New courses in Puerto Vallarta

[Roadking2003]

Norman has two new courses (Litibu and Vidanta) in the Puerto Vallarta area. Has anyone played them?

[irvtrain]

I've played the one at Vidanta. It is not included in any of the golf included packages that come with staying there through timeshare etc, so it is an extra $100 and I had the whole course to myself when the resort was 100% full. Anyway, the course is significantly better than any of the other courses I've played in PV. I'll have to check out Litibu next time I'm down there.

[Roadking2003]

We are going next winter. I've played both of the Vista Vallarta courses, Marina Vallarta, El Tigre and Flamingo. The Vista Vallarta courses are the best of the bunch.

 

I'll probably play both of the Vidanta courses and will consider the long drive to Litibu since it looks quite nice.

 

I've tried every trick I can think of to get on the two Punta Mita courses. I thought staying there one night might work, but the cheapest room is $1240 per night. Have you played those two?

[irvtrain]

Never played Punta Mita courses. Looking at their website it has a rate for $240 for high season per course. I've only played El Tigre and Vista courses. I really have to check out all these other courses when down there.

[Double K]

I've played El Tigre, Vista and Litibu. Litibu is hands down the best of the three. Fantastic layout a couple nice holes along the ocean and great conditions.

 

El Tigre is terrible and a total waste of money. Was in very poor shape when I played. Overpriced too.

 

Vista is good, especially if you can get a golfnow deal. It was much hotter up there as you are a bit further inland. Bring lots of fluid with you.

[Roadking2003]

Never played Punta Mita courses. Looking at their website it has a rate for $240 for high season per course. I've only played El Tigre and Vista courses. I really have to check out all these other courses when down there.

 

Last time I checked you have to stay there to play the courses and rooms start at about $1000 per night.

[Roadking2003]

Just bumping this thread to see if there are any new reports about the two Vidanta courses and the Norman Litbu course.

[Roadking2003]

Anyone played golf in PV recently ????

[rwmck9]

Heading to PV in Feb, friend of mine was able to get the Norman vidanta course included in the package so we're booked in for mon-fri rounds.

 

I've been reading up on it as much as I can, looks impressive at 7300y from the tips and usually quiet by the sounds of it due to the higher price.

 

If anyone has/is playing it, be sure to share your thoughts!

[Roadking2003]

I'm playing it in January. Will post my observations.

[Matt J]

My in laws have a place down there and I've yet to go. Sounds like I should take my clubs!

[Roadking2003]

Played three times in PV last week.

 

Litibu: Very long drive. Cheap green fees. Nice layout. Very slow greens. Course in poor condition. Infrastructure is so bad I'm surprised Greg Norman leaves his name on the course. I will not be back unless they improve.

 

Vidanta Norman: Very good condition. Greens rolled very nicely. Great infrastructure and everything worked. Course layout was good but not great. Very good forecaddie. I would play it again.

 

Vista Vallarta Nicklaus: Best layout of the three we played. A wide variety of hole shapes and elevation changes. Very good condition. Greens were a little slow. Green fees are higher than the others. I would play it again.

[Double K]

Sad to hear about Litibu falling into disrepair. That's a really nice property with tons of potential.

[Roadking2003]

This is true. Part of their challenge is being so far away from PV. Also, they are not on Golfnow.com so you have to call for tee times.

[Ninja]

Litibu is hands down the best of the three. Fantastic layout a couple nice holes along the ocean and great conditions.

 

How long ago did you play Litibu? Was considering it until RoadKing's update.

 

Anyone know if Flamingo is worth a test drive??

[Roadking2003]

Litibu is hands down the best of the three. Fantastic layout a couple nice holes along the ocean and great conditions.

 

How long ago did you play Litibu? Was considering it until RoadKing's update.

 

Anyone know if Flamingo is worth a test drive??

 

He's comparing it to El Tigre which is a pitiful course. And he didn't say which "Vista" course he played. There are three Club Corp courses. Marina Vallarta is pretty poor. Maybe that's the one he played.

