Nuevo Vallarta: Finding A Golf Paradise in Mexico
It had been 16 years since my last trip to Puerto Vallarta, this charming resort city lined with cobblestone streets, quaint restaurants, loud bars and great shopping. But even before I touched down in Puerto Vallarta, I had a feeling this trip would be different.
My wife and I were staying 10 minutes north of the city in Nuevo Vallarta, an emerging beach town that developers built as an alternative to the bustle of Puerto Vallarta. The unquestionable star of this six-mile swath of land--carved out of a jungle 20 years ago-- is the Mayan Resort.
Once our airport shuttle drove through the gates and onto the Mayan property, I realized we wouldn’t be leaving the grounds until our return flight home. Why would we? Everything we wanted was right here--seven resorts, more than 20 restaurants, a newly renovated golf course, three miles of pristine beaches, a lazy river, a water slide, too many pools and swim up bars to count and an 84-degree Pacific Ocean.
With so many incredible options, it was hard to know where to begin our four-day getaway. We discussed the wondrous possibilities at Samba, a poolside café that served us a delicious dish of shrimp cocktail, a heaping plate of chicken nachos and two frosty Pacificos. Later that night at Rouge Wine Bar, over dinner and a bottle of red from the Santo Tomas winery in Ensenada, we decided that our first full day in Mexico would be spent relaxing at Brio Spa.
Located just off the lobby in the three-towered Grand Mayan resort, the Brio encourages guests to arrive early for their treatments, so they can take full advantage of a spa that includes sauna, steam bath, cold plunge and hydro tub. Since I was first-timer, I didn’t know what to expect from a deep-tissue massage by a professional masseuse. We opted for the Spa Romance package—an 80-minute Swedish massage in a private couple’s room, followed by an afternoon in a shaded outdoor cabana with champagne, fresh fruit and a hot tub.
I wasn’t disappointed.
As I’m told by someone who is accustomed to this sort of treatment, the art of a good masseuse is to get through your entire body without feeling like they’re rushing. Never for a second did I feel rushed. In fact, I was so relaxed and in such a state of bliss that I don’t remember much after the aroma therapy kicked in, not even that my wife was getting the same treatment a few feet away.
It’s probably no coincidence that a few hours later, I hit the golf ball longer and straighter than I have in years. I know they say you’re supposed to get a massage after your round, but it’s amazing how flexible and carefree I felt standing over the ball. It probably didn’t hurt that the rental clubs at Nayar Vidanta Golf Course were Cobra irons and woods, much nicer than the set I left at home.
All 18 holes of Nayar, originally designed by Jim Lipe nine years ago, reopened in August after a four-year renovation project by the Jack Nicklaus Design group. From the black tees, the par-70 course plays every bit of its 6,809 yards. From the whites, it covers 5,909 yards.
The first eight holes were tweaked slightly; the remaining 10 were completely reworked in typical Nicklaus fashion. The new layout features more bunkers, deeper bunkers and much more undulation in the fairways and on the greens, but wider fairways and adjacent holes give the resort golfer a fighting chance.
“This is a course where you can keep the ball play even if you have a big slice or hook,” said Jesus Torres, director of Vidanta Golf. “There is plenty of room in the fairways and the height of the rough won’t keep you from having a chance to reach the greens.”
The highlight of my post-massage round came on the 168-yard, par-three fourth hole when I launched a seven-iron over a pond and onto the green, just 10 feet below the pin. As I walked toward my ball, I heard claps and “nice shot” coming from a condo that overlooked the green. “Beautiful,” said an elderly man in a perfect Scottish accent. Naturally, I missed my birdie putt, but I had an easy tap in for par.
Thanks to a 280-yard drive that split the fairway, I easily made par on the 549-yard par-five fifth, Nayar’s longest hole. I didn’t celebrate my two consecutive pars for very long. On my way to the sixth tee, Head Pro Hector Rodriguez alerted me to an eight-foot long crocodile that had apparently wandered over from the Ameca River, which flows to the coast from the Sierra Madre Mountains. As Hector snapped pictures of the reptile lounging by a pond, I sped past, relieved that the croc seemed more interested in being a celebrity than chasing golf carts.
