Top 9 Golf Courses You Need To Play In Panama – by Dave Finn

Panama is one of the most strategically located countries in the world. Situated on the lower portion of the continental divide that separates North and South America, Panama sees about 5% of the world trade pass by its’ door step every year. Up until recently, Panama has been best renowned for the Panama Canal, one of the “Seven Wonders of the World” and most recently for the infamous “Panama Papers”. But did you know that Panama was voted as #2 in "The World’s Best Places to Retire in 2015" by International Living Magazine with 13 uniquely different golf courses that you can play.

Earlier this year, I joined a group of 10 golf travel writers and tour operators from across North America to visit and/or play eight of Panama’s 18-hole golf courses. Fortunately for me I returned and got to play one more than they did. After our tour I polled all of my esteemed associates and asked for their opinion. Below is our countdown and some of their comments.  

#9 Tucan Country Club & Resort

Located only 15 minutes from Panama City, Tucan is home to a large ex-pat community. Originally operated by the US Military, there are some elevation changes here but most of them where relatively flat. The greens are very large here with big undulations. Nine holes offer panoramic views of the canal and city while the others border on the Panama Forest Reserve. As my friend and fellow writer, Robert Fagan said “Tucan was a diamond in the rough that with some significant renovation/refinements could be among the best, but not yet.”

Green fees range from US$37 to $70 per round including a cart equipped with GPS.

#8 Santa Maria Golf & Country Club

Surrounded by a new developing 700-acre upscale complex, Santa Maria is ideally located between the city and Tocumen International Airport offering amazing views of downtown Panama’s skyline. The topography here is relatively flat with wide fairways, plenty of water and sizable bunkers to keep you on your toes. The Platinum Paspalum fairways and greens were in pristine condition but as Kuan Kuo, CEO of Elite Golf Travel, told me and I agree “Great condition since it’s new. But it looks like any other south Florida golf course with housing development”.

This Nicklaus Design opened in 2014 to property owners, members and their guests only.

#7 Summit Golf Club

The Radisson Summit Hotel is located within a mile of the famous Centenary Bridge and only a 5 minute drive to the Canal's Miraflores and Pedro Miguel Locks. Opened in 1930's for Americans working in the Panama Canal Zone, this course has been completely renovated featuring multiple tee boxes, generous landing areas and moderately contoured putting surfaces. Summit is set on rolling hills overlooking the famous Gaillard Cut of the Panama Canal and borders onto the Camino de Cruces National Park rainforest. I was told we might see some monkeys but they were allusive that day. I found the course to be a little rough in spots with a few quirky holes otherwise a great collection on a very diverse piece of property. Summit also features a full service practice facility, a six-hole par three course for kids and 103 rooms and suites on premise.

Green fees range from US$80 to $97 including 7% sales tax.

#6 BlueBay Coronado Golf and Beach Resort

Coronado is located about a 75 minute drive from Panama City and one of the oldest courses in Panama. Designed by the legendary George Fazio with some help from his young apprentice, nephew Tom Fazio, this mature layout is as tough as nails. Most of the holes offer a narrow chute from the tee blocks with heavily tree-lined and subtle rolling fairways. In the summer months of January through to April, you can expect to be playing in strong breezes to make it even more difficult. The good news is that under the trees and in the rough is open and definitely playable.  

There is also an adjacent nine-hole executive par 3 golf course where you can hone your short game.

I found the Bermuda grass fairways and greens to be quite firm and dry making the conditioning not as good as others we played in Panama.

Robert S. Fagan stated in one of his articles “Coronado is straight forward, solid, and absent any fancy mounding or fancy bunkers, but an excellent test of golf worth playing if you’re in the area”

Green fees are US$95 to $115. Hotel guest pay $65.

#5 Vista Mar Golf & Beach Resort

Vista Mar is only a few miles past Coronado near the town of San Carlos and part of a new 740 acre development. There is no hotel on property as of yet but there are plenty of rental condos. This may possibly be the one of best layouts in Panama with spectacular views of the sea and mountains. You’ll find some positioning on the fairways make for some very difficult approach shots. The tee blocks and greens were in fine shape but I could not get over the fact that the fairways were completely burnt out. I understand that the piping and irrigation pumps are being replaced so conditioning will change in 2017.

