Querencia Golf & Beach Club

A private 1,800-acre golf community set in rugged desert foothills high above the azure-blue waters of the Sea of Cortes, Querencia (loosely translated as “sanctuary”) is one of Mexico’s premier private clubs. Known for its slick, multi-tiered greens, this beautifully manicured course takes players on a thrilling roller-coaster ride across steep hills and bluffs, with several holes skirting the edges of deep canyons and rocky arroyos.

Designer Tom Fazio’s attention to detail is evident at every turn at Querencia, with palm trees and lush vegetation artfully blended with the native desert border. Harmonious transitions from hole to hole and broad contoured fairways mark this challenging yet playable course.

Among the feature holes is the par-5 fourth, a boomerang-shaped hole that swings around a wide, deep arroyo and leads to an infinity-edge green suspended above the distant sea.

The layout’s quartet of par 3’s is also exceptional, notably the 164-yard 14th hole, which rests atop a bluff that rises out of an arroyo. Seven tee combinations give Querencia excellent versatility, a Fazio trademark. A test for the best from the back tees, the club hosted a ‘Shell’s Wonderful World of Golf’ match in 2001 between Phil Mickelson (67) and Sergio Garcia (72).