Mexico is a popular spring break haven and an all-inclusive resort capital where the rum runners and margaritas never stop flowing. However, it's often overlooked as a great golf destination.
Golf vacationers are missing a lot. Courses with designer tags like Jack Nicklaus, Greg Norman, Tom Weiskopf, Tiger Woods and Rees Jones dot the terrain in the main vacation areas and you're never far away from a swim-up bar, spa, beach or marina.
Most golfers gravitate to the major tourist destinations along the coast such as Cancun and the Riviera Maya, Puerto Vallarta/Nayarit, Los Cabos in Baja, Acapulco and Mazatlan. The diverse settings range from the spectacular beaches on the Riviera Maya to the desert overlooking the Pacific Ocean and Sea of Cortez in Los Cabos to the lush tropical jungle in Puerto Vallarta
"Mexico golf is still relatively unknown to most golfers, but they're making great progress," says Dave Simmonds, president of Mexigolf, a full-service golf travel company specializing in customized golf packages to Mexico. "Top golf architects have designed courses in the past twenty years, the weather is excellent for golf and Mexico is fairly inexpensive for first class lodging and phenomenal food and drinks."
Simmonds has decades of experience playing golf and planning golf-centric excursions to Mexico. He's lived in Mexico and played in every part of the country. He knows the resorts, hotels, courses, culture and cuisine better than anyone I've ever met.
"I enjoy telling people all I know about Mexico and what it has to offer," Simmonds says.
He continues, "Mexico has an amazing, rich culture, a diverse and beautiful landscape with some of the best prices in the world. The proximity to the U.S. makes it an easy transition for a getaway when you can catch a plane in the morning and tee it up later that afternoon."
If you want to play Mexico, visit his site Mexigolf and enter some basic information about your trip. Dave quickly replies and assists you in making the planning and coordination process easy and hassle-free.
"Working with clients I find out the courses they want to play, the make-up of the group and what they like to do when they're not playing golf," Simmonds says. "Adventure/eco travel is huge in Mexico and there are many opportunities to participate when not on the course, from zip-lining and day trips to scuba and deep sea fishing."
Now is a great time to play golf in Mexico.
Simmonds says Mexico tourism took a big hit during the worldwide recession in 2008 and it had to improve it's infrastructure to compete for the travel dollar.
"Mexico's resorts, hotels, golf courses and restaurants have greatly improved in the past five years and it offers a tremendous travel value," he says. "Safety for guests is a high priority, the people are very friendly and accommodating and they truly live up to their reputation as 'The Amigo Country'."
There are more than 225 golf courses in Mexico. Highlighting the menu are layouts like Cabo del Sol Ocean Course in Cabo, a Jack Nicklaus design framed by craggy rock outcropping and a stunning shoreline; El Camaleon Golf Club at Mayakoba on Riviera Maya, a Greg Norman masterpiece that weaves with mangrove jungles, limestone canals and magnificent oceanfront stretches; and the Vista Vallarta Club de in Puerto Vallarta, home to two 18-hole championship layouts by Jack Nicklaus and Tom Weiskopf.
Simmonds says he can customize a trip for any age group.
"It doesn't matter if you're a Baby Boomer, Millennial or Generation X or whether you want to play 36 holes or 18 holes a day, we'll customize the trip to have a full balance of golf and fun activities in between," he says. "Every group has different needs and desires and I design each package individually."
It's time to tee up in Mexico and a quick click to Mexigolf is the best way to start your journey to this fun-filled golf destination. You can also email Dave Simmonds at Dave@mexigolf.com or call him at 858-699-0613
