Top 50 courses in Mexico, Caribbean, Atlantic islands, Central America

ASFN Admin

Administrator
Administrator
Moderator
Supporting Member
Joined
May 8, 2002
Posts
1,152,077
Reaction score
59
Welcome to the Golfweek’s Best 2026 list of top golf courses in Mexico, the Caribbean, the Atlantic islands and Central America. Think beaches, warm breezes, ocean views and plenty of mind-bending golf holes.

In 2024, a new course popped into the top spot of this ranking list and remains there. Point Hardy Golf Club at Cabot Saint Lucia opened in 2023 with a design by the famed architectural duo of Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw, and the layout certainly is one of the most scenic courses anywhere in the world. Beyond the views, the course hugs rocky hillsides and cliffs, offering hole after hole that play above the ocean.

Further up the islands, the Dominican Republic is a dream for American players looking to dust off the snow and stock up on some much-needed vitamin D. The private Playa Grande Golf & Ocean Club on the north side of the country ranks No. 2 on the Golfweek’s Best list, followed directly by resort courses Punta Espada at Cap Cana and Teeth of the Dog at Casa de Campo on the south side of the country – that’s three of the top four courses in a massive region on one island. In all, six courses in the DR make the top 50.

Another dream spot is the Cabo region at the southern tip of the Baja Peninsula in western Mexico. The Davis Love III-designed Dunes Course at Diamante Cabo San Lucas is tops among layouts in the region, but the entire destination is a smorgasbord of golf, as represented in the rankings. It’s a short trip for any American on the West Coast.

The only course to make its first appearance on the annual list of top 50 is the Club de Golf Panama, a 1977 layout by Jay Riviere and Charles Schaffer that this year has received enough votes to qualify for the rankings and appear at No. 27. Cinnamon Hill at Rose Hall in Jamaica also reappears on the list.

The hundreds of members of our course-ratings panel continually evaluate courses and rate them based on our 10 criteria. They also file a single, overall rating on each course. Those overall ratings on each course are averaged to produce a final, cumulative rating. Then each course is ranked against other courses in the region. Listed with each course below is its average rating, 2025 ranking, location, designer and year opened.

* indicates new or returning to the ranking.

1. Cabot Saint Lucia (Point Hardy)


You must be registered for see images attach


Average rating: 8.43

2025 ranking: 1

Location: Cap Estate, Saint Lucia

Architect(s): Bill Coore, Ben Crenshaw

Year opened: 2023

2. Playa Grande Golf & Ocean Club


You must be registered for see images attach


Average rating: 8.01

2025 ranking: 2

Location: Rio San Juan, Dominican Republic

Architect(s): Robert Trent Jones Sr., Rees Jones

Year opened: 1997

3. Cap Cana (Punta Espada)


You must be registered for see images attach


Average rating: 7.71

2025 ranking: 3

Location: Punta Cana, Dominican Republic

Architect(s): Jack Nicklaus

Year opened: 2006

4. Casa de Campo (Teeth of the Dog)


You must be registered for see images attach


Average rating: 7.58

2025 ranking: 4

Location: La Romana, Dominican Republic

Architect(s): Pete Dye

Year opened: 1971

5. Diamante Cabo San Lucas (Dunes)


You must be registered for see images attach


Average rating: 7.47

2025 ranking: 5

Location: Cabo San Lucas, Mexico

Architect(s): Davis Love III

Year opened: 2009

6. Mid Ocean Club


Average rating: 7.28

2025 ranking: 7

Location: St. George’s, Bermuda

Architect(s): Charles Blair Macdonald, Seth Raynor

Year opened: 1921

7. Apes Hill


You must be registered for see images attach


Average rating: 7.27

2025 ranking: 6

Location: St. James, Barbados

Architect(s): Ron Kirby

Year opened: 2022

8. Sandy Lane (Green Monkey)


Average rating: 7.12

2025 ranking: 8

Location: St. James, Barbados

Architect(s): Tom Fazio

Year opened: 2004

9. Puntacana Resort & Club (Corales)


Average rating: 7.11

2025 ranking: 9

Location: Punta Cana, Dominican Republic

Architect(s): Tom Fazio

Year opened: 2010

10. Baker’s Bay


Average rating: 7.06

2025 ranking: 11

Location: Great Guana Cay, Bahamas

Architect(s): Tom Fazio

Year opened: 2010

11. Royal Westmoreland


Average rating: 7.05

2025 ranking: 10

Location: St. James, Barbados

Architect(s): Robert Trent Jones Jr.

