Major Renovations Underway
One&Only Palmilla Golf Club Transformation
The historic One&Only Palmilla Golf Club, which helped launch Los Cabos as a golf destination in the early 1990s, is undergoing its most extensive renovation in decades. Real estate developer Don Koll brought Jack Nicklaus to design the property after purchasing Hotel Palmilla in 1986, with the Mountain and Arroyo nine-hole courses opening in 1993, followed by the Ocean nine in 1999.
According to Lloyd Walton, the club's director of golf, the project represents "a significant investment in the complete transformation of the golf experience at Palmilla." The club is partnering with Fry/Straka Global Golf Course Design to modernize the facility while respecting Nicklaus' original vision.
The comprehensive upgrades include complete reconstruction of all 18 championship holes across the Mountain and Arroyo courses, featuring premium Tahoma 31 Bermuda grass, rebuilt greens meeting modern USGA specifications, new bunkers and tees, reshaped playing corridors, new cart paths, and updated landscaping. The project also replaces irrigation and drainage infrastructure dating back over three decades.
The Ocean course is being reimagined as a nine-hole Par 3 experience alongside an eight-hole short course. A rebuilt practice facility will feature target greens and dedicated short-game areas. Currently, the Mountain and Ocean courses are closed while the Arroyo nine remains open for play. The Mountain and Ocean renovations, plus the practice facility, are scheduled for completion by late 2027, with the Arroyo Course finished by late 2028.
New Course Developments
El Once at Palmilla Reserve
Palmilla Reserve is introducing El Once, an 11-hole short course designed by Mexican architect Agustín Pizá, known locally for redesigning flood-damaged sections at Cabo San Lucas Country Club following Tropical Storm Lidia in 2017. This will be Los Cabos' second Par-3 short course, following the 12-hole Tiger Woods Oasis Short Course at Diamante, which opened in 2017.
Spanning 1,017 yards across 17 acres at Palmilla Reserve's western end, El Once will feature multiple elevated tee areas, two pins on every green, and various playing options designed for casual, social golf. The course serves as a signature amenity for Reserve Club Members in communities including Valley Estates, Mountain Residences, and The Summit.
"We are reimagining golf with a one-of-a-kind experience with multiple elevated tee areas, target greens and a variety of ways to experience the more casual, social side of golf," Pizá said. "El Once is the epitome of exciting, ever-changing challenges for every level of golfer."
Landscapes Unlimited is handling construction, with the first six holes expected to open by year-end.
Campo Alto at Querencia
Tom Fazio returns to Querencia to design Campo Alto, his second course at the private upscale community near San José del Cabo. His first international design, Campo Bajo, opened in 2000 and earned recognition in Golf Digest's World's 100 Greatest Golf Courses in 2016.
Campo Alto distinguishes itself with elevated ridges, dramatic canyons, and panoramic views encompassing desert landscapes and the Sea of Cortés. The course opens soon, with a grand opening event scheduled for November 6 for resident members and their guests.
Oleada Golf Links
Four-time major champion Ernie Els makes his Los Cabos debut with Oleada Golf Links, located at the 860-acre Oleada resort and residential development on Cabo San Lucas' Pacific Coast, between Diamante and Rancho San Lucas.
Els aims to "build a core golf course that harmonizes with nature," envisioning "a compact design that drapes naturally on the land, steps lightly on nature's toes and functions as an environmental steward of the site's indigenous flora and fauna." The links-style layout takes advantage of rolling dunes, elevation changes, and exposure to Pacific Coast winds characteristic of championship-level links golf.
Preview play began this summer, with the course expected to open for limited public play in November before transitioning to private member access, with availability for guests at on-site resorts including Grand Hyatt Los Cabos, Golf and Spa and Conrad Los Cabos.
The Legacy Club at Diamante
Tiger Woods continues expanding his design portfolio at Diamante in Cabo San Lucas, where his first completed course, El Cardonal, premiered in 2014. El Cardonal now hosts the World Wide Technology Championship, the only PGA-sponsored tournament in Los Cabos, returning November 5-8.
Following the Oasis Short Course in 2017 and The Woods Cabo restaurant in 2023, Woods' TGR Design is developing The Legacy Course at The Legacy Club, described as "a course that transports golfers from the open desert landscape of southern Baja into a new, secluded environment of lush vegetation—truly an oasis in the desert."
Limited to 250 family memberships and exclusively private like all Woods designs at Diamante, The Legacy Course is scheduled to open by spring 2027, representing what may be Woods' most ambitious design project to date.
