2024 was a Year to Remember, as we were able to Play some of the Best Golf in Baja.

Unlike our golf outings in prior years, almost all of 2024 was spent in one geographic area. Lucky for us, that just so happened to be one of the most beautiful locations, and richest golf destinations, not only in Mexico--but all of North America.

Welcome to the Baja edition of Stay the Course where seven new courses were added to our played list...several of which made their way towards the top ranks of our all-time greats.

So without any further ado here are our Best of 2024!

Cabo Del Sol

As a first round of the year Cabo del Sol did a good job to pace us. Newly taken over by the Four Seasons, this entire resort is on the up-and-up, and while the layout of the course wasn't the most spectacular, there were still some real positives. First, as far as branded apparel and details--this was 100% a Four Seasons experience. The bright blue branded golf tees, the catchy sunshine logo on all the clothes and ball markers, and little extras in the golf carts were all pretty top-notch. The service was spectacular from start to finish and there are food truck comfort stations every couple of holes. Like many courses in Cabo, food and drink are included in your Greens fees and while the all-in price is a bit steep, unlimited margaritas, sliders and tacos makes it a bit easier to swallow (pun intended). With a few interesting holes, especially down the stretch, this was a good way to step into the season.

One&Only Palmilla

Next up, we had a really great day at the One&Only Palmilla. Playing the Arroyo and Ocean nines, we found almost two totally different types of golf and while the Arroyo would hold its own against many courses in the Southwestern US, the Ocean Course easily stole the show. It's not just that there is one of the most beautiful Par-4s that you'll ever play leading you right down to the beach, but there is also a challenging Par-5 that forces you to hit over an incredibly deep arroyo, a par-3 that is lined with colorful flowers in every direction, and a series of holes that force you to stop and marvel at the mega-mansions that line the fairways and crest the hills above. In total, Palmilla leaves plenty for the senses to appreciate and once again with ample convenience stations, great service, unlimited food and drinks, and the beautiful Cabo sunshine overhead there isn't much you can really complain about.

Puerto Los Cabos

Based on availability (one of the few courses available on Golf Now) we didn't come into our round at Puerto Los Cabos with grand expectations. Wow, were we wrong about that!! This may actually be our favorite course in Los Cabos when it's all said and done. All 27 holes are absolutely stunning and there are at least a dozen holes that are about as beautiful as any ocean golf course you can find. The truly unforgettable moment is from the Par-3 on the Vista course which gives one of the most stunning Ocean panorama views you'll ever see. It's easy to get similarly starstruck on the rest of that nine, the entire Ocean course...and most of the Mountain course, as well. In total, this is an absolute gem and a course we'd insist that any golf enthusiast in the greater Los Cabos area goes to check out!

Cabo Real

This round actually ended up being one of the highlights of the whole year, as I was able to play with my dad. Not only did we get to enjoy each other's company but it was an absolutely perfect day in late March, and 15 of the 18 holes were in totally prime condition. While there were a couple of holes on the front that could have used some work (we were told that the proper attention was on them), and when dialed in this could rank as a really quality experience. The signature hole (pictured above) goes right down to the beach and has maybe even a bit more stunning stretch of sand and brightly colored blue water than the hole mentioned previously, in Palmilla. The back nine of Cabo Real takes you up into the mountains and while every hole still has water views the course itself is a masterpiece of layout and design. While it's not the newest or fanciest in town, if you like a well-designed, target golf course with a bit of wow factor Cabo Real will holds it's weight as a really solid option.

Solmar Golf Links

Ever since arriving in Los Cabos, I had been told that one of the best overall golf experiences was at Solmar Golf Links (formerly Rancho San Lucas). While I could find occasional availability this was not a cheap round, and even with Daily Deals I was looking north of $250...but finally the desire took over and I pulled the trigger. It was money well spent! This was one of the most stunning and dramatic rounds I have ever played and the vision and course design was second-to-none. The bright green grass seems to be etched through the natural beach-scape and the course is incredibly maintained. The course is both challenging and interesting and with holes that feature massive green complexes and a backdrop of the Pacific, there are plenty of photo-worthy moments. The round also ends with a bang with the only island green in Los Cabos which is spectacular not only from the tee, but the entire way around as its rocky platform creates quite an aesthetic as your arrive for your putts. This is up there with some of our other favorites worldwide and a course we'd highly recommend!

Quivira

While I was plenty motivated to play every single course on this list, there was actually a single course that forced my focus on Baja in the first place. The photos online for Quivira had inspired me for years and years and this was truly a bucket-list course that I felt my life wouldn't be complete without playing. I was right! This was one of the most magical and jaw-dropping courses I've ever laid my eyes on, and there are 5-6 holes that probably make up the finest stretch of golf I've ever played--without exception. The optical stimulation of seeing the green grass cutting into and over the rugged shoreline cliffs, all above thunderous waves crashing below will leave you breathless to the point where it's hard to focus on your shots. Not only that, but the course design is tantalizingly fun; begging you to take chances, hit shots you probably can't, and leaving plenty of opportunity to challenge your playing partners on the nearly impossible. The potential glory makes each temptation well worth it and in total this is perhaps THE round you'd reference on your death bed. For weeks after playing I continued to feel beyond fortunate to have finally made this dream round come true!

Diamante (Dunes)

If I'm honest, there are some courses that seem to get the preferential treatment of certain reviewers and understand that links courses often receive this additional praise. If that's your vibe, then there is no doubt that you will like the Dunes course at Diamante. I don't want to short-sell it, because it is a truly wonderful course and perhaps one of the most challenging of the entire list. Much like Solmar, the magic is in the fact that the grass traverses natural Pacific-facing sand dunes throughout the round and for the purist, this is quite an appealing aesthetic. The fact is, this is a very above-average golf course, but with stiff competition from a few others on the list the "wow" factor just doesn't hold up against the likes of Quivira or Puerto Los Cabos. While we'd never discourage someone playing it, if you had to pick a single round in Baja we probably wouldn't make it our top choice. It was spectacular nonetheless, and a very solid way to close out our year!