Kuan Kuo said “This is a golf club that I'd like to a member of. A great golf course and nice amenities. The course is challenging with good variety of holes.”

Regular green fees are USD$110 to $120 but have a Thursday twilight rate starting at $40.

#4 Buenaventura Golf Club

J.W. Marriott took over this 122 room resort in Rio Hato about four years ago and has completed a number of significant upgrades to an already magnificent property. Troon Golf is now managing the golf course and has kept the layout in superb condition. Even though the topography is relatively flat, this Nicklaus Design seems to embrace the natural landscape by adding well-placed bunkers and stunning water features on twelve of the holes. There are few trees to protect you from the elements so the prevailing winds will definitely be a factor here.

This course is always green thanks to the heat resistant and salt water tolerant Paspalum Platinum grass. There are lots of deep faced bunker that are strategically placed off the tee and on your approach shots with plenty of dead pan bunkering throughout.

You will find that this course is rarely busy because it is private and reserved for members and guests of the hotel, although they do allow eight rounds per day to other players that want to enjoy this magnificent golf course. Marc Atchison, Editor-in-Chief at TraveLife.ca printed “Nicklaus has peppered the course with lots of his signature bunkers and weaved it around the magnificent corotú trees and water that dot this championship masterpiece.”

Green fees for hotel guests range from $US115 to $130. Non-guests rates are $200 to $300.

#3 Club de Golf de Panamá

The Web.com Tour has held the Panama Claro Championship event here in the last week of January for the past 13 years so it comes with plenty of accolades. “Mature and stately” would be the best way to describe Panama GC because of the towering trees that line the fairways and the dramatic elevation changes. It appears to have been carved out of the jungle with water evident on 12 holes however I did find the fairways to be wider and more receptive than they look. This Bermuda grass course was in good shape but not pristine since it hasn’t rained here for the last three months. Bob Sherwin from Golfswest.com said in his article “This was my favorite course in our tour probably because it reminds you so much of familiar country-club style course in the U.S. It’s challenging with quirkiness.

Club de Golf may again reign supreme once all the renovations are completed in preparation for the third annual Latin America Amateur Championship. Even though this is a private course, guests of members can play here for a $125 green fee.

#2 Mantarraya Golf Club

Located near the town of Farallon, about a 90 minute drive and only steps from the new Scarlett Martinez International Airport is the all-inclusive Royal Decameron. Based on layout and current conditions, 7 of my 10 associates ranked Mantarraya as their favourite course (not including Lucero). I was pleasantly surprised at how difficult this resort course was. Even though the fairways are relatively wide with subtle rolls, there are 14 holes where water will be come into play. Their average size greens have slight undulations but are extremely fast so pace of putting is vitally important.

I polled the golf travel writers and tour operators who accompanied me and Andrew Wood, Founder of Legendary Marketing, said “Mantaraya Golf Club is many people’s favourite track with its’ beautiful undulating fairways, mature trees and classic layout”.

Stephane Tessier from Sportvac Voyages said that the “Royal Decameron Golf & Beach Resort is the least expensive golf destination you will find in all of the Caribbean right now”.

Green fees for 18 holes range from US$67 to $95 including tax.

Okay let’s hear the drum roll! Unfortunately my fellow associates did not get to play this course on our initial trip but I was lucky enough to return to Panama to play this gem.

#1 Lucero Golf & Country Club

Located in the Chiriqui highlands near Boquete, Lucero is Panama’s highest golf course with a year round temperate climate. Owned by Canadian Sandeep Lal, this course is the most visually stunning in all of Panama with tremendous elevation changes and magnificent views of the mountains and nearby valleys. The 5th hole is the highest point on the course but the 14th is their signature hole with an infinity greens that looks like it goes on forever. In the past year there have been some substantial improvements to all of the bunkers. Currently they are in the process of changing all the rye grass fairways to Zoysia and upgrading the drainage of the fairways. The bent grass greens are already in great shape and when the renovations are completed in January 2017, I have no doubt that Lucero will be recognized as the best golf course in all of Panama.

Tee times are US$85 including taxes and mandatory cart.

Why Panama

1.       Guaranteed great weather in our prime travel season (Jan to April)

2.       Direct flights from most major cities

3.       Clean, safe and friendly

4.       Good Value