My next round wasn’t quite as eventful—no croc sightings. But thanks to my caddie, Martin, who read every putt as if he was Jack Nicklaus, it was just as enjoyable. Martin also gave me some occasional swing advice and constant encouragement. I had struggled some on the back nine especially on the 12th and 13th holes, which are guarded by a large waste bunker that runs along both par-fours. So when I approached the signature 18th hole, a 414-yard par four that played straight into a hefty afternoon breeze, I wasn’t feeling very confident.
Somehow I found the energy and focus to crush possibly my longest drive ever, a 290-yard blast that landed in the lush fairway, which is surrounded by water and menacing deep bunkers. “That was into the wind, Senor,” Martin called out. “Not bad.”
When I played in early November, the course was busy, but not packed. Torres said that will likely change soon. From December to May, the course operates at full capacity—240 rounds a day. Many days, there is a waiting list.
The resort has grown to more than 2,000 rooms. Torres said there will soon be more options for vacation golfers. In 2012, Vidanta Golf will begin building its second course in Nuevo Vallarta, a Greg Norman Signature Design.
“We have 65,000 active vacation ownership members and 100,000 overall, so we could use that new course yesterday,” Torres said. “That’s why there will be a third course. The demand is so high.”
Aspiring golfers and serious players will only have to wait until May before the Nicklaus Golf Academy opens. It will be the Nicklaus group’s third such facility in Mexico and their 15th in the world. The academy promises to be one of the world’s most complete instruction and training facilities in the world.
“Even if people staying at the resort are not great golfers, these new facilities give them a great opportunity to learn the sport of golf from some great instructors,” Torres said.
By the time the academy opens, the Mayan’s new transportation system should be ready to go. A light-rail system will ferry visitors to and from all of the resorts’ restaurants, pools and activities. Each resort has its own schedule of activities for adults and kids. At the Grand Mayan, yoga by the pool is followed by crafts, pool volleyball, bocce ball and our personal favorite, the crazy game or Juego Logo—a Mexican variety show where guests show off their dancing skills before the swim-up bar crowd.
Since we were without the kids, we didn’t spend much time at the wave pool, water slide or the lazy river. But Kids Club, complete with babysitters, was a big hit with guests that we met.
We stayed at the Grand Mayan, where rooms range from the 603-square-foot Grand Master up to the two-bedroom, two-bath 1,898-square-foot Grand Master Suite. The staff was extremely welcoming and the concierge was full of knowledge and suggestions about activities should we want to venture out for snorkeling, scuba or a day in town.
We didn’t hit all dining options over four days, but we tried. Our favorite spot was the Grand Luxxe’s Punta Arena Fish and Seafood Market, which sits a few feet from the beach and is perfect for sunset dining. Get the grilled salmon or seared Ahi for an entrée, but don’t leave without having Dario mix his specialty drink, the flaming Mexican Coffee tableside.
We weren’t expecting fabulous sushi deep in the heart of Mexico, but we were blown away by Gong, an Asian-fusion restaurant next to the pro shop. Get the Kobe beef skewers and seaweed salad for starters and for an entrée, try sharing one of the many delicious noodle dishes or specialty rolls. The dragon roll topped with fresh avocado and mango was our favorite.
About Vidanta Golf: The largest golf course operator in Mexico, Vidanta’s award winning courses are located in the most beautiful beaches of Mexico including: Acapulco, Los Cabos, Riviera Maya, Puerto Peñasco in Sonora and Nuevo Vallarta. To learn more about golf with Grupo Vidanta, visit www.vidantagolf.com. and www.grupovidanta.com. To learn more about the resort destinations such as The Grand Mayan, visit www.vidavacations.com.
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