 

The other two Club Corp courses (Nicklaus and Weiskopf) are really nice.

[Roadking2003]

Litibu is hands down the best of the three. Fantastic layout a couple nice holes along the ocean and great conditions.

 

How long ago did you play Litibu? Was considering it until RoadKing's update.

 

Anyone know if Flamingo is worth a test drive??

 

I played Flamingo three years ago and would not go back.

 

Here is how I would rank the PV courses I have played.

 

 

Vista Vallarta - Nicklaus

Vista Vallarta - Weiskopf

Vidanta - Norman

Litibu

Marina Vallarta

El Tigre

Flamingo

[johntchow]

im headed to punta mita in a couple months and planning to play bahia and pacifico both. will monitor this thread to see what courses are worth playing and venturing off the resort at four seasons.

[johntchow]

> @Roadking2003 said:

> Ninja wrote:

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> Double K wrote:

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> Litibu is hands down the best of the three. Fantastic layout a couple nice holes along the ocean and great conditions.

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> How long ago did you play Litibu? Was considering it until RoadKing's update.

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> Anyone know if Flamingo is worth a test drive??

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> I played Flamingo three years ago and would not go back.

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> Here is how I would rank the PV courses I have played.

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> Vista Vallarta - Nicklaus

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> Vista Vallarta - Weiskopf

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> Vidanta - Norman

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> Litibu

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> Marina Vallarta

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> El Tigre

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> Flamingo

 

leaving for punta mita in a couple days. going to try to play vista nicklaus and vidante norman while out there. looks like both are on golfnow. planning to play a couple rounds at pacifico and bahia in punta mita also. should be interesting.

any of you know if the drive from punta mita to PV is around 1 hour? thats what is seems to suggest on google maps.

[Roadking2003]

> @johntchow said:

> leaving for punta mita in a couple days. going to try to play vista nicklaus and vidante norman while out there. looks like both are on golfnow. planning to play a couple rounds at pacifico and bahia in punta mita also. should be interesting.

> any of you know if the drive from punta mita to PV is around 1 hour? thats what is seems to suggest on google maps.

 

That's a good estimate. It's not very far, but you can't drive at interstate speeds.

 

[divebreck]

agreed with Roadking. A couple of times we got stuck in traffic near the mall so you may want to add a little more time.

[johntchow]

just got back from punta mita and compared to the two punta mita courses, Vista Vallarta - Nicklaus and Vidanta - Norman didnt quite meet expectations.

i got Vista Vallarta on golfnow for $175 at 10:30am but the service was pretty poor, not a single bottled water or even ice in the ice chest when it was 100 degrees out. the carts didnt have GPS either. the fairways were about average and the greens were in recovery. but even if the greens were average, it cant compare to the punta mita courses at the same price range. the track was pretty fun though but definitely not worth $175.

i got vidanta on golfnow for a hot deal price of $70 and the greens were about average condition but the rest of the course was better than i expected. for the price it was a bargain. you do have to pay the caddie $22 and i included a $5 tip.

i would say the punta mita courses are a must play.

[Roadking2003]

> @johntchow said:> i would say the punta mita courses are a must play.

 

Yes, but it costs a fortune to play there. You have to stay to play and hotel rooms are $1000+

[johntchow]

> @Roadking2003 said:

> > @johntchow said:> i would say the punta mita courses are a must play.

>

> Yes, but it costs a fortune to play there. You have to stay to play and hotel rooms are $1000+

 

i think its cheaper now to stay at the four seasons in punta mita. we got a 1 bedroom suite for $500 a night. i mean it's not cheap by any means, but far less expensive than other four seasons in different locales. other four seasons generally are $1200+ per night for the 1 bedroom suite.

but yeah i see what you mean, i guess in the future, if youre able to play the punta mita course, i would just adjust expectations when you play the others.

vista vallarta nicklaus was fun but for $180, geez...

the downside to the punta mita course was that they are currently putting in a driving range so all they really have is a practice green. but i think the driving range is supposed to be completed later this year.