Year opened: 1994

12. Chileno Bay


Average rating: 7.04

2025 ranking: T12

Location: Cabo San Lucas, Mexico

Architect(s): Tom Fazio

Year opened: 2015

13. Abaco Club on Winding Bay


You must be registered for see images attach


Average rating: 7.03

2025 ranking: 22

Location: Abaco, Bahamas

Architect(s): Donald Steel, Tom Mackenzie

Year opened: 2004

14. Cabo del Sol (Cove Club)


Average rating: 7.01

2025 ranking: 13

Location: Cabo San Lucas, Mexico

Architect(s): Jack Nicklaus

Year opened: 1994

15. Querencia


Average rating: 6.99

2025 ranking: 14

Location: San Jose del Cabo, Mexico

Architect(s): Tom Fazio

Year opened: 2000

16. TPC Danzante Bay


Average rating: 6.92

2025 ranking: 16

Location: Loreto, Mexico

Architect(s): Rees Jones

Year opened: 2018

17. Vidanta Puerto Penasco (Nicklaus)


Average rating: 6.89

2025 ranking: 15

Location: Puerto Penasco, Mexico

Architect(s): Jack Nicklaus, Jack Nicklaus Jr.

Year opened: 2006

18. Punta Mita GC (Pacifico)


Average rating: 6.82

2025 ranking: 17

Location: Nayarit, Mexico

Architect(s): Jack Nicklaus

Year opened: 1999

19. Aurora Anguilla (International)


You must be registered for see images attach


Average rating: 6.76

2025 ranking: 18

Location: Rendezvous Bay, Anguilla

Architect(s): Greg Norman

Year opened: 2006

20. El Dorado Golf & Beach Club


Average rating: 6.72

2025 ranking: 19

Location: San Jose del Cabo, Mexico

Architect(s): Jack Nicklaus

Year opened: 1999

21. Solmar Golf Links


Average rating: 6.71

2025 ranking: 20

Location: Los Cabos, Mexico

Architect(s): Greg Norman

Year opened: 2020

T22. Baha Mar (Royal Blue)


Average rating: 6.64

2025 ranking: 23

Location: Nassau, Bahamas

Architect(s): Jack Nicklaus

Year opened: 2017

T22. Twin Dolphin


Average rating: 6.64

2025 ranking: 21

Location: Cabo San Lucas, Mexico

Architect(s): Fred Couples, Todd Eckenrode

Year opened: 2018

24. Mayakoba (El Camaleon)


Average rating: 6.62

2025 ranking: 24

Location: Playa del Carmen, Mexico

Architect(s): Greg Norman

Year opened: 2004

25. Casa de Campo (Dye Fore)


Average rating: 6.58

2025 ranking: T25

Location: La Romana, Dominican Republic

Architect(s): Pete Dye

Year opened: 2002

26. Vista Vallarta (Nicklaus)


Average rating: 6.56

2025 ranking: T25

Location: Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

Architect(s): Jack Nicklaus

Year opened: 2001

27. Club de Golf Panama*


Average rating: 6.52

Location: Panama City, Panama

Architect(s): Jay Riviere and Charles Schaeffer

Year opened: 1977

28. Punta Mita GC (Bahia)


Average rating: 6.51

2025 ranking: 27

Location: Nayarit, Mexico

Architect(s): Jack Nicklaus

Year opened: 2009

29. Peninsula Papagayo (Ocean)


Average rating: 6.45

2025 ranking: T28

Location: Guanacaste, Costa Rica

Architect(s): Arnold Palmer

Year opened: 2004

30. Diamante Cabo San Lucas (El Cardonal)


Average rating: 6.42

2025 ranking: 31

Location: Cabo San Lucas, Mexico

Architect(s): Tiger Woods

Year opened: 2014

31. Port Royal


Average rating: 6.41

2025 ranking: 30

Location: Southampton, Bermuda

Architect(s): Robert Trent Jones Sr.

