaste and San Jose area. Here are some of the golf courses you can visit while your stay in Costa Rica.
Pacific Central Golf Courses:
La Iguana Golf Course at Marriott Los Suenos: At Marriott Los Suenos in Herradura, Costa Rica, you can find a course that sits alongside a rain forest. La Iguana Golf Course shares with you a view of the ocean while you play 18 holes of testing par-72 golf on a green designed by Ted Robinson that also serves as a habitat for monkeys and macaws. Robinson designed the course to blend carefully with its neighboring jungle, with impressive flora and fauna such as banana trees and orchids and even 150 bird species. You may even want to take along extra balls because legend has it that one golfer had one stolen right off the green by a four legged critter. There are knowledgeable golf guides who are happy to point out all the beautiful highlights of this exciting course. But don’t be fooled by the mesmerizing scenery, it’s just a cover up for a challenging game, one well worth conquering. As part of the Los Suenos Marriott Ocean and Golf Resort, the La Iguana Golf Course is included in stay-and-lay packages
Los Suenos Golf Marina and Resort Community
- Alta Vista Condominiums
- Bay Residences at Del Mar
- Bella Vista Condominiums
- Colina Los Suenos Condos
- Del Mar Residences
- Eco Golf Estates Lots and Home sites
- Malibu Villas Altamira
- Marbella Condominiums
- Miramar Residences
- Montebello Residences
- Riviera Villas Altamira
- Terrazas de Marbella
- Vista Tres Bahias Lots and Home sites
- Vista Bahia Residences
- Veranda Los Suenos
Tipping at golf courses in Costa Rica:
Tipping is not a normal custom in Costa Rica but it has become well known since the tourism boom. If your a foreigner , it’s almost expected of you these days. A Costa Rican would only tip or give a “propina”, as we say here, if they felt the service was above and beyond excellent.
Central Valley Golf Courses:
Costa Rica Country Club: Located in Escazu, this golf course claims to be home to the best players in the country. The course is called Jaime Solera Bennett Field and was founded in 1940. It has a wonderful panoramic view of some the beautiful mountains that surround the city of Escazu. It was designed with some of the best features of Scottish links provided by Charles Lawrence Donovan. Mr. Donovan was considered the father designer of his time. This course demands great character and extraordinary precision shots from the players.
Cariari Country Club: This Golf course is located in Cariari city and only about a 15-20 minute drive from the Juan Santamaria Intl’ aiport. So if you find yourself with a few hours to kill before heading to your destination out of the central valley, this may be a good place to play a few rounds. Built in 1971, this 18 hole course begins on a 427-yard par 4, where a tree-lined fairway, with out-of-bounds on the right, leads to a green guarded by a sand trap on the right and an out-of-bounds spot behind. It also features three long par 5s: the 8th (499 yards), 12th (513 yards) and 14th (522 yards) holes. You can finish up on a par-4, 355-yarder that doglegs right, rolls down a sloping fairway to a river 30 yards before the green, this also well-protected with sand traps. In other words, plot your position at the tee and maintain it all the way in.
Valle del Sol Golf Course: This course is located in the Central Valley in the city of Santa Ana, this 18 hole picturesque field was designed by course architect Tracy May. Valle de Sol Golf Course plays 7,011 yards and begins on a par-4 365-yarder that doglegs left. This requires accuracy from the tee to avoid the bunker on the right, water on the side and out-of-bounds area 13 yards to the right of the path. The 18th hole, at 643 yards from the champion tee, is the courses monster legend. You may make it in three shots if you avoid the out -of-bounds zone on the left and drive toward right-center on the fairway, then play left to the green. All this while avoiding a big Higueron tree on the front right using the mounds’ slope.
Costa Rica Marriott Hotel San Jose: This course reopened about 5 months ago and sets inside the hotel premises. It’s located in the suburbs of San Jose in Belen. This is about a 20-30 minute drive from the airport and can serve as a one night stay for either exiting or entering the country. Their website is under construction.
Guanacaste Golf Courses:
Four Seasons golf course : In the Papagayo Peninsula with it’s Pacific Ocean views and 15 holes, sits the Four Seasons Resort & Golf course. The Arnold Palmer signature golf course offers wide fairways that undulate to big greens with plenty of contours and allows a decent challenge for golfing skills. This par-72 course at the Four Seasons plays to 6,7888 yards. Just the location alone of this course will leave you breathless along with the ocean breeze. If that doesn’t entice you already, then ask the hotel about their twilight golf.
Reserva Conchal Golf Club: Situated in Brasilito, Guanacast, this jewel of the Costa Rican golf experience was carefully designed by the legendary Robert Trent Jones ll. This 18-hole golf course delivers sheer relaxation and spectacular fun for golfers of all levels. So if you’ve never touched a club or if your handicap is in the single digits, this top 50 world-class golf course guarantees a fantastic round for everyone. Since its inauguration in 1996, the course has kept so many entertained alone with its scenery. Bathed in the luscious greens and striking blues of the Pacific Ocean, the 6,956-yard, par-71 championship golf course is one of the best in Costa Rica.
Hacienda Pinilla Beach Resort: This is an authentic Costa Rican Golf Course that pairs environmental respect with a love for the game of golf. Reflecting respect for its natural setting, this golf course has earned designation as an Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary for its preservation of ecological balance. Hacienda Pinilla Beach Resort offers a 7,300-yard course designed by Mike Young. He emphasized details and conformed holes to the landscape’s slopes and contours of this majestic piece of land. Risk vs. reward is the game, no two rounds are alike, and one of the risks includes hitting a beautiful tree.