Golfing in Costa Rica: The Best Golf Courses And Resorts In Costa Rica

Costa Rica Golf courses are among the best, professionally designed golf courses in the world. With the help of world-renowned golf architects such as: Robert Trent Jones II, Ted Robinson, Jr., Ron Garl, George Fazio, Mike Young, and Tracy May, avid golfers get excellent greens with amazing sunsets and fabulous views while staying at a luxury resort in Costa Rica.

There are many things in Costa Rica to do and see, and definitely, golf is one of them, you’ll not be disappointed.

Golf Courses in Costa Rica:

• Central Pacific Golf Courses
• North Pacific Golf Courses
•  San Jose Golf Courses

Photo By: dylanburkey

Central Pacific

Los Suenos Marriott Ocean and Golf Resort (La Iguana Golf Course)

This beautiful 18-hole championship course, with amazing coastal views, is part of Los Suenos Ocean & Golf Resort. The course is surrounded by tropical forest on one side teeming with wildlife and white sanded beaches on the other. It’s located in the cove of Playa Herradura along the Central Pacific, Costa Rica just 2 hours from San Jose and 15 minutes from Jaco.

– Par: 72*
– Yardage: 6698
– Slope: 145
– Course Rating: 73.4
– Architect: Ted Robinson, Jr.
– Year Opened: 1999
– Schedule:
Pro-shop: 6am – 5pm
Tee Times: 6:30am – 4pm
Driving Range: 7am – 4pm
– Facilities: Pro-shop, driving range, golf guides, professional PGA instruction, Indoor A/C video swing analysis, brand name rental clubs, cart, and shoe rental.

North Pacific

Four Seasons Golf Club Costa Rica at Peninsula Papagayo

The four seasons golf course Costa Rica is part of the Four Season Resort which was rated by Conde Nast Traveler as the number one resort in Central America and South America. This is the most northern golf course in the country, in the Guanacaste Province only 40 minutes from Liberia. Arnold Palmer designed the course utilizing all the splendor of this area. Located in the Papagayo Peninsula you have 180° views overlooking the two Pacific Bays, Bahias Culebra and Huevos.

– Par: 72
– Yardage: 6,788
– Slope: 141
– Course Rating: 71.9
– Architect: Arnold Palmer
– Year Opened: 2004
– Schedule/Hours:
Pro-shop: 6am – 6pm
Tee times: 7am – 4pm
– Facilities: Pros-shop, driving range, putting green, golf instruction, club and shoe rental.

Hacienda Pinilla

The 18-hole beach front championship course is part of the Hacienda Pinilla exclusive resort community with private residences, hotels, equestrian center and a lot more. Located in the North Pacific region near Playas Langosta and Avellana, this course offers vast, open green fields with fast rolling hills which is a severe contrast to the dry prairie landscape of this area.

Par: 72
Yardage: 7,274
Slope: 128
Architect: Mike Young
Year Opened: 2001
Facilities: Pro-shop, clubhouse, practice facility, restaurant
Carts are mandatory as is dress code.

Reserva Conchal Golf Club (Garra de Leon)

This course is known for the challenging dramatic elevation changes and extra-large sized course with wide-open spaces. The Garra de Leon Golf Course, part of the Melia Playa Conchal Beach & Golf Resort, is considered one of the most elite and extraordinary golf and beach resorts of Central America. Located in the Guanacaste Province on the North Pacific coast of Costa Rica, white sanded beaches border some of the course and offer panoramic views of the Pacific Ocean.

– Par: 71
– Yardage: 6956
– Slope: 137
– Course Rating: 73.8
– Architect: Robert Trent Jones, II
– Year Opened: 1997
– Schedule: Tee Times 6:30am – 4pm, Pro-shop: 6am – 5pm

Royal Pacific Golf & Country Club

Located in the Guanacaste Province, close to the Garra de Leon course, this course plays well with its mountainous landscape. The western edge of the course is bordered by a river where water hazards are hard to avoid for the first nine holes. The rest of the course is carved out of rocky territory making accuracy a top notch priority.

– Par: 72
– Yardage: 6802
– Slope: 122
– Course Rating: 71.8
– Architect: Ron Garl
– Year Opened: 1997
– Facilities: Pro-shop, club rentals, carts included with greens fees

Tango Mar

Nestled between two well protected nature reserves, this executive 9-hole, par-3 and -4 golf course is part of the Tango Mar Hotel Beach & Golf Resort. Aside from the natural beauty all around it, it’s best known for the 2000-yard course “perfect for tuning up the most important and most neglected part of your game: the short game” (Landy Blank, Costa Rica Outdoors, March 1997). Located on the Nicoya Peninsula at Playa Quisales, there is never a crowd and you don’t need to pre-reserve tee times.

– Par: 32
– Yardage: 2000
– Year Opened: 1989
– Schedule: open all the time, no tee times needed
– Facilities: Golf club and shoe rental available.

Golf Courses In San Jose Costa Rica

Los Reyes Country Club – Private*

This beautiful 9 hole course designed by Robertson Ward and Community is near San Jose and is part of a golfing residential in Santa Ana. There is also a separate driving range and putting green. Cabbies and golf lessons are available.

– Par: 70 (74 for women) –when played as an 18 hole course
– Yardage: 2917 (9 hole) and 5834 (18 hole)
– Slope: 171
– Course Rating: 69.1
– Architect: Robertson Ward & Associates
– Year Opened: 1976
– Schedule:
Pro-shop Monday – Thursday 7am – 4pm
Course 7am – 6pm, (daylight permitting)
– Note: Although it is private, Los Reyes now has non-members hours: All day during weekdays and after 1pm on weekends.

Melia Cariari Country Club – Private*

This is the first 18-hole championship golf course in Costa Rica and is known as the best golf course in Central America. Tom Fazio, a world famous golf architect, built this exclusive course in the heart of the Central Valley surrounded by coffee plantations. Its heavily wooded, tree-lined fairways demand a precise shot off the tee and large rolling greens are well guarded by cleverly placed sand pits.

– Par: 71
– Yardage: 6,590
– Slope: 132
– Course Rating: 71.9
– Architect: George Fazio
– Year Opened: 1974

So get ready for a world class golfing adventure in Costa Rica. I’m sure you won’t be disappointed!