[Roadking2003]

> @johntchow said:

> > @Roadking2003 said:

> > > @johntchow said:> i would say the punta mita courses are a must play.

> >

> > Yes, but it costs a fortune to play there. You have to stay to play and hotel rooms are $1000+

>

> i think its cheaper now to stay at the four seasons in punta mita. we got a 1 bedroom suite for $500 a night. i mean it's not cheap by any means, but far less expensive than other four seasons in different locales. other four seasons generally are $1200+ per night for the 1 bedroom suite.

> but yeah i see what you mean, i guess in the future, if youre able to play the punta mita course, i would just adjust expectations when you play the others.

> vista vallarta nicklaus was fun but for $180, geez...

> the downside to the punta mita course was that they are currently putting in a driving range so all they really have is a practice green. but i think the driving range is supposed to be completed later this year.

 

Probably the summer rate. We usually go to PV in January when the rates are higher. For example, an ocean front room with advance purchase discount is $1022 per night plus taxes and resort fees.

[Miker20890]

Heading to Puerto Vallarta in March for a week. Looking to play 3 rounds while i am there. Sounds like Punta Mita is the course to play down there. Are the rest about the same? How about Flamingoes?

[johntchow]

> @Miker20890 said:

> Heading to Puerto Vallarta in March for a week. Looking to play 3 rounds while i am there. Sounds like Punta Mita is the course to play down there. Are the rest about the same? How about Flamingoes?

vista vallarta nicklaus was a fun track, but no way is it worth $180 in my opinion

better off playing the vidanta courses which you can possibly get a hot deal on golfnow

i didnt play flamingoes but i drove past it a few times and honestly from the outside the course just looked like a below average muni course. the building looked really run down. i actually thought the place was closed down and out of business.

 

[Roadking2003]

> @Miker20890 said:

> Heading to Puerto Vallarta in March for a week. Looking to play 3 rounds while i am there. Sounds like Punta Mita is the course to play down there. Are the rest about the same? How about Flamingoes?

 

You have to stay at Punta Mita to play there and last time I was there rooms started at just under $1000 during peak season.

 

I played Flamingo a few years ago and it was terrible.

 

Ranking of the ones I have played (the first three are a lot better than the last four):

Vista Vallarta - Nicklaus

Vista Vallarta - Weiskopf

Vidanta - Norman

Litibu

Marina Vallarta

El Tigre

Flamingo

[ThermalDan]

Puerto Vallarta just isn't a golf destination. If you're jonesing for golf while on a vacation, then they have courses to play, but none of the courses are anything worth planning a trip around.

 

[Socrates]

Just got back from PV. Only played the Vista Vallarta courses (once each). I really enjoyed both courses. The Weiskopf was really fun and more relaxing to play because the greens were easier to putt. I really liked the Nicklaus course and wish I could've played it once more (stupid family vacation). There is a lot of local knowledge to take in and you really need to know where you need to hit it on the greens so you aren't putting defensive all day. The Nicklaus is easily the more challenging of the two and you need to exercise a fair amount of decision making off the tees or you could hit it in some really bad places. Also greens were tricky. Some were more downhill than I thought and had a few long 2nd putts.

I ran into a bit of bad luck with the greens. Played Norman on Monday and they were verti-cutting the greens. Not that big a deal as they were doing a really good job although I caught up to the crew on the back and had to wait a bit while they finished the holes. Lost my rhythm and went +3 on 2 easy holes from middle of fairway. Then on Wednesday, they were spiking the greens on the Nicklaus. Got past them on 6-7 and the greens were good from there on. Shot 78 both days so I can't be too unhappy, but multiple green speeds while playing made reading breaks pretty hard. Not complaining as I could have been stuck on the beach with relatives. I could play those several times each if I had a couple of weeks.

Hotel rate was $159 US and the cab ride was almost $30 return from Neuvo Vallarta area. Not cheap, but not outrageous compared to some places in the Caribbean or Playa del Carman area.