Ernie Els breaks ground on Oleada Golf Links, his first design in Mexico

3 May 2023

Media Release:

Oleada Pacific Living & Golf, a brand-new 860-acre oceanfront resort community on the southern point of Mexico's stunning Baja peninsula, has announced it will be the flagship location for World Golf Hall of Famer Ernie Els' first golf course in Mexico. Els is designing an 18-hole links-style championship course, Oleada Golf Links Los Cabos, situated just 15 minutes from downtown Cabo San Lucas, set along Oleada's expansive one mile stretch of golden sand beach. With the Pacific Ocean as a backdrop for the breathtaking desert landscape, the resort community of Oleada will offer a unique untamed luxury experience that melds an unparalleled collection of resort and residential options.

"Alongside introducing Oleada to the world, we are honored to announce a spectacular championship course by Ernie Els, one of golf's greatest players," said Federico Gaxiola, project director at Oleada Pacific Living & Golf. "As we create a destination founded in responsible luxury, we selected Ernie because of his true understanding of sustainable development and sound environmental practices."

Els, winner of 75 professional tournaments worldwide, including four major championships, has evolved into one of the game's leading architects, with numerous award-winning courses dotting the globe. Based on decades of competing on different types of courses across four continents, Els has accrued a profound understanding of how to utilize the best elements for golf design. He believes in producing an aesthetically pleasing course, and one that's challenging and enjoyable for golfers at all ability levels.

"Our goal at Oleada will be to build a core golf course that harmonizes with nature," Els said. "We envision a compact design that drapes naturally on the land, steps lightly on nature's toes and functions as an environmental steward of the site's indigenous flora and fauna. With its rolling dunes, elevation changes and majestic desert-meets-ocean setting, I believe we can produce a versatile test that will rank among the best and most beautiful courses we've ever built."

The seaside site for the new course, a spectacular parcel of land on the Pacific Ocean near Cabo San Lucas, has an intricate maze of windswept dunes and sandy ridges. These natural landforms offer sheltered valleys and winding corridors ideal for the placement of golf holes. Els, a two-time winner of the Open Championship, has a special fondness for links courses and a deep knowledge of how seaside breezes dictate shot values and strategy.

"Because the native contours and dune formations are so good, very little earthmoving will be required to build the course," said Els. "Shaping will be very minimalistic. Man cannot improve on what Mother Nature has created over the eons. The golf course that we create at Oleada will be here long after I'm gone. That means something and it makes me feel very proud."

Oleada will feature some of the most recognized names in design, including Vision Land Design, WATG, iconic Mexican architect Victor Legorreta and landscape architecture by Design Studio of Michael McKay.

Along with the 18-hole links golf course, Oleada will offer: oceanfront living; world-class resorts; a nursery, orchard and garden; nature, fitness, hiking and biking trails; and much more. Every amenity will be created through a hospitality and wellness centered mindset aimed to provide opportunities to enjoy life at its fullest.

Phase One will comprise the golf course, three luxury beachfront resorts, and high-quality infrastructure to receive guests and golf enthusiasts. The gated community will feature 24/7 security to keep guests safe and provide peace of mind. The development broke ground in January 2023 and is expected to open in early 2026. Oleada Golf Links Los Cabos will be open for public play in its first season.

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