February 2026: Every year when I recap my golf year and the courses I get to play, I always have a couple that either blow me away that I wasn’t expecting or were really solid but never had on my radar to play because they are not ranked in their state or country by the golf mags and sites but I think they deserve to be. Solmar is in the former category. Sure it’s ranked 19th in Mexico but that’s pretty well below the other courses we were playing and way below the highly anticipated Diamante courses next door. And, it’s a Greg Norman design and I am lukewarm on his courses for the most part. So while it was oceanfront and I read some good reviews online, my expectations weren’t great and the fact that Diamante Dunes disappointed me a little for its ranking on the best courses outside the US the day before, I was even more cautious in setting expectations. But WOW!
My getting blown away here started the second we walked through the door and onto the practice putting green shown above. The conditioning was a whole level above Diamante thanks to the salt-tolerant SeaDwarf Paspalum turf. And the views of the ocean were undisturbed by cranes and whatnot making it the most visually stunning course we played on the trip. Solmar also offered the same unfettered access to booze and various snacks throughout the round just like Diamante and it was all included, just like Diamante. It wasn’t just me loving on the course either. The entire group put this as the hands-down favorite of the courses we played and we cancelled our Dunes replay to come back and play this again.
I go more into Cabo on the Diamante review so won’t repeat that here. We also played Cabo del Sol’s Desert course (which I won’t do a separate review on and mentioned in Diamante, as well). I came in a day early on the trip to beat a planned blizzard back home and played Club Campestre which was a level below Cabo del Sol. Though in my 1,000 course journey, I did experience something there I have never experienced before…
Yes those are cows (vacas) grazing out on the fairway. I guess that’s one way to approach turf management.
So they name all of the golf holes after different whale species and no there is no hole called Rosie O’Donnell. We played the blue tees (6,313/69.5/125) which the slope makes this seem a bit too easy but it was most certainly not easy for me. We played super early and I always struggle with rounds really early in the morning. Unfortunately I struggle every other time of day as well so realize I just suck 24X365. All of the guys posted photos so I have a little more than usual posted as I poached some of their photos for the review.
Borrowed without permission from Etsy. Order here.
Another thing to love about Solmar is Norman takes you down to the ocean right away. so you are mesmerized early in the round. Unlike at Dunes, we played Solmar the way it was intended to be routed – starting at one – both days. I think that also helps my Solmar vs. Diamante ranking as both Diamante courses had us start at ten.
From the clubhouse looking out onto the course. As noted, even from the clubhouse, you are wowed.
Here’s the group. Erik on the far left was my connection to the rest of the guys.
Hole 1 Gray Whale (502 yards/#3 handicap/par five): This hole epitomizes what makes Cabo golf so unique. You tee off in the desert and end up oceanfront on the green. Big wide fairway and downhill to the green.
Hole 2 Baleen Whale (376 yards/#1 handicap/par four): While the handicaps say that Solmar starts you off with two of the toughest holes on the course, reality is different. Not that these were easy, but I thought there were much harder on the course.
Approach on two. #1 handicap? The lower handicap guys killed this hole (driver/flip wedge). How spectacular is that backdrop? We got to see whales breaching throughout the round. Usually the closest thing I get to seeing that is my belly breaching up to the bar for a few beers at the turn.
Same thing as above, just my camera phone.
Hole 3 Fin Whale (205 yards/#13 handicap/par three): Pure ocean golf. I know I parred this both days as I knocked my hybrid onto the green both rounds. Those were a few passable moments inside hours and hours of suck.
Hole 4 Humpback Whale (313 yards/#13 handicap/par four): You’d think they would have a humpback green on this but no. Short uphill par four with prevailing wind at your back. Like Diamante, if you go into the dunes, it is brutal to advance the ball out with how soft the sand is. I know I was there in the right and barely advanced the ball for one of the rounds.
Hole 5 Right Whale (199 yards/#9 handicap/par three): Down hill long three. Again how beautiful is that backdrop?
Hole 6 Bowhead Whale (365 yards/#7 handicap/par four): One of my favorite features of this hole is you hit the “halfway” house before you tee off. Each house had its own food theme and this I believe was the empanadas. I hit the old greasy finger duff off the tee.
Hole 7 SEI Whale (353 yards/#11 handicap/par four): Conditioning was great as you see and as you move away from the ocean you would swear you’re in Scottsdale, hundreds of miles from any ocean. By the way, SEI stands for the Norwegian word “seje,” which translates to pollock or coalfish not the financial services firm based up here in Philly.
That’s your prototypical SEI Whale (finance nerd firm from Philly).
Hole 8 Bryde’s Whale (510 yards/#15 handicap/par five): From the approach. Again how can you not fall in love with this course?!?
Approach on 8.
Hole 9 Minke Whale (363 yards/#5 handicap/par four): Back to the clubhouse with prevailing wind at your back.
Hole 10 Beluga Whale (355 yards/#8 handicap/par four): Cruise ships off the coast were a constant sight.
Hole 11 Narwhal (119 yards/#14 handicap/par three): Kind of an f*ed up hole – short and blind uphill par three.
Of course, you see narwhal you think Elf.
Even lined with “casitas” the holes present brilliantly. Reminded me of Alcaidesa in Spain…
Spain’s version.
Hole 12 Sperm Whale (406 yards/#2 handicap/par four): From the desert to the sea.
Hole 13 Pygmy Whale (532 yards/#10 handicap/par five): Not sure why they call the longest hole (or next to longest hole) on the course, pygmy?
Hole 14 Omura’s Whale (358 yards/#4 handicap/par four): One of my buddy’s photos and I can’t map it so I think I missed a 14 photo but this is 14. Not 100% sure so don’t get all hot & bothered if I’m wrong. What I do know is you pass the halfway house on the back before teeing off here and they had the best fixin’s for hot dogs of any place, let alone golf course, I’ve ever had. Plus of course all-included booze.
Hole 15 Pilot Whale (367 yards/#16 handicap/par four): Prevailing wind at your back. Gives off Friar’s Head vibes eh? The sand on the right gobbled up my fade and was again a beast to get out of.
Hole 16 Hubb’s Beaked Whale (308 yards/18 handicap/par four): Short par four. I think this is from the fairway. Could be looking back. But who knows. There was so much ocean on every hole that I was delirious.
Hole 17 Orca (148 yards/#12 handicap/par three): I have a few more photos below. This is the island green hole and you get one last crack at the halfway house on the tee.
Pissed I missed the 18th but I will post another photo from the guys that I don’t know which hole it belongs to. I again say that Solmar is the jewel of some great courses I played anywhere and you can get on without a stay regardless of whether you’re at one of the Q’s or Diamante. Make sure you hit this course!
Golf Scrapbook 