Los Cabos, Mexico: Greg Norman Golf Course Design (GNGCD) has announced the Grand Opening of Rancho San Lucas Golf Club.
 
Inspired by the native terrain and featuring near-endless panoramic views, Rancho San Lucas Golf Club is a 7,210-yard, par-72, championship-calibre course backdropped by the rolling waves of the Pacific Ocean.

Spanning three different eco-systems, the golf course meanders through a thick cactus forest creased by winding arroyos before descending to enormous windswept dunes. The layout features five holes on the beach, notably the par-three third, which parallels the sea and will give players fine views of breaching whales during the winter months.
 
Greg Norman attended the grand opening celebration, joined by the developer, Solmar Group Chairman Francisco Bulnes, VIP guests, international media and dignitaries.
 
“Rancho San Lucas is the most spectacular piece of oceanfront property I’ve seen in a long time, so to have the opportunity to build a course on this site was truly once-in-a-lifetime,” said Norman, whose GNGCD company is a Full Business Member of the Asian Golf Industry Federation.

Norman added: “My goal was to keep it as natural as possible, using my ‘least-disturbance’ approach, while showcasing the property’s three unique eco-systems: the ocean, the sand dunes and the arroyos. We wanted to build a sustainable course that is playable from all perspectives, including the forward tees.

“GNGCD is committed to making a global impact by creating courses that withstand the test of time, and I truly believe this golf course is one of the best we’ve ever built.”
 
Grassed from tee-to-green in SeaDwarf Seashore Paspalum, a disease-resistant, drought-tolerant varietal, the course features a unique revetted bunkering design unlike anything else in the region. Specifically tailored to Cabos’ terrain and locale, GNGCD integrated indigenous landscapes and grass varietals that use the least amount of water and, in doing so, succeeded in creating a sustainable golf experience that flows naturally with the dune and desert landscape.
 
Bulnes relates a story about how the course was built. “In the beginning, Greg told me: ‘It’s such an amazing piece of property, we’re only going to clear the fairway corridors 10 metres at a time’. Most designers mass clear a site and then attempt to re-vegetate it later. Not Greg. He was very careful to remove specimen trees and plants and shelter them in a nursery. He wanted to work at a very slow rate, so he could evaluate the site’s contours and build the course in an environmentally responsible way. This took several months, but that’s what his ‘least-disturbance’ design philosophy is all about: keep earthmoving to a minimum, and step as lightly as possible on nature’s toes. We’re excited to share this world-class golf course with our guests and home owners.”
 
Rancho San Lucas is a private club with exclusive access available to homeowners and guests of Solmar Hotels & Resorts. With two on-course comfort stations, each providing Mexican specialties and ice-cold refreshments, players can enjoy an all-inclusive experience during the round. A handsome ranchero-style clubhouse overlooks the fairways and sea and the practice facility features a spacious driving range, an 18-hole putting course, and dedicated chipping, pitching and sand play areas.
 
Rancho San Lucas Golf Club is the centrepiece of an 834-acre master-planned resort and residential community. Located 15 minutes from downtown Cabo San Lucas and boasting 1.2 miles of expansive beachfront on the Pacific Coast, the development also features the Norman Estates real estate enclave, a private gated community within Rancho San Lucas featuring 32 luxury estate homes and 40 condominiums.
 
In concert with the Rancho San Lucas masterplan, Norman Estates features coastal hacienda-style homes that reflect a rustic-meets-contemporary, ranch-inspired aesthetic.

The carefully selected design is the work of Norman Design Group’s acclaimed interior designer, Kirsten Norman, whose vision blends masculine and elegant touches that ensure every detail is a natural continuation of Greg’s distinctive lifestyle. The beachside luxury homes are priced from US$1.9 to US$7 million. Owners will have access to an exclusive, members-only private beach club.
 
Rancho San Lucas Golf Club is GNGCD’s 106th completed global design, spanning 34 countries and six continents.