Four Seasons Resort Costa Rica at Peninsula Papagayo

About an hour North of Garra de Leon on the Papagayo Peninsula you'll find the new Four Seasons Resort and their incredibly beautiful Arnold Palmer golf course. This resort is situated on the point of the peninsula and the hotel itself is situated on a strip of land with sandy beaches on both sides of the property. Going in the other two directions you head up to hillsides that are as high as a thousand feet and with spectacular views of the Pacific. This land was chosen for the golf course because of these views and also the natural elevation changes that occur and create holes that are unforgettable. The Palmer team did a wonderful job taking advantage of what they were given and I doubt that they have ever had a better piece of land to work with.

The day I played, my playing partner was Xavier Urbina, the on-site manager for the Palmer design team. It's always interesting and educational to be introduced to a new course by someone involved in the construction of the course. We normal players have little understanding of all the details that are involved in creating a truly great golf course. Xavier and I did play through a foursome and the players mentioned to us that they thought it was the most beautiful golf course they had ever played. They didn't know who Javier was but evidently he is getting accustomed to the praise that is being lavished on this new layout.

The front side of the golf course is set up with three Par 3's, 4's, and 5's. The back is the traditional setup five, two and two configuration. The first hole is a very fair Par 5 that lets you get over the first hole nerves without putting up a big number. From there you simply play the course: a combination of great views, elevation changes with interesting holes, wind that is always present but not a major factor the day I played, greens that roll true and will be running about a 9 or 10 on the stimp meter, and rough that is still forgiving but will get tougher as time goes by.

During the past year I have played six courses that are ranked in the top 50 worldwide. It won't be long before the new Palmer course at the Four Seasons Resort in Costa Rica will be included in many of these course rating lists. The vistas are spectacular and are equal to any that you will experience at Kauri Cliffs or Pebble Beach. The elevation changes and changing wind conditions make each round a new experience. Similar to Pacific Dunes in that when the wind is quiet the course is manageable, but when the wind picks up even the best players will have their hands full.

Playing the course at the Four Seasons can only be accomplished by staying at the resort and this makes it the most expensive round in Costa Rica. But an overnight at the hotel with an afternoon round upon check-in and then followed by a round in the morning is a good option. Due to fact that they don't allow outside play you can count on a course that is not packed and allows for plenty of time to take photos and simply enjoy the beauty that surrounds you.