Teeing Off in La Paz

Sep 11, 2010

The southern half of the Baja Peninsula is one of Mexico’s tourism success stories. Over the decades, Los Cabos has grown into a powerhouse resort destination. This has inspired development to creep northward to other regions in Baja, such as the colonial city of La Paz, where the ambitious CostaBaja Resort & Marina project is poised to open this November.

CostaBaja is a 500-acre, master-planned resort community set on environmentally protected coastal lands. The development will have a lot to offer travelers, especially those looking for a new experience on the golf course, since CostaBaja will be the site of the first Gary Player Signature Golf Course in Latin America.

“I am so excited to be doing my first design project in Mexico at CostaBaja and Marina,” said Gary Player. “La Paz is gaining wonderful momentum as a tourist destination and the golf course to be built at this stunning site on the Sea of Cortez will do nothing but contribute to that.”

All 18 holes are set to open on Nov. 7, which is when Player is set to announce the signature hole on the course. In addition to the golf course, the course driving range and the practice area are also scheduled to open on Nov. 7.

One of the reasons why Player’s company was chosen to design the course is its previous record of creating golf courses that are built in harmony with the natural topography and environment; this dovetails neatly with CostaBaja’s commitment to preserving and protecting the surrounding ecosystem.

The Gary Player Signature Golf Course will have panoramic views of the Sea of Cortez and an innovative design that complements CostaBaja’s desert-by-the-sea landscape. The course is one of only a few golf courses to have 14 of its 18 holes providing sea views. The golf course will play over a number of elevation changes and feature generous landing areas. It is also designed to appeal to golfers of various skill levels. There will be five different teeing possibilities, ranging from 7,200 yards at the longest to just under 5,000 yards, which is more suitable for the casual golfer.

Guests of the CostaBaja Resort & Spa can book tee times in advance of their arrival through one of the following options: the hotel concierge ([email protected]; 52-612-123-6000, ext. 6001); directly with Carl Rygg, course starter and CostaBaja Golf Club general manager ([email protected]); or through the Troon Golf website (www.troongolfca.com). Troon Golf is the golf management, development and marketing company selected to manage the Gary Player Signature Golf Course at CostaBaja.

Beyond the Links
In addition to having homes in the $400,000 to $2 million range, CostaBaja will have a marina, a hotel, a spa, shopping, art galleries and restaurants.

The 115-room hotel, named CostaBaja Resort & Spa, is the only five-star luxury hotel in La Paz. While the hotel is already open and taking reservations, it is scheduled to become fully operational on Oct. 1, since some service amenities are still being finalized. Nightly rates start at $99, depending on availability.

The hotel offers several different room categories including Sea, Marina and Golf and Pool view. Some of CostaBaja’s luxury residences will also become available to travelers as part of a rental pool. CostaBaja Resort & Spa will be offering special travel agent rates to encourage agents to experience what the hotel has to offer. For more information, agents should contact [email protected] or call 877-392-5525.

Marina CostaBaja is a double-basin marina with 250 prime slips for vessels ranging from 30 to 200 feet in length. Services and amenities at the marina include an on-site fuel dock, desalinated water hook-ups at each slip; telephone access on A dock and (wired) Internet access per slip; a crew lounge with satellite television, wireless Internet, restrooms and shower facilities; a dive shop and a sportfishing center; 24-hour security; and on-site staff.

Costa Baja is located five minutes from downtown La Paz. La Paz is a two-hour flight from Los Angeles, with connecting flights available from most major airlines.