Aviara

The luxury park hyatt aviara resort overlooks the stunning batiquitos lagoon ecological reserve, and its arnold palmer-designed golf course, which dates from the late 1980s, is the focal point of a 200-acre residential area.

The par-72 course, which is set out on a rugged terrain surrounded by deep ravines, ranges to just over 7,000 yards from the back markers and includes a variety of man-made water features that provide much of the strategic significance on the layout.

On the front nine, two par fives catch the eye: the 543-yard dogleg 5th and the downhill 536-yard 8th, which plays to a pond-protected green. The 158-yard 6th hole, where tee shots pass over a gaping gorge to a two-tiered putting surface, is also a perfect short range.

The round comes to a close next to the lagoon, with the 443-yard finishing hole bordered on the right by another shallow lake and a pair of minor waterfalls next to the greensite.