The Jack Nicklaus Golf Course at Vidanta Puerto Penasco

The Jack Nicklaus Golf Course at Vidanta Puerto Penasco occupies a distinctive setting along the Sea of Cortez in northern Sonora, where the Sonoran Desert meets the Gulf of California. Opened in 2011, the course represents one of Nicklaus's relatively few designs in Mexico and his only layout in this particular coastal region of the country. The property sits within the Vidanta resort development, approximately 60 miles south of the Arizona border, making it accessible to golfers from the southwestern United States. The routing takes advantage of the desert-meets-sea landscape, with holes playing through natural desert terrain characterized by sandy soil, native vegetation, and views of the gulf waters. The design incorporates the environmental constraints and opportunities of this arid coastal setting, where water conservation and maintenance practices differ significantly from traditional parkland courses. Several holes offer proximity to the shoreline, though the degree of oceanfront play varies throughout the round. As a Nicklaus Signature design, the course features the architect's characteristic strategic bunkering, multiple tee options to accommodate different skill levels, and green complexes that reward precise approach play. The layout serves primarily resort guests at the Vidanta property, which includes hotel accommodations and other amenities typical of destination golf facilities. The course provides one of the few regulation golf options in Puerto Peñasco, a beach town known more for tourism and fishing than for golf.