Quivira Golf Club Detail
This writeup is from the Blue tees, which are 6216 yards. The back tees stretch all the way out to 7139 yards, but frankly, I'm not good enough to bite that off -- too many forced carries and narrow fairways... The starter told me the grass is called Las Palmas, and it's fairly grainy. Not being experienced at reading grain, I made 7 3-putts.
The first hole is a cream puff to ease you into the round. It has a nice wide fairway, flanked by waste areas that aren't too cactus laden to hide any errant drives. It's 365 yards, with a bunker protecting the right side of the green. Nothing very penal here, but it's good to get used to hitting the ball straight, if you know what I mean.
The second hole is a 178 yard par 3, and feels a bit narrower, especially since you need a long iron. Bogey is a respectable score -- just keep it out of the junk.
#3 is a short uphill hole, with a serious roll-off to the right. Anything short and right will roll off into the desert. You can avoid the roll-off by hitting the left side of the fairwy, or by hitting it far enough to get over the first crest of the hill.
#4 is a 531 yard par 5, and is basically a long dogleg right around a giant waste area.
Now the fun begins. After what seems like two mile drive up the side of a cliff, you at last arrive at the first of three comfort stations. It's perched on the side of the cliff overlooking the ocean and the clubhouse. It's stocked with snacks and refreshments, and a patio from which to enjoy the view. The tee boxes are only a short way further. Once on the tee box, you're faced with the burning question, "Now what???" It's a 288 yard par 4. You can see the green from the tee box, but you can't see much of the fairway. It turns out that the correct way to play this hole is to hit a mid iron off the tee box. If you reach the crest of the hill in the fairway, the ball will merrily roll all the way down the hill and come to rest on the green. I didn't know all this and hit a three wood into the weeds. So I took a drop from the cart path, and on the advice of the local ranger, chipped to the crest of the hill, and watched in awe as the ball rolled all the way down the hill to the green.
#6 is a bit of eye candy, being a par 3 on the side of the cliff, with the ocean waves crashing below. Once you get your mind back on the game, it's 135 yards. Hit a short iron, no muss, no fuss.
Before we get to #7... There's an old lighthouse at the top of the cliff -- it is a) the oldest building in Cabo San Lucas, having been built in 1905, and b) it is the southernmost point on the Baja California penninsula, marking the exact point where the Pacific Ocean meets the Sea of Cortez. The beacon on top of the hill is the modern lighthouse.
Okay, on with #7. It's basically an uphill par 4. Use the bunkers in the middle of the fairway to aim -- hit it straight over them, and you'll be in good shape.
#8 is also an uphill par 4, but it's a little steeper and a bit more intimidating. Aim just right of the fairway bunker, and don't get freaked out by the forced carry. It's not actually as bad as it looks. Make sure and take an extra club on the uphill approach shot.
This bings us to the second of the comfort stations. At this one, we were surprised when we walked in because the cook had done a headcount on our group as we were coming up the fairway, and had a plate of sliders and empanadas already prepared. After replenishing our energy we were ready to take on #9...
#9 is a long par 3. For a change, I managed to hit my 4 iron straight! (and then three putted...)
The tenth hole is a big dogleg right. It's also downhill, so you'll get some help from gravity. The important thing is to stay in the fairway!
#11, for my money, is the hardest hole on the course (Jack disagrees). It starts with a blind uphill tee shot. To be fair, there is an aiming stick at the top of the hill. I hit a gentle fade which I thought might be okay, but I was wrong, it was lost forever. Once you reach the top of the hill, you'll find a split fairway with junk in the middle (another opportunity to lose a ball, which I took full advantage of). I guess if you could reliably hit the ball straight, it wouldn't be that tough. But geez...
#12 is a downhill double dogleg. I found it really difficult to aim, but basically you have to take what the course gives you -- don't try to cut the corners because you don't know how much to bite off. Play three shots, zig-zagging down the hill, and you'll be fine.
#13 is another postcard hole. It's a short par 3 over the ocean and rocks. You shouldn't need more than a wedge or a nine iron, but you need to be accurate. My wife hit hers a bit long, and the ball fed back onto the green, but picked up speed and rolled off the front into the rocks. Maddening. Anyway, it's a gorgeous hole!
#14 is a teaser. It plays 219 yards as the crow flies, but it's a par 4, laid out with a ninety degree dogleg. I played a 200 yard shot, followed by a 122 yard shot (and the inevitable three putt...). I guess if you had some experience, you could cut the corner and go for the green, but it's completely blind. Good luck.
#15 is a wide-open (agoraphobically so) par 5. Aim at the trap in the middle, and either fly it or miss it.
#16 is a canyon hole. You tee off from the last comfort station, into what feels like a bottomless chasm. If you can hit the ball straight, you see the ball hang in the air forever to the point of vertigo. There's a set of boulders in the middle of the fairway, resembling nothing so much as one of the plinths at Stonehenge, but that's just to mess with your mind -- they don't really come into play. Your second shot is still downhill, even though it feels for all the world like it has flattened out, so be sure to take one less club on your approach.
#17 is a long downhill par 4 of 440 yards. You need two superb shots to get home in two. Focus instead on hitting it straight and avoiding the waste areas.
The home hole is 385 yards, and is frankly pretty wide open. It plays 385 yards, and can be had if you can hit it straight.
This is a great course. I did't lose too many balls here, which basically means that there is plenty of room for stray shots without being overly penal. (Again, pick the right tees). Yet, the course presents challenges, regardless of which tees you choose. Have fun, and enjoy the views!
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