Has anyone played at the Palmilla GC in Los Cabos?

[vbb]

Heading to Cabo for the first time on a vacation in a few months. I'll have time for only one 18 hole round of golf and so I want to make it count. From what I can see online, the Palmilla (Nicklaus design) is the club to play down there, and it looks like they have 3 nine hole tracks and you can combine any two to make a 18 hole round. So if anyone has played there, I'd be interested to know which of the two 9s I should play.

[gmies]

I have played Palmilla and it is very nice but there are other courses that are better. The best is Diamante which is a top 100 course. It is private, but there is a good chance you can get on there. You might be subject to a real estate pitch though. If you can only play one, that is the one to play. I have not played Cabo del Sol, but I have heard that it is also better than Palmilla. I enjoyed Palmilla, but I don't think it was particularly memorable.

[littleprov1x]

This is my ranking of Cabo courses, and I think most people would probably agree with something close to this. There is a new course opening on Dec. 31 called Chileno Bay Club, which will likely be in the top 3-4 once it is open. Palmilla is pretty far down my list, similar to what other posters have mentioned.

Diamante- although you have to do the real estate pitch
Cabo del Sol Ocean
Querencia (if you can get on)
Cabo del Sol Desert
Puerto Los Cabos
El Dorado (if you can get on)
Palmilla
Cabo Real
Campestre
Cabo San Lucas CC

[btcus]

Cabo del sol is a phenomenal course. Better than Palmilla by a wide delta. Never played Diamanté.

You will not be disappointed with CDS it's a trogon managed course to give you a perspective of the quality.

Have fun!

[mjtoal]

I played Palmilla, El Dorado and Cabo Ocean and enjoyed all 3 but would put Palmilla firmly last in my local ranking. I thought El Dorado (before the ocean front holes were built on) was terrific.

[vbb]

Thanks for the feedback guys. I looked at the Palmilla track online and saw it was a Nicklaus course (I have a Nicklaus design here and it's a nice, but hard course) so I figured Palmilla was going to be nice. Surprising to see it ranked so low by you all!

[mjtoal]

[quote name='vbb' timestamp='1387539859' post='8327009']
Thanks for the feedback guys. I looked at the Palmilla track online and saw it was a Nicklaus course (I have a Nicklaus design here and it's a nice, but hard course) so I figured Palmilla was going to be nice. Surprising to see it ranked so low by you all!
[/quote]

Well, that is a context issue. I like Nicklaus courses too. Palmilla is a perfectly decent pleasant course, but next to Cabo Ocean it is not really in the same league. Opinions on El Dorado are more mixed, but I loved it, although some of the dramatic and attractive ocean front holes have since been altered to make way for condos, so that probably knocks it back a bit. If you play Palmilla, you will have fun and a nice round, but if you have choice between Cabo Ocean and Palmila, choose Cabo Ocean.

[Truman]

If you can only play once and you're not concerned about the expense play Del Sol Ocean course. Diamanté is a great course, but unless you know a member, sitting through the real estate tour isn't worth it, in my opinion. El Dorado was spectacular, but they gave up their best holes to real estate development. A good course that's less expensive than Del Sol, but offers some great views is over by the marina in San Jose, puerto Los Cabos.

[DrivesFourShow]

[quote name='Truman' timestamp='1387852288' post='8341995']
If you can only play once and you're not concerned about the expense play Del Sol Ocean course. Diamanté is a great course, but unless you know a member, sitting through the real estate tour isn't worth it, in my opinion. El Dorado was spectacular, but they gave up their best holes to real estate development. A good course that's less expensive than Del Sol, but offers some great views is over by the marina in San Jose, puerto Los Cabos.
[/quote]

Agree 100%. Played both Cabo Del Sol and Diamanté in July and both we're amazing but I enjoyed the Cabo Del Sol. And the real estate tour is nothing but time consuming and awkward when all you want to do is play golf. Don't waste your time at Palmilla, book Cabo Del Sol.