LOS CABOS, Mexico – Jack Nicklaus jokes that depending on your perspective, he’s either the guy who made Cabo into a desert Disneyland for golfers or ruined it for fishermen and surfers when he built Palmilla Golf Club in 1993, the first of more than 20 courses that now dot what once was a sleepy fishing village.
On the western edge of Los Cabos, with the vast Pacific Ocean dominating the views in the distance, is Diamante, where Ken Jowdy, one of the developers who is taking Cabo to the next level, is hard at work to complete his latest vision. Jowdy, who already has built The Dunes at Diamante with Davis Love III and El Cardonal at Diamante with Tiger Woods (and the Oasis Short Course with him too), is building his third act at Diamante: A 250-members ultra-exclusive private club by Tiger to be named the Legacy Club at Diamante.
Today, the pace of development in Cabo is startling and a Tiger track isn’t the only new course in the offing. By 2030, there’s projected to be 25 courses here. The latest layouts have extended north up to the Baja peninsula on the Pacific side and along the Sea of Cortez.
“I’m a big believer in a rising tide lifts all boats,” Jowdy said. “I think the more people, the better. I think it brings more eyes on our project and on the area and more flights, so it’s all good.”
It can’t hurt to add courses by Tiger and Ernie Els as well as noted architect David McLay Kidd to the region.
Baja Bay Club will open on Baja’s East Cape in 2026, part of a sprawling 2,400-acre real estate development set just a few miles from Cabo Pulmo National Park. Designed by McLay Kidd, who is doing his first course in Cabo, three holes – Nos. 9-11 – touch the beach sands. There also will be a short course.
And within shouting distance of Diamante will be Oleada Golf Links Los Cabos, an Els design opening in early 2026. A second Nicklaus design was announced for Quivira but after starting construction that project has stalled and it is unclear when and if it will resume.
Jowdy’s project hit a few snags of its own this year but they began grassing the driving range in July.
“It took us a long time to get approvals for Zoysia grass, which isn’t native to Mexico, to be legally grown here,” he explained.
Shipments of the grass have been arriving every few weeks and the goal is to be able to harvest its own grass soon. Heavy rains this fall also caused a bit of damage in the middle of construction. One of the lakes being built was breached and it is requiring a team to return and re-do about four months worth of work. But Jowdy still holds out hopes that some, if not all, of the course can open next year.
“Even if that’s means it’s on December 31,” he said.
Jowdy said he had toured several members of the PGA Tour staff around the construction site while they were in town for the World Wide Technology Championship at El Cardonal, which hosted the tournament for the third time last week, and he still holds out hope that the Legacy Club can serve as host of the FedEx Cup Fall event beginning in 2027.
“There’s so many factors,” Jowdy said of getting approval to switch locations of the tournament site. “I don’t make that decision. All I can do is get the golf course done and in the best shape where they can make a decision.”
The Legacy course takes golfers from the open, arid landscape of southern Baja into a secluded environment of lush vegetation, what Jowdy described as “an oasis in the desert.” The course may be a bit behind schedule but Jowdy kept his promise to complete a house built for Tiger at the Legacy Club. “It’s livable,” he said.
How soon Tiger will come and stay there is anyone’s guess. Jowdy said that Tiger had been scheduled to make a site visit ahead of the WWT Championship but had to postpone due to his recent lumbar disc replacement surgery. Still, if living in the lap of luxury is your thing, Legacy Club may be the place for you.
“It’s been said we’re building a little city and this is going to be the country club inside the city,” Jowdy said.
