LATEST
NEWS

Toby Ingleton
/ Categories: News

Twin Dolphin course in Mexico’s Los Cabos opens for play

The new Twin Dolphin golf course designed by Todd Eckenrode, working with pro golfer Fred Couples, has opened for play.

Overlooking the Sea of Cortez at the southern Tip of Mexico’s Baja California peninsula, the new course is part of a community development from Ohana Real Estate, LLC, just east of Cabo San Lucas and close to the Cabo Del Sol courses designed by Nicklaus Design and Tom Weiskopf.

Twin Dolphin is a par-72 layout which stretches to 7,156 yards from the back tees. It weaves among rugged arroyos and rock outcrops. “Our routing focused on two aspects predominately, to maximise the incredible ocean views through orientation, and to best utilise the interest and strategic challenge of the native arroyos in as many varied ways as possible,” said Eckenrode.

The ocean is in view on most holes and Eckenrode has created a designed with rumpled fairways, naturally-styled bunkering, and short-cut fairway heights throughout.

“The spectacular setting and the uniquely artistic aesthetic of the golf course align to present one of the finest golf experiences in the world,” said Eckenrode. “We strove to make this the most unique and natural course in Cabo. I think we may have created the best course in Cabo in the process.”

GCA asked Eckenrode to share some of his highlights of the completed course.

“The first three holes exemplify the variety to be found throughout the course. Among those, the ridge-top opening hole plays across and along a distinctive arroyo, followed by a gentler second hole with a stunning white-water backdrop, before returning downhill with the third hole, nestled into a natural valley full of native Cardon cactus. Hole two is sure to be a member favourite, a mid-length par four that turns naturally with the land, to face the coastline. It’s sure to be a fun second shot that must be judged with the slight downhill nature of the land here and a disappearing horizon line behind the green itself.

“The drop-shot par-three eleventh hole can play from 110 to 180 yards and features a green set down low against a sandy arroyo bottom, fortified by natural rock formations. The backdrop is stunning, and the play is indicative of many holes, where there is a way to play the hole directly, with a shot to the green played over the rock and bunkering, or indirectly, playing the ball off the slopes to the right to the green and allowing the ball to bound in on the ground.”

Cees Nieuwenhuizen supervised construction. Shapers for the project included Jonathan Reisetter, Kye Goalby, Blake Conant, Clyde Johnson and Cliff Hamilton.

On Couples’ involvement, Eckenrode said: “Fred added great value to the project. He really dove into the construction process early on, taking numerous trips and adding a different viewpoint and perspective to the design, particularly as it relates to approach shots and the visual aspects.”

Membership of the Twin Dolphin Golf Club will be available to residential owners within the Twin Dolphin community. Guests at the Montage Los Cabos hotel will also be able to play the course.

Read more of Todd Eckenrode’s reflections on the Twin Dolphin project in the January 2019 issue of Golf Course Architecture. Visit the GCA subscribe page for a printed or free digital subscription.

Previous Article Wimbledon Park Golf Club members vote to sell land to AELTC
Next Article Plantation Lakes in progress with second nine
Print
8519 Rate this article:
No rating
Slideshow HTML
  • Twin Dolphin

    The par-three eleventh hole at Todd Eckenrode’s newly opened Twin Dolphin layout

  • Twin Dolphin

    Most holes (including the second, pictured) have views over the Sea of Cortez

  • Twin Dolphin

    The approach shot to the second green

Toby Ingleton

Toby IngletonToby Ingleton

Other posts by Toby Ingleton
Contact author

Contact author

x
The October 2024 issue of Golf Course Architecture is out now!
Magazine, News | Thu 17 Oct, 2024

The October 2024 issue of Golf Course Architecture is out now!

The Keep at McLemore, a Bill Bergin-Rees Jones mountaintop design in northwest Georgia, features on the cover

Fall 2024 issue of ASGCA’s By Design magazine is out now
Magazine, News | Tue 10 Sep, 2024

Fall 2024 issue of ASGCA’s By Design magazine is out now

Cover story focuses on how today’s architects have been inspired by the links courses of Britain and Ireland

FEATURE
ARTICLES

Cedar Rapids: Blown away
Vaughn Halyard
On site | Adam Lawrence

Cedar Rapids: Blown away

After an acclaimed 2015 restoration by Ron Prichard, Iowa club thought it was set fair for the future. But Mother Nature had other ideas, says Adam Lawrence

North Ranch: Time for transformation
North Ranch CC
Report | Richard Humphreys

North Ranch: Time for transformation

Fifty years after it was originally laid out, the Ted Robinson layout has been re-envisioned by Jackson-Kahn Design and rebuilt by Landscapes Unlimited

Team building
Turfgrass
Interview | Richard Humphreys

Team building

Turfgrass has launched its US arm with the appointment of John Lawrence, Adam Moeller and Brad Owen. Richard Humphreys speaks with them, Turfgrass founder John Clarkin and director of agronomy Julian Mooney to find out more

Birdie Act: An end to templates?
Kevin Murray
Feature | Adam Lawrence

Birdie Act: An end to templates?

Legislation before the US Congress would extend the copyright protection that currently exists for buildings architecture to golf course design. But would that preclude the construction of classic hole designs, asks Adam Lawrence?

The art of project management
Leeds Golf Design
Opinion | Giulia Ferroni

The art of project management

Giulia Ferroni of Leeds Golf Design spells out the intricacies of executing a masterplan and the skills required from a golf course architect

Brian Curley: Life of Brian
Brian Curley
Interview | Adam Lawrence

Brian Curley: Life of Brian

The designer has surely clocked up more air miles than anyone else in the business. Adam Lawrence caught up with him in between flights to discuss his career and his new venture with Jim Wagner

Spey Bay: Old and new
CDP
On site | Adam Lawrence

Spey Bay: Old and new

Scottish club is a very old-fashioned links with very modern ownership, an interesting mix, says Adam Lawrence

The Club at Golden Valley: Golden and modern
Peter Wong
Report | Richard Humphreys

The Club at Golden Valley: Golden and modern

Kevin Norby has completed a centennial project at Minnesota course, to modernise infrastructure and restore much of AW Tillinghast’s design philosophy

The Club at Quail Ridge: Turning up the contrast
Fry/Straka
Report | Richard Humphreys

The Club at Quail Ridge: Turning up the contrast

Fry/Straka and NMP Golf Construction embark on a huge rebuild of the North course, five years after the South was renovated

Minchinhampton GC: Striving for sustainability
Minchinhampton Golf Club
| Matthew Mears

Minchinhampton GC: Striving for sustainability

Matthew Mears discusses the benefits a ClearWater washpad recycling system has realised for the Cotswolds club

Native Links: A new era of native-owned courses
Cal Nez Designs
Good Read | Mark Wagner

Native Links: A new era of native-owned courses

Mark Wagner discusses the topic of his new book: the relationship and history between Native Americans and golf

Gopher Watch Competition – October 2024
Gopher Watch, News | Mon 21 Oct, 2024

Gopher Watch Competition – October 2024

Which course has Sandy the gopher visited this month?

MOST
POPULAR

FEATURED
BUSINESSES