Costa Rica Golf – Paradise doubled.
Golf; love it or hate the game. The game of golf hooks, pulls, slices and breaks hearts, but it wouldn’t have it any other way.
Golf in Costa Rica is paradise doubled: golf all year-round and choose from championship courses set within some of the most beautiful surroundings in the world.
In 1944, the only game in the Central Valley was at the exclusive nine hole Costa Rican Country Club. For 25 years, if you weren’t a member of the club or an invited guest, you couldn’t play. Today, golf can be played on 18 hole championship courses such as the Parque Valle del Sol or the Melia Cariari Country Club.
A building boom in the 1990s saw the number of courses in San Jose jump. Valle del Sol is the newest golf course to open in the metropolitan area of San Jose.
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Costa Rica Golf Course – Parque Valle del Sol
Parque Valle del Sol was first developed in 1970. However, the only players allowed on the course were the owners and his friends. The original owner went broke. The Brazilian company Habitasul purchased the development and in 1994 hired renowned architect Tracy May to redesign the golf course.
When you’re ready for a trip to the beach, several golf courses offer great games. Near Jaco beach, about a 2 hour drive from San Jose, is the development and marina, Los Suenos. The course boasts a design by Ted Robinson ú and the course reflects his knowledge and commitment to a challenging and beautiful game of golf.
For more information, you can see the Los Suenos website here.
Monkeys, among many other species of wildlife, live within a thick forest canopy. If a monkey doesn’t give you trouble; the long fairways and thick woods will push the limits of your game.
Further up the Pacific coast, Paradisus Playa Conchal Beach and Golf Resort Garra de Leon (Lion’s Paw) and Hacienda Pinilla Golf and Beach Resort, are two golf courses almost too beautiful to believe.
Garra de Leon Golf Course follows 7030 yards along the coastline and designated as the first Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary in Latin America. A round costs between $125 – $150. The Resort hosts 10 restaurants and bars for a refreshing 19th hole.
You can see the Melia Playa Conchal website here.
The Hacienda Pinilla Golf and Beach Resort is a high-end resort community. The 7500-yard golf course was designed by Mike Young. A round of nine holes play for $45-$85 and 18 holes list at $85-$125.
A delicious benefit to golfing in Costa Rica: most golf courses in Costa Rica are not crowded – especially during the week. Some courses have restrictions as to when guests may play, but the most I’ve ever had to wait to tee-off is five minutes.
Golf courses within the Central Valley offer you a chance to stay in top form. Even the shorter courses will keep you coming back and in top shape for that big championship game. A fringe benefit to a few of the private clubs: you get to golf while the kids get to swim at the pool.
What could be a more perfect day?
Another housing development, Los Reyes, offers a nine hole private course designed by Fred Staples. For a little warm up (or practice after a tough round), a separate driving range and putting green are also available. The 70 par course runs 2917 yards for men and 2721 yards, par 74, for women.
Los Reyes is located near Alajuela, about a 30 minute drive from San Jose. An alternative route to the golf course runs over a large canyon.
Los Reyes in Alajuela
This route (with a four-wheel drive) cuts the drive from San Jose in half. A highway is slated for construction soon – but the wheels of bureaucracy keep the paved road just a rumor. (Some residents of Costa Rica have been hearing about the “new highway”to the beach for twenty-years.)
To apply for membership at Los Reyes, you must first be a resident of Costa Rica for three years. The cost for a one-year membership at Los Reyes is approximately $500. For lifetime memberships, the price is approximately $2,000.00. A monthly fee is required and differs for the level of membership.
A golfer, with a family membership, will pay about $73 a month. This fee covers unlimited playing time. Members may bring guests up to six a month. A guest fee for golf ranges between $20.00 and $75, depending on resident or tourist status.
The entire membership process requires the same procedure most other things do in Costa Rica: paperwork, stamps, and waiting. Membership includes use of the facilities such as tennis courts, pool and restaurant.
Deepak Chopra’s new book on golf entitled: Golf for Enlightenment says that golf is so addictive, “it tantalizes us with the hope of returning to a place where the spirit is exalted. It’s not shooting below par but above yourself that makes the game so seductive.”
Parque Valle del Sol serves the golf addiction quite well. Like a man made Garden of Eden, Valle del Sol golf course combines the game of golf with the tropical beauty of Costa Rica. The course plays 7011 yards with a par 72. The golf course maintains 15 large lakes, which not only adds challenges, but also serves as a great way to see some of the diverse birds of the country.
Valle del Sol golf course is located in the Santa Ana valley and is a popular choice because it requires no membership to play. A tourist will pay $75.00 for a day of unlimited golf, according to the golf pro. The tourist price includes a cart. The pro told me that if you are a resident of Costa Rica, the price is $34.00 on the weekend and $27.50 during the week.
The course at Valle del Sol opens at 6:30 a.m. Tuesday through Sunday, and 8 a.m. on Mondays. Each day the course closes at 6 p.m. A dress code is required. A small pro shop rents out clubs at $36.00 a day; tee times are required on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays. For warm up, you can drive a bucket of balls for about $5.00.
Valle del Sol Golf Academy offers private lessons, one day instruction, and golf clinics for advanced golfers to children. Prices vary for lessons from $8.50 an hour to $100 for ten sessions. Lessons are given on a private teaching facility and range ball (golf equipment and all other teaching tools are included in the price).
I asked the golf pro if Valle del Sol offered a yearly package. He said that at the moment they did not because they are a course open to the public. He told me that some people buy a monthly package for approximately $500. If considering this route, he suggested stopping in, trying the course, and discussing prices with the pro shop.
Susan Carmichael is a freelance writer living in Costa Rica. She has developed several education curriculums for children and adults. She has also taught journalism. Susan produced and hosted radio programs and documentaries in Costa Rica including a short story program called “In the Moment” and an hour long interview program focused on the issues of women called “A Woman’s Voice”.
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Andrew Makarik
to@welovecostarica.comAndrew Makarik is the main editor of WeLoveCostaRica, a fan of this sunny country. He is also a loving husband and a has a lovely daughter. By being a devoted family man and the biggest Costa Rica fan, he wants to make more people feel at home there. WeLoveCostaRica unites people and helps them find new home or a new travel destination. This website is a friendly community where everyone can find not only information, but also new friends and travel pals. Andrew is also passionate about IT and programming, so he himself maintains a friendly atmosphere in this cozy environment of WeLoveCostaRica.com.
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