Spotlight on The Links at Las Palomas Beach & Golf Resort

There is nothing like golfing on beautiful greens with the Sea of Cortez as your backdrop. A screensaver heaven.

Puerto Peñasco is a golfer’s paradise at sea. We have three fantastic golf courses all serving up outstanding weather, blue skies and amazing views of the water. If you love to golf or want to learn how to golf and enjoy a beautiful day outside on a course, then we got you covered.

Puerto Peñasco’s three golf courses for the golf enthusiast in our seaside village are:

1. Las Palomas Links course located in the heart of Sandy Beach, with outstanding views of the sea and directly beside Las Palomas Resort.

2. A Nicklaus Legacy course (which means Jack Nicklaus and Jack Nicklaus II co- designed the course) located at Mayan Place and Grand Mayan built on a gorgeous two-mile peninsula and entirely surrounded by water.

3. Isla Del Mar another Jack Nicklaus Signature course winding around the estuary and right dab in the middle of a living sanctuary.

All three courses offer magnificent views and are open to the public and guests of the resorts. All three courses are working together to help promote our town and create a golf destination. In the spirit of educating our visitors on golf, this is Part Two of a three-part series on Golf in Puerto Peñasco.

This article shines a spotlight on the Links at Las Palomas and golf pro, Lic. Luis Torres. I caught up with the Director of Golf, Luis at the Links at Las Palomas and interviewed him with a multitude of questions.

The Links at Las Palomas is a 72 par 18-hole world class championship course, offering the only true links golf course in the Northwestern Mexico.

So, what exactly is a “links” course? Luis explained that a links course is created with intent, to respect nature. Designers have to regard the terrain and architects cannot move or change the soil. The creation takes in the dunes, the uphill’s and goes around natural barriers. The Links showcases land that is sculpted by wind and tides of the Sea of Cortez and is designed by prestigious architects Forrest Richardson and Associates and Arthur Jack Snyder.

How long have you been a course pro at Las Palomas? Luis who is Director of Golf has been in Puerto Peñasco for 8 years but has been at Las Palomas for 7 years. He was at The Mayan Place for his first year.

When did you start golfing?

Luis is originally from Mexico City. His first golf contact was at the age of 7 with his father who played golf and is now retired from Pemex.

Tell us a little bit about your golf history? Luis started his amateur career when he was 14 or 15. He played 20 years as an amateur. He stopped playing tournament golf at the age of 25 when he earned a degree in marketing and international business. Last year he completed a golf operations program with a Golf Business program from Malaga, Spain.

What was your first impression of Puerto Peñasco? My first impression was “this place is so far from home; my family is 2000 miles away.” But he adds he also loved this little town, which he states has its own magic. “A friendly cozy place where everyone welcomed me, like my second family.”

Las Palomas has many tournaments are they open to the public?  Luis stated the PGA has 4 big tournaments, and Las Palomas also has big tournaments, in fact they have a Las Palomas Master Tournament complete with a Masters green jacket. Luis adds, “The most important upcoming tournament is October 14-17 celebrating the 15th year. The Anniversary Tournament will be a 4-day tournament for 200 players from all over Mexico and the Unites States. The “Blue Angels” Mexican band will also be providing a concert at the Malecon, open to the public.”

Is the course open to the public at all times? Yes, it is a tourism golf course, and open every day but Tuesday.

What is your favorite memory of Las Palomas Golf Course?

My hole in one, and a selfie that I took when it was made official that I was Director of Golf.

What is your favorite hole on the Links course? Hole 12, a par 5

What’s one thing most people might not know about you? I’m studying Bel Canto singing.

Another fun fact about Las Palomas is they are the only course in Mexico that has a 19th hole, a par 3 located behind the golf clubhouse.

So, if you haven’t played “The Links at Las Palomas Beach & Golf Resort” check out their website and play a round.