Golf holidays: five of Cancun’s best courses

 

Mark Alexander swings by Cancun’s top golf courses to check out the greens and hotel facilities

 

There’s a lot to like about Cancun. The smiles that greet you are broad and genuine, the landscape is awe-inspiring and the places to visit are varied and intriguing.

 

The Mexican resort combines slick service with a no-problem attitude, and the golf isn’t bad either. With nine top courses to choose from and at least three new ones on the way, there’s plenty of choice.

Grupo Mayan Golf Riviera Maya

 

Best for: beginners

 

Location: About 25 minutes from Cancun airport on Riviera Maya, Quintana Roo

 

Despite its relatively short distance (just 2,923 yards) and a par of just 54, the 18-hole course at Golf Riviera is deceptively challenging. Large bunkers and prominent lakes provide dramatic tee views, which can distract and delight in equal measures.

 

Most holes fall under 200 yards, which means they’re reachable for average players, and it costs $129 to play 18 holes.

• Riviera Maya

Playa Mujeres Golf Club

 

Best for: improving players

 

Location: Five miles north of Cancun’s hotel zone and 40 minutes from the airport.

 

This Greg Norman design has won a string of awards for its oceanfront holes and sweeping lagoons, while meticulously prepared fairways and delightful greens mean this 7,218-yard course is a pleasure to play on.

 

Five tees on each hole ensure all playing standards are catered for, while trade winds that sweep in from the turquoise ocean mean a deft touch is often required. 

• Playa Mujeres Golf Club

Playacar Palace Resort

 

Best for: the 19th hole

 

Location: At 45 minutes from the airport, this is the furthest course from Cancun.

 

The narrow fairways and small greens at Playacar Spa and Golf Club offer an enjoyable test. Designed by Robert von Hagge and opened in 1994, the clever layout is surrounded by jungle with each hole weaving its way through beautiful countryside.

 

Playacar’s all-inclusive policy includes use of the pool as well as food and drink at the six restaurants and bars.

• Playacar Palace Resort

Moon Palace Golf and Spa Resort

 

Best for: spa facilities

 

Location: Ten minutes from the airport, south of Cancun’s hotel zone.

 

This breathtaking Jack Nicklaus Signature course is demanding to play. The three nine-hole courses (Jungle, Lakes and Dunes) have three tees on each hole, and the mix of beautifully shaped fairways and magnificent views are backed by the club’s spa facilities, which include 30 treatment rooms, three couples’ massage rooms and six master spa suites.

• Moon Palace Golf and Spa Resort

Hilton Cancun Golf and Spa Resort

 

Best for: location

 

Location: Fifteen minutes from the airport on Boulevard Kukulcan, Quintana Roo.

 

In the heart of Cancun’s hotel zone, the Hilton is surrounded by lagoons and exotic flora and the 6,734-yard course has wide fairways that cater for players of all standards. There’s even a Mayan ruin set amid the 150-acre site. All in all, an enjoyable, if pricey, option.

• Hilton Cancun Golf and Spa Resort