Mexico's Puerto Vallarta was first recognized by Americans as the romantic hangout of Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton. Puerto Vallarta ("PV" to aficionados) is still a charming coastal village, but a major draw these days is golf—world-class golf by major designers. Golf to rival Los Cabos. Golf to put Mexico firmly ahead of Hawaii as North America's favorite golf destination.

There are seven notable courses in the PV area and several resorts, including the CasaMagna

Mexico's Puerto Vallarta was first recognized by Americans as the romantic hangout of Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton. Puerto Vallarta ("PV" to aficionados) is still a charming coastal village, but a major draw these days is golf—world-class golf by major designers. Golf to rival Los Cabos. Golf to put Mexico firmly ahead of Hawaii as North America's favorite golf destination.

There are seven notable courses in the PV area and several resorts, including the CasaMagna Marriott Puerto Vallarta Resort and Spa, an AAA Four-Diamond hotel. It has one course on site and easy access to the Vista Vallarta Golf Club, home to the area's highly acclaimed Nicklaus and Weiskopf tracks.

In recent years Conde Nast Traveler readers tapped CasaMagna as one of the world's 100 best hotels. The resort lacks for nothing—including location. It's at the base of the Sierra Madre Mountains, overlooking pretty Banderas Bay. In 2008, the Marriott completed a $10.7 million renovation that upgraded all rooms and suites, redesigned the resort's dining spaces, and added the Ohtil Spa. The new spa and existing children's club—along with a plethora of activities and restaurants—make this hotel a good destination for a family with one or more avid golfers.

The resort's home course is the Marina, owned and managed by the nearby Vista Vallarta Golf Club. Designed by Joe Finger, the track ranges through lagoons, trees, and jungle foliage, with views of Banderas Bay. Many of the holes are lengthy, setting up long approach shots to small greens. Water is a threat on ten holes—a frustrating situation for duffers as the lost-ball count rises and the resident alligators (no threat to golfers) discourage retrieval attempts.

Two of the area's best tracks, layouts by Jack Nicklaus and Tom Weiskopf, occupy a hillside overlooking the bay at the Vista Vallarta Golf Club. Soon after its opening in 2001, the Nicklaus course hosted some high-profile tournaments, which made recreational golfers anxious to play it. The newer Weiskopf layout has proven to be equally entertaining and more user-friendly. On the Nicklaus track, several stream crossings will cause prudent players to lay up. Stands of trees and aggressive fairway bunkers discourage shortcuts. However, the greatest challenge may be avoiding the many green-side defenses and then trying to decipher the undulations on the putting surfaces.

The Weiskopf course was eked from jungle terrain on a rugged piece of ground carved by deep ravines and streams. The designer put all of the natural elements to work, incorporating elevation changes, water, and carries over vegetation-filled gullies. Unlike the Nicklaus layout, there are no blind shots and the greens are less complicated, so it's possible for a high-handicapper to have a feel-good round.

If you have an extended stay in PV, the other must-play courses are Robert von Hagge's El Tigre, Nicklaus' Punta Mita, Jim Lipe's Mayan Palace, and Percy Clifford's Los Flamingos Country Club.

For more than 20 years freelancer Dale Leatherman has specialized in golf and adventure travel. Assignments take her all over the world, but she's always happy to be back home playing mountain courses in West Virginia. She is also president-elect of the Society of American Travel Writers.