The official list of golf rules, regulations, and etiquette is nearly as lengthy as the history of the sport itself. From its earliest inception (dating all the way back to 15th-century Scotland), the “gentleman’s game” was dictated by a strict dress code of heavy knickers, thick wool jackets, and ties—even in the sweltering heat, as was the case in 1892, when more than a few players at that year’s Open Championship suffered from severe dehydration. Modern golfers have been known to adhere to the staunchest of codes, too: In an excessive observance of the unwritten rule of remaining still during a player’s swing, all-time great Ben Hogan once famously refused to hit a shot until a spectator 400 yards away stopped fidgeting.
But the grass is suddenly looking greener for more casual players, as courses—even championship ones—begin to take a more laid-back approach to the sport. Dress codes are easing. Old rules are being rewritten. Pressure is dropping and, consequently, enjoyment is rising. Driving it all: a come-one-come-all attitude that’s luring a whole new generation of eager athletes.
For a (literal) taste of the new game, look no further than the first hole at the members-only North Course at Chileno Bay Club in Los Cabos. There, among dramatic views of the Sea of Cortez and Sierra de la Laguna Mountains, players can tee off with a refreshment that sets a festive tone: a shot of tequila. That’s only the beginning of the old-school rule breaking, according to Paolo Ibba, resort manager at Chileno Bay Resort & Residences, Auberge Resorts Collection.
The golf course dress code of yore was hardly comfortable: stiff knickers, heavy wool jackets, and ties. Everett Collection / Shutterstock
“Chileno Bay is one of the best golf courses in Mexico, but the atmosphere is not stiff like a traditional club,” he says. “There is no real dress code, so golfers can play barefoot if they want. They have premium comfort stations with bartenders”—even a mini–tiki bar at the 12th hole—“and mandatory caddies are included in the green fee.” The result? “Everyone is very friendly. It is an amazing experience.”
Nonetheless, Chileno Bay is for serious golfers too: The par-72, 18-hole championship course is, after all, designed by the legendary Tom Fazio. And it’s easily the most coveted game in Los Cabos. (In fact, only club members and guests at Auberge’s Chileno Bay Resort can tee off at the Mexican golf idyll.)
In many ways, Fazio’s design concept for the North Course was conceived to reflect the sport’s new relaxed mentality—a task, the course architect says, that required plenty of outside-the-box thinking.
“We start every project as a new thought, as if we are writing a new book,” he says. The free-flowing layout with broad landing areas on many holes was created to foster a welcoming environment for anyone, regardless of their handicap. Even so, advanced players will be tested as the course gets more challenging around the greens. It’s a fair trade in golf terms, and one that allows players of all skill levels to tee off together.
The North Course is a clear indication of the new golf culture, as well as the direction experts like Fazio believe the sport will continue to go. He is once again rewriting the rules of course design with his next project: Chileno Bay’s South Course, set to open later this year. “Chileno Bay is casual and friendly and has a way of doing things that you don’t see at traditional clubs like the Royal and Ancient Golf Club.” (Indeed, woe betide anyone who turns up to the revered Scotland club wearing flip-flops.)
Three-thousand miles away, Hawai‘i’s Mauna Lani, Auberge Resorts Collection is another golfer’s paradise where laid-back doesn’t mean a subpar playing experience—quite the contrary, according to some of the game’s biggest names. The South Course here came to particular fame as the venue for the PGA Senior Skins Game throughout the 1990s. Raymond Floyd, who won the event five times in a row, described the course as “marvelous.” Arnold Palmer won the tournament three times in four years, and once said, “I just think the golf course is fun. It is interesting, and it provides opportunities for birdies.”
A few years later, Hale Irwin—three-time U.S. Open champion in his heyday—also won the Senior Skins, and recently returned to play Mauna Lani with friends. “He said that the Senior Skins was the most relaxing and enjoyable tournament he ever played in,” says Ross Birch, general manager, Golf and Sports, at Mauna Lani. That’s true for everyone—not just the pros, he adds.
Hugging Hawai‘i’s Kohala Coast shoreline, Mauna Lani features two championship courses—North and South—and offers more oceanfront golf than any other course in the state. “Golfers can even combine a round with whale watching,” Birch says. That’s how the pros do it: The aforementioned Senior Skins tournament was even formatted for the views, splitting just 18 holes over two days to allow plenty of time for players to enjoy Mauna Lani in the same way amateurs and guests do.
Further emphasizing the easygoing and inclusive nature at Mauna Lani is the resort’s nine-hole Wikiwiki Course. “Anyone can play on this course. It’s great for families or a group of guys who might play the entire course in a one-club challenge,” Birch says. “You can get around the course in less than 90 minutes, and if guests want to play in their swimwear and barefoot, they can.”
It’s just another link in golf’s long history, and though it’s underscored by a fresh and fancy-free new attitude, it reinforces the spirit the game was built on centuries ago. After all, the Dutch word kolf, from which the sport’s name is derived, means “club.” And this is a club that’s more welcoming than ever. “For me, golf is about friendship, community, and relaxation, and that is what we promote to everyone on the resort,” Birch says.
We’ll tee off to that.
Chileno Bay Resort & Residences, Auberge Resorts Collection is the only hotel in Los Cabos that provides guests access to Chileno Bay’s private championship golf course. For more information and to arrange a tee time, contact cbr.reservations@aubergeresorts.com.
Guests of Mauna Lani, Auberge Resorts Collection can book reservations at Mauna Lani’s three courses up to 60 days in advance for individual play. For more information and to arrange a tee time, call 808.885.6655.
For a more classic round, Primland Resort, Auberge Resorts Collection’s 18-hole course promises new challenges with every tee-off. For more information and to arrange a tee time, contact pri.golfshop@aubergeresorts.com.