Several of the golf courses in Los Cabos have been ranked among the best in the world. Two layouts — Diamante’s Dunes Course and the Cove Club (formerly the Cabo del Sol Ocean Course) — are currently ranked among Golf Digest’s “World 100 Greatest Golf Courses,” for instance, and two others, Quivira Golf Club and Querencia Golf Club, have also made the list in recent years. Chileno Bay and Twin Dolphin Golf Clubs, meanwhile, have made Golf Magazine’s list of “Top 100 Courses You Can Play.”
Several more local loops have been rated tops in their region. Diamante Dunes and Querencia were declared the “Best in Mexico” by Golf Digest and Golfweek, respectively, and Solmar Golf Links was recently named “Latin America’s Best Course” by the World Golf Awards.
The area’s rich array of world-class golf courses is amazing. But then, they have to be, since they’re also meant to sell luxury real estate.
Why golf is so important to real estate sales in Los Cabos
A 2017 study of more than 10,000 real estate transactions by researchers at Florida Atlantic University showed that buying property near a golf course positively affected its value moving forward, boosting it by 8 to 12%. The researchers also noted, anecdotally, that golf itself is likely a lure to convince prospective homeowners to buy.
The latter assertion may not be backed up by statistical evidence. But it is taken for granted by many real estate developers, especially those in Mexico, where the second home market in destinations like Los Cabos is thriving. According to a recently published article in Barron’s, this is how the formula works: “In the golf real estate realm, developers build courses to sell houses. They hire big-name designers like Jack Nicklaus, Coore and Crenshaw, or Robert Trent Jones Jr. to lend star power to create an impressive 18 holes, confident the chance to play such a layout every day will draw buyers willing to pay millions for a second home or vacation escape.”
How golf and real estate in Los Cabos became synonymous
This formula has driven interest in resorts and real estate in Los Cabos since the early 1990s, when real estate magnate Don Koll brought in Nicklaus to design a course for Hotel Palmilla (now One&Only Palmilla), which he owned. Thirty years later, there are 18 currently operating golf courses in Los Cabos — a municipality with a population of about 350,000 — and at least three more are in the works. All serve as upscale amenities for resorts or real estate developments, or in some cases, both.
Why big-name course designers cost more and why they matter?
Big names like Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods, the two most successful golfers ever and designers of eight, soon to be nine total courses in Los Cabos, do not come cheap. Whereas notable designers and major champions like Greg Norman and Ernie Els charge more than US $1 million per effort, Nicklaus and Woods, because of their exceptional star power, can command that and more … sometimes much more. Nicklaus’ fees are said to start in the range of $2-3 million, for example, while Woods’ fees are said to be even higher.
Of course, beyond bringing star power, their return on investment (ROI) for real estate is also high. To state the obvious, it’s not just that golf helps sell real estate in Los Cabos; it’s for how much.
Cabo del Sol
Cabo del Sol, a 1,800-acre luxury community a half dozen miles from Cabo San Lucas, is also home to Nicklaus’ Cove Club and Tom Weiskopf’s Cabo del Sol Course (currently under renovation), plus several luxurious resorts, including properties for Four Seasons, Park Hyatt, and soon, Soho House. It’s the real estate developments, however, that will benefit most from access to Nicklaus’ and Weiskopf’s loops. Homesites at the Cove Club start at US $3.7 million, villas at $8.6 million.
Diamante
At Diamante on the Pacific Coast of Cabo San Lucas, the biggest real estate development is the one surrounding Tiger Woods’ new invitation-only Legacy Club golf course and community, which is capped at only 250 members or families. List prices begin for homesites in Legacy Estates at $4 million, with larger homes in the range of $10 and $11 million. The Legacy Club is expected to open by the end of 2026.
Considering the Legacy Club course is reportedly going to take over from Tiger’s El Cardonal Course as the host of the PGA World Wide Technology Championship by 2027, the only PGA tournament in Los Cabos, expect list prices for nearby homesites in Legacy Estates, Legacy Villas and Legacy Gardens to remain robust.
Querencia
In Querencia, which is expecting a second course, Campo Alto, from acclaimed designer Tom Fazio in late 2026, prices likewise start in seven figures. At El Parque, a family-centric neighborhood of single-family homes and homesites in the upscale development, properties are now being listed between US $5.95 and $7.6 million.
Quivira
Signals are mixed on whether a second Jack Nicklaus course will ever be added to accompany the spectacular original, Quivira Golf Club, which opened in late 2014. However, real estate sales remain brisk regardless. Prive residences at St. Regis and Montecristo start at US $1 million, while 4- and 5-bedroom homes at Coronado are currently being listed for between $2.2 and $6.9 million.
Oleada
The 860-acre Oleada community is expecting its Ernie Els-designed golf course to open in 2026, while the 43 luxury two- and four-bedroom residences comprising the Conrad Residences at Oleada will be available beginning in 2027. Contact Hilton-owned Conrad for pricing information.
Chris Sands is the former Cabo San Lucas local expert for the USA Today travel website 10 Best and writer of Fodor’s Los Cabos travel guidebook. He’s also a contributor to numerous websites and publications, including Tasting Table, Marriott Bonvoy Traveler, Forbes Travel Guide, Porthole Cruise, Cabo Living and Mexico News Daily.
