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3.9
852 Reviews (852)
5 Stars
230
4 Stars
428
3 Stars
142
2 Stars
34
1 Stars
18
Conditions
3.7
Value
3.6
Layout
4.2
Friendliness
4.4
Pace
4.1
Amenities
3.8
84.3%
Recommend this course
749 out of 852 reviews
Read Reviews
Average Rating
Avg Rating
3.7
139 Reviews (139)
5 Stars
33
4 Stars
53
3 Stars
36
2 Stars
10
1 Stars
7
Conditions
3.4
Value
3.4
Layout
4.1
Pace
3.9
Amenities
3.6
StaffFriendliness
4.2
75.5%
Recommend this course
105 out of 139 reviews
Read Reviews
Average Rating
Avg Rating
3.8
204 Reviews (204)
5 Stars
46
4 Stars
89
3 Stars
48
2 Stars
14
1 Stars
7
Conditions
3.5
Value
3.5
Layout
4.1
Pace
4.0
Amenities
3.7
StaffFriendliness
4.3
78.4%
Recommend this course
160 out of 204 reviews
Read Reviews

About

Holes 18
Type Resort
Par 71
Length 6573 yards
Slope 137
Rating 73.1

Marina Vallarta Golf Club is known for its stunning tropical landscape that is home to an abundance of wildlife. Golfers have the opportunity to play amongst iguanas and alligators while enjoying scenic views of the Bay of Banderas. The course is blessed with a bevy of natural hazards including towering palm trees, lagoons, and waterfalls. Colorful tropical flowers and native vegetation further accent the landscape. In addition to the natural hazards, there are also a few strategically placed bunkers along the greensides. The golf course offers a challenging but fair test that is not overly demanding, which is probably for the best since it is easy to get distracted by the beautiful surroundings. Given its versatility and scenery, Marina Vallarta G.C. has become a popular venue for various golfing events, including the Governor's Cup Pro/Am Tournament.

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Marina Vallarta Golf Course
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Course Details

Year Built 1989
Golf Season Year round
Architect Joe Finger (1989)

Rentals/Services

Carts Yes - included in green fee
Clubs Yes

Practice/Instruction

Driving Range Yes
Caddies Yes
Teaching Pro Yes
Pitching/Chipping Area Yes
Putting Green Yes

Policies

Credit Cards Accepted Mastercard, Visa, American Express, Discovery
Metal Spikes Allowed No

Food & Beverage

Bar, Snacks, Restaurant

Available Facilities

Clubhouse

Accolades

Reviews

3.9
852 Reviews (852)

Reviewer Photos

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Overall Rating
Recommended
Handicap
Age
Type of Golfer
Gender
Played On
Reviews 1
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser

Nice course, but be prepared to wait

Pace of play was terrible. 25 minute wait on some hole. Should be a sign to let smaller groups or faster play players through. Nice course for the money, but if you plan to play 18 holes be ready for 5 to 6 hours .

Conditions Good
Value Average
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Poor
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 4
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
3.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

You have to ask for your clubs to be cleaned after play. They cater more to the members. We live there permanently but don’t feel like we have to ask for everything

Conditions Average
Value Average
Layout Good
Friendliness Average
Pace Good
Amenities Fair
Played On
Reviews 38
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Fair
Amenities Average
Played On
Reviews 1
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

We had a wonderful time and round of golf. The service and entire staff was exceptional. The course offers tee options for all golfers. You may even see a croc or two near the water.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 1
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Windy weather
Used cart
Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Good
Pace Excellent
Amenities Good
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 1
Skill Beginner
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 9
Skill Advanced
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Average
Played On
Reviews 6
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
1.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Windy weather
Used cart

Same old, same old

Ok, let's take it from the top and just break down the review ratings.
Pace of play: Poor - It's ten minute tee times, the second hole plays like an extended par 3 and the third hole actually IS a par 3, so the backup starts right out of the gate, and the pace doesn't improve. You're not finishing this in less than five hours.
Course Conditions: Average - This rating is really a shame because this should be an Excellent, based on the views alone. However, the bunkers are a sad joke. It's not sand, it's hard packed dirt. Until they fix their bunkers, this course remains average. It's a testament to how poorly the course is managed when most of the fixes that would make this one of the top two courses in Marina are so simple.
Staff Friendliness: Excellent - Buyer beware, it just depends who you get at the counter. One is excellent and one is poor. This time, I got the excellent one, so Woo Hoo.
Course layout: Good - You know, it's not easy to have a course layout that is good for golfers of all skill levels, but this course manages to do it. Skilled golfers can play aggressively and the course will challenge their accuracy(but not their distance), and beginners and intermediates always have safe places to layup so that they can take a higher percentage shot on their next swing. A real kudos to this layout.
Off course amenities: Fair - I changed this from Poor to Fair simply because of the restaurant. Good food and friendly staff inside the restaurant, but that's where the amenities end. They don't even give you a cooler of water for your round, and at the prices they're charging coupled with the amount of time you're going to be just sitting around waiting, this is inexcusable and just screams muni vibe. There are memberships available here, but don't kid yourself, this is a straight up muni course. A beautiful and fun muni course, to be sure, but a muni nonetheless.
Recommend to a friend: NO - Unfortunately, I could not recommend this course to a friend, simply due to the pace of play. I would recommend that they pay nearly double to play Vidanta, or slightly more than Marina to play El Tigre. I really want to recommnend this course, but I just can't.

