Bajamar: Jewel of the Baja Peninsula

Bajamar. For some, it may bring back memories of a wild weekend north of Ensenada that included a lot of cervezas, tequila, and lost balls. Golfers may remember trucking down to the Bajamar Golf Course in the late 70’s and early 80’s only to find a barren course. It used to be a course with remote tee boxes, a lot of desert, and fairways sprinkled over the hills of the baja peninsula. The ocean views were nice, but the brutal conditions made the golf hard to enjoy. It really isn’t much fun when you lose three dozen golf balls, and at the price of balls these days that would be reason enough to skip the trip across the border!

However, that was then and this is now. The Bajamar Ocean Front Golf Resort spans over 1,600 acres and has some of the most majestic views a golfer can find. The newest nine, Oceano, is spectacular. For those golfers privileged enough to have played Pebble Beach, it is a beautiful reminder of how incredible it is to play along side the crashing surf. For those who have never played Pebble Beach, and may never do so due to the escalating green fees (around $400), Bajamar is a great opportunity to play golf in one of the most gorgeous natural settings on the West Coast.

Patrick Shaw, a PGA professional, has been the Head Golf Professional at Bajamar for two years. He encourages players of all abilities to come down and enjoy the facilities. “The course has new owners and is under new management. We are not a five star resort, but the atmosphere is so relaxing. It is a different world down here – there is no pollution, no traffic, and it is very quiet.” Shaw, a native Bostonian, feels like he has a bit of Cape Cod to offer. “This course reminds me of some of the East Coast Ocean front golf I grew up playing. Yet, you get to enjoy playing year round. It’s like the old days for me, riding my bike to work!” Shaw says. There are four sets of tees, which allows any level of player to enjoy their round. All three nines have their own distinct personalities and present their own set of challenges. You literally have an ocean view on every hole on the course whether it is from the tee box, the fairway or the green.

The Vista course, the first course built for this property, was designed by Percy Clifford in 1976. The Vista, “The View”, is super challenging. The gold tees are 3605 yards and from the blue tees, it plays 3316 yards. The course is more manageable for the middle to high handicapper from the white tees as it plays just over 3000 yards. There are several blind tee shots on this nine where a little course knowledge goes a long way.

The Lagos course is named appropriately “The Lakes” since four of the nine holes have lakes that come into play. The ninth hole is a challenging par 3 coming into the clubhouse with water surrounding the green. Shaw describes this nine as the “fun nine”. There are many dog- legs and a lot of target golf shots over water. This nine has three par 3’s making par 35. The yardage is considerably shorter than the other two courses from the blue and white tees, possibly setting a player up for some lower scores, but from the gold tees, holes 6,7,8, and 9 are extremely challenging. A player may find it difficult to carry the trouble on a couple of these holes should they decide to play from the tips. The Lagos nine was part of the original course, but was re-designed by David Fleming in 1991.

The Oceano course is magnificent with a stretch of four holes hugging the rugged coastline. Carlos Moreno has been an assistant professional at Bajamar for three years. His description is perfect. He said, “the terrain and the design of the golf holes fit like a glove. You really can’t picture anything else being there.” Shaw, Moreno, and anyone else who plays the scenic course usually agree, “you put this golf course anywhere else and you would pay two and three times the green fee you pay now.” Oceano is a little longer than Vista from the white tees, but is still very fair for the middle to high handicapper. The low handicap player definitely should play either the blue or the gold tees and enjoy the challenges this course has to offer. While not painstakingly long, it is very challenging at over 3500 yards from the gold and almost 3300 yards from the blue. Long enough, especially if the ocean breeze is blowing. The beautiful par- three fifth starts an incredible four-hole journey along the cliffs and crashing waves of the Pacific Ocean. Although the carry is not as long as that of the sixteenth hole at Cypress Point on the Monterey Peninsula, it takes a good golf shot from the back tees to clear the booming surf and rocky inlet. The next three holes run right along the craggy coastline just like Pebble Beach’s ninth and tenth holes. There is not a lot of bail out to the left as off the fairway is scrubby desert-like terrain that may eat the golf ball too. The fairways slightly slope towards the sea and holes seven and eight are liberally bunkered through out as well. Finishing on Oceano is a lot like finishing at Cypress. The last hole is all- uphill and gives you a slightly blind view of where the pin may be on the large three- tiered green. A mistake in club selection may cost you. However you finish, you will definitely enjoy the panoramic view of the Pacific behind you.

All three nines are in good condition. Eddie Mena is a veteran green superintendent coming from Shadowridge Country Club with ten years of experience. Mena has done a great job keeping the course in good condition considering the difficulty of keeping the salt out of the water. The greens are bent with poana and the fairways are a bermuda mix. There is not a lot of rough on this course, mostly you will find yourself in the rough terrain and natural habitat of the rugged coastline should you miss the fairway. However, you will find some rough around the aprons and areas surrounding the greens. There is more area to miss than in the past, and because of the multiple tee configurations, you can reach the fairways if you play the appropriate tees. However, hit it crooked and you will pay. Just off the fairways on most holes are a lot of cactus, brush and bushes, which are described as baranca and played as a lateral hazard. Personally, I like the natural terrain and the less manicured look once you venture off the fairway.

Even if there are many golfers playing Bajamar, it often feels like you have the whole course to yourself since no two fairways are side by side. Play can be slow at times on the weekend with rounds taking five hours or so (no more than most public facilities), but with the beautiful views one does not seem to mind as much. Green fees are reasonable with weekend rates at $80 per player including golf cart. During the week, the green fee is $65. If you come and stay at the Sierra Plaza, there is a stay and play rate of $87 available with double occupancy. There are group rates and the facilities are perfect for corporate outings and special occasions.

The haciendas are charming and there is a beautiful courtyard for entertaining. In addition to all of the great golf, the resort also has a wonderful restaurant and tower for golfers to enjoy panoramic views of the course as they enjoy delicious Mexican cuisine. The surroundings are simple and very quiet and offer a perfect get away from the hustle and bustle of city life. It is a short trip (about an hour) from the San Diego Port of Entry, yet without the hassles of exotic travel, you feel like you have gone a long way from home. Bajamar is a great place to take a golf vacation, or just to hang out for the day. Plan your time of travel well so that you are not caught up in the congestion at the U.S. border crossing. The roads to and from the Bajamar Resort are toll roads (costing you $2.25 at two different tollbooths) and help make the trip easy, convenient and less stressful for those less comfortable entering Mexico. Our neighbors to the South are great hosts and everyone speaks English at the Resort making it a great get- away destination.

Jacqui McSorley is co-author of Golf Guide for Parents and Players, along with Johnny Gonzales. She played professionally on the Japan LPGA Tour and currently is an avid supporter of the golf community in northern San Diego county, as she started an LPGA-USGA Girls Golf site.