Marina Vallarta Golf Club

Ok, let's take it from the top and just break down the review ratings.

Pace of play: Poor - It's ten minute tee times, the second hole plays like an extended par 3 and the third hole actually IS a par 3, so the backup starts right out of the gate, and the pace doesn't improve. You're not finishing this in less than five hours.

Course Conditions: Average - This rating is really a shame because this should be an Excellent, based on the views alone. However, the bunkers are a sad joke. It's not sand, it's hard packed dirt. Until they fix their bunkers, this course remains average. It's a testament to how poorly the course is managed when most of the fixes that would make this one of the top two courses in Marina are so simple.

Staff Friendliness: Excellent - Buyer beware, it just depends who you get at the counter. One is excellent and one is poor. This time, I got the excellent one, so Woo Hoo.

Course layout: Good - You know, it's not easy to have a course layout that is good for golfers of all skill levels, but this course manages to do it. Skilled golfers can play aggressively and the course will challenge their accuracy(but not their distance), and beginners and intermediates always have safe places to layup so that they can take a higher percentage shot on their next swing. A real kudos to this layout.

Off course amenities: Fair - I changed this from Poor to Fair simply because of the restaurant. Good food and friendly staff inside the restaurant, but that's where the amenities end. They don't even give you a cooler of water for your round, and at the prices they're charging coupled with the amount of time you're going to be just sitting around waiting, this is inexcusable and just screams muni vibe. There are memberships available here, but don't kid yourself, this is a straight up muni course. A beautiful and fun muni course, to be sure, but a muni nonetheless.

Recommend to a friend: NO - Unfortunately, I could not recommend this course to a friend, simply due to the pace of play. I would recommend that they pay nearly double to play Vidanta, or slightly more than Marina to play El Tigre. I really want to recommnend this course, but I just can't.

Every ten minutes does not work for this course we waited every hole except 2 and we didn’t finish the entire 18 left after 16

The course is fine greens in good shape

Would recommend only at lowest price

Not worth the frustration for good golfers

Last played 5 years ago. Course is still in very good shape. Would like a course map as I did not remember the layout of some holes. Overall a great experience

It's pretty difficult to rate courses at tourist destinations, like Puerto Vallarta. You're obviously not going to get good value for your money, so you should accept that going in, if you're going to golf. As for the course, it's one of the tighter courses in PV, but that's not to say that it's one of the more difficult courses in PV. The bunkers are a bit of a joke, but aside from that, I thought the course was in good shape. The bunkers are just packed dirt, there isn't any sand. The driving range is mats only, so you definitely wouldn't come for that. It has more of a muni vibe, as you need to purchase water for your round. The main drawback to Marina is the pace of play. They are sending out foursomes in ten minute increments. We all know what that is going to result in, so just block off 5-6 hours for golf. If that affects your game, which is completely understandable, El Tigre, in Nayarit, is going to be more your style. Similar price, starting at 3pm, and you'll have a grass driving range for your warm up, free water when you go out and refilled during your round, and a bit wider course, though I find it to be a bit more difficult, as their's danger everywhere. At Marina, while it may be tight, you can generally find and play your ball if you miss your target. El Tigre, no so much.

The course was is good shape and the layout was setup for all levels of golf with 4 tee box locations on every hole. The wildlife on and around the course was exceptional with crocodiles galore, many types of lizards and birds of all types. The price booked through Golfnow was fair but the club rentals were a little expensive for the types of clubs offered. Overall I would give the experience a 4!

Nice course lots of water, sand and narrow fairways. Hit straight all will be well. Hooks and slices will be punished immediately. Enjoyed course very much but five young golfers in front of us were having a hard time of it. Their pace was my only complaint.

The layout is challenging and the greens are very sloping and difficult. The condition is fair, but it is a heavily played public course. Afternoon rates are not too bad. I certainly would not want to pay full freight in the morning. Yesterday was quite slow and I quit after 13 holes.

This course has a good location close to Most of the hotels so forth. The course is not kept up at all the paths and the fairways are not groomed. The price they want it should be in much better condition. The layout itself with sand traps and greens and the Ocean has a ton of potential.

Part of the art is becoming more of a Golf Course destination, and someone else should buy this course and put more money into it. It could be a gym. Also there no ball Washer on the course.

Our teetimes at 2:30 and we were trying to warm up, but the starter aggressively made us tee off early which I didn’t appreciate.

Then one of the Rangers told us to hurry up and keep pace, and we were playing very fast. I played courses all over the world, and I’ve never had trouble keeping pace.

The course is in town, Wind and Water come into play on many holes Sand traps are rock hard.

We booked with GN back in Canada to reserve our tee time , $89 pp due at the GC , well Canadian Dollars are not accepted and we had to pay in Mexican Peso $1690 !!! Wich is equivalent to $140 Canadian

Very expensive outing

Great views of crocodiles in the numerous water features. Fairways are open and sometimes forgiving. Greens are in good shape and quick.Score cards could use a map of course layout.