Ruitoque (1997) and Karibana (2012) are Colombia’s two Nicklaus Design courses; Serrezuela (1994) had technical advice from Nicklaus’s Golden Bear Co. Two Nicklaus Design courses in Colombia, plus a Villegas design with Golden Bear Co. advice, across three radically different climate regions.
Updated: April 2026 · By Pelecanus — Golf Tour Operator in Colombia — IAGTO Member
Jack Nicklaus is, by any objective metric, the most successful golfer in history: 18 majors, 73 PGA Tour victories, and a legacy as a course architect that has shaped some of the most respected designs in the world. In Colombia, the Nicklaus name is linked to three courses. Each one tells a different story of Colombian golf.
In this guide
1. Ruitoque Golf Country Club (Bucaramanga, 1997)
The first Nicklaus design in Colombia opened in 1997 at Ruitoque, a highland plateau at about 1,330 m (4,364 ft) on the outskirts of Bucaramanga, Santander. It was no easy commission: Nicklaus had to work with mountainous terrain, dramatic elevation changes, and canyon winds that shift from hole to hole.
Ruitoque is rated 71.9 / 142 from 6,592 yards and was ranked No. 5 in Colombia by Golf Digest (2016). Situated on the Bucaramanga plateau at roughly 800–1,300 m (2,625–4,265 ft) altitude, the course stretches across rolling terrain where winds from the Chicamocha Canyon add a strategic dimension that few courses on the continent can match. Nicklaus designed the greens with multiple tiers and subtle breaks that punish imprecise approaches.
The back nine holes, with panoramic views of the canyon, are among the most photographed in the country.
The result is one of the most respected courses in South America.
Designer: Nicklaus Design – architect Chet Williams (1997)
Par: 72
Rating / Slope: 71.9 / 142
Altitude: ~1,330 m (4,364 ft)
Signature feature: Mountain design with significant elevation changes
What sets Ruitoque apart is the use of wind. In Santander, the canyons and geography create currents that shift throughout the day. Nicklaus oriented the holes so that each nine would include holes into the wind, downwind, and crosswind — ensuring the same course feels different on every round.
2. Karibana Beach Golf Club (Cartagena, 2012)
Karibana is Colombia's only golf course on the Caribbean seafront. It opened in 2012, carried the TPC Cartagena licence from 2014 (it has since left the TPC network), hosted the Web.com (now Korn Ferry) Tour in 2015 and 2016, and the Colombian Open in 2018 and 2019. The Nicklaus design takes full advantage of the constant Caribbean breeze — the coastal holes, especially 14 through 17, play completely differently depending on wind direction. The fairways are wide, but the greens are defended by deep bunkers and water in strategic positions.
The experience goes beyond golf: the complex includes a five-star hotel, private beach, and marina. It is possible to combine a morning round with an afternoon at the Rosario Islands or dinner in the walled city of Cartagena, just 30 minutes away.
3. Serrezuela Country Club (Bogota Savanna)
Serrezuela was designed by Jaime and Rafael Villegas, with technical advice from Nicklaus’s Golden Bear Co. (completed 1994): a technical layout on the Bogota Savanna that was named Colombia’s Best Golf Course at the World Golf Awards in 2021 and 2025. At 2,600 m (8,530 ft) altitude, the ball flies significantly farther than at sea level, forcing players to recalculate every club selection.
The Three Colombian Nicklaus Courses: A Journey in Itself
Playing all three Nicklaus courses in Colombia means crossing three completely different landscapes. Ruitoque sits at about 1,330 meters above sea level in the Santander canyon, where the altitude adds noticeable distance to every shot and the surrounding cliffs create a dramatic backdrop. Karibana lies at sea level on the Caribbean coast, where ocean winds reshape every hole depending on the time of day. Serrezuela occupies the cool Bogota savanna at 2,600 meters, where the ball flies significantly farther and the mild climate allows year-round play without heat or humidity.
The contrast between these three settings is what makes the Nicklaus circuit in Colombia unique. Very few countries offer this kind of geographic range within a single designer’s portfolio. A golfer who plays all three will experience sea-level wind strategy, mid-altitude canyon golf, and high-altitude precision — three fundamentally different games in one trip.
Why Nicklaus Came to Colombia
Nicklaus’s involvement in Colombia began with Ruitoque in the late 1990s, when a group of investors in Bucaramanga commissioned a world-class residential golf community. The dramatic terrain of the Chicamocha canyon offered the kind of natural elevation changes that Nicklaus has always favored in his designs. The success of Ruitoque led to a second commission: Karibana on the Caribbean coast, which opened in 2012, later carried the TPC Cartagena licence and hosted Web.com (now Korn Ferry) Tour events in 2015 and 2016.
Colombia’s appeal to designers like Nicklaus comes down to geography. The country’s extreme topographic diversity — from sea level to over 3,000 meters — creates natural settings that most golf destinations simply cannot replicate. Arnold Palmer recognized this as early as 1956 when he won the Colombian Open in Cali. Robert Trent Jones Sr. designed El Rincón (1957), which opened in 1963. Colombia has quietly attracted some of the most important names in golf course architecture for over half a century.
Frank Spitzer
Golf Tour Operator • IAGTO Member • RNT 51402
Frank runs a specialized golf tour operation in Colombia, with direct access to 23 courses verified on the ground. From Bogota he coordinates itineraries that combine golf, gastronomy, and nature in a country with over 50 courses from sea level to 9,843 ft (3,000 m) altitude.