Golf in Puerto Vallarta is becoming a way of life on the Mexican Riviera. Picture teeing off in the tropical breezes of Banderas Bay or the Pacific Ocean, courses lined with palm trees and vibrant tropical flowers, personal bilingual caddies and beautiful clubhouses with open-air dining and views of the greens. Think of pro shops equipped with everything you need or want and state-of-the-art courses that offer an optional 19th hole on an island. Condo-side courses, beachside courses, resort courses, private courses, public courses are what make golf in Puerto Vallarta.

Marina Vallarta Golf Club Located in Marina Vallarta, since most of the fairways are lined with palm trees and guarded by water, a premium is placed on accuracy. Phone: (322) 221-0545

Flamingos Golf Club Located in Nuevo Vallarta, this traditional-style course enjoys the reputation of being the easiest to play because of its wide-open fairways. Phone: (329) 296-5006

Four Seasons Golf Club Located 30 minutes north, this course has eight picturesque holes bordering the ocean. Hole #3, called the “Tail of the Whale,” is a 194-yard, par 3 that plays across the ocean to a rocky island green. Phone: (329) 291-6000

Mayan Palace Golf Club Located in Nuevo Vallarta, this is a fun course, though bunkers and water hazards are everywhere. The #14 signature hole is a beautiful 166-yard, par 3 with the ocean on the left and a lake on the right. Phone: (322) 226-4000

El Tigre Golf Club Located in Nuevo Vallarta, this is a lengthy course protected by traps and water throughout. The mammoth finishing hole is the par 5, 621-yard “Tiger.” Most golfers find it untamable because water runs all the way down the left side and the multi-tiered green is surrounded by sand. Phone: (322) 297-0773

Vista Vallarta This is actually two spectacular golf courses at one location, just 10 minutes east of the airport. The Nicklaus course has garnered worldwide recognition since hosting the 2002 EMC World Cup Championship, and the Weiskopf course is equally outstanding. Both have generous landing areas on the fairways, but the undulating greens can be tortuous. Phone: (322) 290-0040