BajaNews
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Peace, love and golf in La Paz
http://www.worldgolf.com/newswire/browse/67978-Mike-Bailey-P...
July 5, 2011
Mike Bailey
This may come as a surprise to many, but there are places in Mexico that are safer than being in most locations in the United States. That seems like
a bold statement, but the coastal city of La Paz, Mexico is making such a claim.
I was there last fall when they opened the new Gary Player-designed course at the Costa Baja Golf Club and Resort. And except for a slightly harrowing
two-and-a-half-hour cab ride from the Los Cabos area up the coast to La Paz on the Sea of Cortez, it all seemed pretty safe. (You can get direct
flights to La Paz from Southern California, by the way, which I highly recommend.) In fact, the local tourism board has data that shows La Paz, the
capital of Baja California Sur, is one of the safest cities in all of North America as it develops its tourism industry.
Already, plenty of Americans and Canadians are choosing La Paz for the second or retirement homes as the city announces $1 billion in developments
over the next five years. La Paz also launched an awareness campaign, "La Paz: City of Peace and Abundance on the Sea of Cortez," from the Costa Baja
Resort in La Paz and La Paz's sister city of Redondo Beach, Calif., in the United States recently, hoping to send the message that while other parts
of Mexico are having their problems with violence, the southern tip of the Baja California Peninsula isn't one of them.
They point to a study done by the Irvine, Calif.-based research group, Competitive Analytics, which found, according to crime statistics, La Paz
(population, 220,000) had the third lowest murder and manslaughter rate among cities between 100,000 and 500,000 in population in 2009, the latest
year available for an accurately averaged comparison.
"Those who have had the good fortune of discovering La Paz on their own have found that it offers a rare combination of overwhelming beauty, sense of
community and balanced infrastructure," said Agustin Olachea, President of La Paz Tourism Board, and spokesperson for the La Paz Developers Tourism
Council. "The awareness campaign ensures that La Paz -- whose name is literally 'Peace' in Spanish -- is recognized as one of the world’s most safe
and secure cities."
Safe is great, but even better are the recreational opportunities in La Paz. The area is ripe with boating, fishing and whale watching, and the golf
scene is emerging as well. Besides the very playable and scenic Costa Baja Golf Club, which has more than a dozen holes with ocean views, there's also
the Arthur Hills-designed Paraiso del Mar in La Paz as well as a dozen or so more excellent golf courses in the Los Cabos area.
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JESSE
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La Paz sucks!!! we are mean, we are dirty, we beat up people for nothing, you are way better off going somewhere else.
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tiotomasbcs
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Uhh Ohh! Golf World? Travel writers! Let's just hope they don't believe them. These resorts are basically for the Rich & Famous ; a round of
golf costs $150 plus in Cabo and a nites stay ?quien sabe? Lets hope Beautiful La Paz continues on in its peaceful demeanor w/o major development.
Ojala. Tio
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bajajazz
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Putting aside for the moment the fact that building golf courses requiring 500,000 gallons of water a day in a parched desert area (whose aquifers are
nearing depletion) is fundamentally insane, I have repeatedly read that the sport of golf is in worldwide decline. Golf requires an expenditure of
time and money that most people don't have. Golf is passe, soon to become the Lindy-Hop of sports.
Somewhere along the line solid market research has been replaced by the romantic, movie-inspired notion that "build it, and they will come." Nah, I
don't think so.
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Dominica
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Interesting read....thanks.
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Lobsterman
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bajajazz,
I respectfully disagree with you that golf is for the rich. I retired a few months ago on a fixed annuity, SS and a younger working wife. I'm not
rich by any streach of your imagination. I play golf once a week here in san Diego on the US Open GC Torry Pines South Course for $43 walking. I
practice 2-3 times a week using their putting & chipping greens and hit about $10 a week in range balls. So for less than $60 a week I can enjoy
the peace and quiet of nature as well as get plenty of fresh air, ocean views and exercise. You might pay $150 a round but not me. i play as an early
walk on single and get to meet all kinds of interesting people from all over the USA including golf pros the last two times.
Ricky Fowler who is finishing up well in the Bristish Open as I write, is a 22 YO "not rich" kid that golf gave him a wonderful opportunity to
succeed. Rich people play golf but many more less rich people play by taking advantage of deals in their areas.
I agree with you however about building a golf course in the middle of a desert where water is limited.
[Edited on 7-17-2011 by Lobsterman]
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