Year opened: 1970

32. Albany


Average rating: 6.37

2025 ranking: T28

Location: New Providence, Bahamas

Architect(s): Ernie Els

Year opened: 2010

33. Rose Hall (White Witch)


Average rating: 6.35

2025 ranking: 32

Location: St. James, Jamaica

Architect(s): Robert von Hagge, Rick Baril

Year opened: 2000

34. TPC Dorado Beach (East)


Average rating: 6.31

2025 ranking: 35

Location: Dorado, Puerto Rico

Architect(s): Robert Trent Jones Sr.

Year opened: 1958

T35. Bahia Beach Resort & GC


Average rating: 6.30

2025 ranking: 36

Location: Rio Grande, Puerto Rico

Architect(s): Robert Trent Jones Jr.

Year opened: 2008

T35. Vista Vallarta (Weiskopf)


Average rating: 6.30

2025 ranking: T33

Location: Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

Architect(s): Tom Weiskopf

Year opened: 2001

T37. Quivira


Average rating: 6.29

2025 ranking: 37

Location: Cabo San Lucas, Mexico

Architect(s): Jack Nicklaus

Year opened: 2014

T37. Westin Reserva Conchal (Reserva Conchal)


Average rating: 6.29

2025 ranking: 38

Location: Guanacaste, Costa Rica

Architect(s): Robert Trent Jones Jr.

Year opened: 1996

39. The Tryall Club


Average rating: 6.27

2025 ranking: T33

Location: Montego Bay, Jamaica

Architect(s): Ralph Plummer

Year opened: 1958

40. Ocean Club


Average rating: 6.25

2025 ranking: 39

Location: Paradise Island, Bahamas

Architect(s): Tom Weiskopf

Year opened: 2001

41. Iberostar Playa Paraiso


Average rating: 6.21

2025 ranking: 40

Location: Playa del Carmen, Mexico

Architect(s): P.B. Dye

Year opened: 2005

42. Costa Palmas


Average rating: 6.20

2025 ranking: 42

Location: La Ribera, Mexico

Architect(s): Robert Trent Jones Jr.

Year opened: 2019

43. Royal Isabela


Average rating: 6.18

2025 ranking: 41

Location: Isabela, Puerto Rico

Architect(s): David Pfaff

Year opened: 2011

44. Palmas Athletic Club (Flamboyan)


Average rating: 6.14

2025 ranking: 43

Location: Humacao, Puerto Rico

Architect(s): Rees Jones

Year opened: 1998

45. Puerto Los Cabos (Norman & Nicklaus)


Average rating: 6.11

2025 ranking: 44

Location: San Jose del Cabo, Mexico

Architect(s): Jack Nicklaus, Greg Norman

Year opened: 2007

46. Cabo del Sol


Average rating: 6.06

2025 ranking: T45

Location: Cabo San Lucas, Mexico

Architect(s): Tom Weiskopf

Year opened: 2001

T47. Casa de Campo (La Romana)


Average rating: 6.04

2025 ranking: T45

Location: La Romana, Dominican Republic

Architect(s): Pete Dye

Year opened: 1990

T47. Grand Reserve (Championship)


Average rating: 6.04

2025 ranking: T45

Location: Rio Grande, Puerto Rico

Architect(s): Tom Kite

Year opened: 2007

49. Royal St. Kitts


Average rating: 6.02

2025 ranking: 49

Location: Bassaterre, Saint Kitts and Nevis

Architect(s): Thomas McBroom

Year opened: 2004

T50. Rose Hall (Cinnamon Hill)*


Average rating: 6.01

Location: St. James, Jamaica

Architect(s): Robert von Hagge, Rick Baril

Year opened: 2001

T50. Lyford Cay Club


Average rating: 6.01

2025 ranking: 50

Location: New Providence, Bahamas

Architect(s): Dick Wilson, Rees Jones

Year opened: 1959

This article originally appeared on Golfweek: Top 50 courses in Mexico, Caribbean, Atlantic islands, Central America

Continue reading...
 
Top