Cabo del Sol (Cove Club; formerly Ocean Course)

When Jack Nicklaus first saw this Baja Peninsula site, what can best be described as Scottsdale-meets-the-Sea of Cortez, he told reporters, “This is my chance to design a Pebble Beach.” He took advantage of that chance, routing an exciting 18 that plays from highlands of desert cacti over dry washes and down to the sea on both nines. When the layout opened in 1994, Nicklaus said it had the three finest finishing holes in golf, running along rocks above the crashing surf of Whale Bay. That’s not true anymore. In 2020 the 17th and 18th holes were demolished and replaced by two inland holes to make oceanfront space for expanded resort development. Still, panelists find the remainder of the design is compelling enough to keep it comfortably inside the World's top 100.