Nicklaus at Vista Vallarta Golf Club

The Nicklaus Course at Vista Vallarta Golf Club occupies terrain in the Sierra Madre foothills above Puerto Vallarta, where the routing navigates elevation changes and natural ravines characteristic of the region's mountainous topography. Jack Nicklaus designed the layout to incorporate the existing jungle vegetation and barranca features, with fairways carved through dense tropical forest and several holes playing across or alongside steep-sided gullies. The course opened in 2001 as part of a 36-hole facility that also includes a design by Tom Weiskopf, both layouts sharing the property's dramatic setting between the mountains and views toward Banderas Bay.

The design presents a mix of elevation changes, with several holes playing significantly uphill or downhill and others occupying relatively level ground in the valleys. The barrancas come into play on multiple holes, requiring forced carries off the tee or on approach shots. Fairway corridors are generally defined by the jungle margins, and the greens feature the contouring and strategic bunkering typical of Nicklaus designs from this period. The tropical climate supports lush playing conditions year-round, though the heat and humidity are factors during summer months.

Vista Vallarta has hosted professional events on the PGA Tour, including editions of the World Golf Championships-Mexico Championship in the early 2000s, when the tournament alternated between the Nicklaus and Weiskopf courses. The facility serves both resort guests and members, with the Nicklaus Course generally regarded as the more challenging of the two layouts due to its length and the severity of some forced carries.