Golf Course Architecture - Issue 60, April 2020

Photo: Brian Oar TEE BOX THE B IG P I CTURE The fourteenth hole at the new Rancho San Lucas course in Los Cabos, Mexico, photographed here by Brian Oar, is a par four that plays directly towards the Pacific Ocean. “Rancho San Lucas is the most spectacular piece of oceanfront property I’ve seen in a long time, so to have the opportunity to build a course on this site was truly once-in-a-lifetime,” said Greg Norman, whose firm designed the course. “My goal was to keep it as natural as possible, using my ‘least-disturbance’ approach, while showcasing the property’s three unique ecosystems: the ocean, the sand dunes and the arroyos.” From a series of elevated tees (ranging from 281 to 444 yards), the drive on the right-to-left dogleg fourteenth hole is played to a wide fairway framed on both sides by shouldering dunes. The second shot is played to a slightly raised green, which has two deep bunkers to the left. Norman chose a revetted bunker design unique to the region. “We wanted to build a sustainable course that is playable from all perspectives, including the forward tees,” said Norman. “We are committed to making a global impact by creating courses that withstand the test of time, and I truly believe this golf course is one of the best we’ve ever built.” Rancho San Lucas is the centrepiece of an 834-acre gated resort community developed by Solmar Group. The course is routed through a cactus forest with arroyos before moving on to enormous windswept dunes. Fourteen holes have ocean views, with five playing on the beach. 24