Conditions Average
Value Poor
Layout Good
Friendliness Average
Pace Poor
Amenities Fair
Difficulty Moderate
Played On
Reviews 6
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
1.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Windy weather
Used cart

It's the pace. It's always the pace

Ok, let's take it from the top and just break down the review ratings.
Pace of play: Poor - It's ten minute tee times, the second hole plays like an extended par 3 and the third hole actually IS a par 3, so the backup starts right out of the gate, and the pace doesn't improve. You're not finishing this in less than five hours.
Course Conditions: Average - This rating is really a shame because this should be an Excellent, based on the views alone. However, the bunkers are a sad joke. It's not sand, it's hard packed dirt. Until they fix their bunkers, this course remains average. It's a testament to how poorly the course is managed when most of the fixes that would make this one of the top two courses in Marina are so simple.
Staff Friendliness: Excellent - Buyer beware, it just depends who you get at the counter. One is excellent and one is poor. This time, I got the excellent one, so Woo Hoo.
Course layout: Good - You know, it's not easy to have a course layout that is good for golfers of all skill levels, but this course manages to do it. Skilled golfers can play aggressively and the course will challenge their accuracy(but not their distance), and beginners and intermediates always have safe places to layup so that they can take a higher percentage shot on their next swing. A real kudos to this layout.
Off course amenities: Fair - I changed this from Poor to Fair simply because of the restaurant. Good food and friendly staff inside the restaurant, but that's where the amenities end. They don't even give you a cooler of water for your round, and at the prices they're charging coupled with the amount of time you're going to be just sitting around waiting, this is inexcusable and just screams muni vibe. There are memberships available here, but don't kid yourself, this is a straight up muni course. A beautiful and fun muni course, to be sure, but a muni nonetheless.
Recommend to a friend: NO - Unfortunately, I could not recommend this course to a friend, simply due to the pace of play. I would recommend that they pay nearly double to play Vidanta, or slightly more than Marina to play El Tigre. I really want to recommnend this course, but I just can't.

Conditions Average
Value Fair
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Poor
Amenities Fair
Difficulty Fairly Easy
Played On
Reviews 3
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Good
Pace Good
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 1
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
2.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Too many people on the course

Every ten minutes does not work for this course we waited every hole except 2 and we didn’t finish the entire 18 left after 16

The course is fine greens in good shape

Would recommend only at lowest price
Not worth the frustration for good golfers

Conditions Average
Value Fair
Layout Good
Friendliness Good
Pace Poor
Amenities Average
Played On
Reviews 1
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Dave C

Last played 5 years ago. Course is still in very good shape. Would like a course map as I did not remember the layout of some holes. Overall a great experience

Conditions Excellent
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Good
Default User Avatar
Commented on 03/08/2024

I offered to provide them with yardage books, but they declined. They said that they have yardage book, they just need to print them. That was nearly two years ago now.

Played On
Reviews 38
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Average
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Average
Played On
Reviews 4
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Average
Amenities Poor
Played On
Reviews 6
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
3.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Windy weather
Used cart

Manage Expectations

It's pretty difficult to rate courses at tourist destinations, like Puerto Vallarta. You're obviously not going to get good value for your money, so you should accept that going in, if you're going to golf. As for the course, it's one of the tighter courses in PV, but that's not to say that it's one of the more difficult courses in PV. The bunkers are a bit of a joke, but aside from that, I thought the course was in good shape. The bunkers are just packed dirt, there isn't any sand. The driving range is mats only, so you definitely wouldn't come for that. It has more of a muni vibe, as you need to purchase water for your round. The main drawback to Marina is the pace of play. They are sending out foursomes in ten minute increments. We all know what that is going to result in, so just block off 5-6 hours for golf. If that affects your game, which is completely understandable, El Tigre, in Nayarit, is going to be more your style. Similar price, starting at 3pm, and you'll have a grass driving range for your warm up, free water when you go out and refilled during your round, and a bit wider course, though I find it to be a bit more difficult, as their's danger everywhere. At Marina, while it may be tight, you can generally find and play your ball if you miss your target. El Tigre, no so much.

Conditions Good
Value Fair
Layout Good
Friendliness Average
Pace Poor
Amenities Poor
Difficulty Fairly Easy
Played On
Reviews 1
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

PV Marina Golf Review

The course was is good shape and the layout was setup for all levels of golf with 4 tee box locations on every hole. The wildlife on and around the course was exceptional with crocodiles galore, many types of lizards and birds of all types. The price booked through Golfnow was fair but the club rentals were a little expensive for the types of clubs offered. Overall I would give the experience a 4!

Conditions Good
Value Average
Layout Good
Friendliness Good
Pace Excellent
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 2
Handicap 15-19
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
3.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Perfect weather
Used cart

Interesting course

The course is not in great shape; but we did see crocodiles, iguanas, and pelicans. That was cool! Also, for a few holes there was a six-some in front of us. Guess they split up at some point and then it moved better. One hole with ocean view. Overall: Meh

Difficulty Moderate
Played On
Reviews 1
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

Marina vallarta

Nice course lots of water, sand and narrow fairways. Hit straight all will be well. Hooks and slices will be punished immediately. Enjoyed course very much but five young golfers in front of us were having a hard time of it. Their pace was my only complaint.

Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Good
Pace Average
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 8
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
3.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Sporty, difficult course

The layout is challenging and the greens are very sloping and difficult. The condition is fair, but it is a heavily played public course. Afternoon rates are not too bad. I certainly would not want to pay full freight in the morning. Yesterday was quite slow and I quit after 13 holes.

Conditions Fair
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Good
Pace Fair
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 1
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once every three months
I Recommend This Course
3.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Conditions Fair
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Good
Pace Average
Amenities Excellent
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