A Nicklaus Design course behind a members' committee at Santa María, and a Canal-side alternative at Summit for under $2,650 a year.
Sources: Santa María Golf & Country Club and Summit Golf Resort public membership information; Brax Realty research. Membership pricing and approval processes change — confirm directly with each club.
Widely considered Panama's premier club, Santa María's 18-hole course was designed by Nicklaus Design — Jack Nicklaus's own firm — and built in 2012 across roughly 700 acres on the outskirts of the city. Membership isn't transactional: the club runs a structured process involving financial references, personal references and formal approval, with separate executive and homeowner membership tracks. Senior executives, diplomats and international representatives can qualify for time-limited executive memberships without owning property inside the gate.
Summit offers a more straightforward path: annual memberships running roughly $2,400–2,640, combined with resort-style amenities — pools, trails, restaurants and hotel access. Set on the east bank of the Panama Canal along the Gaillard Highway, Summit trades Santa María's exclusivity for wildlife views and a lower barrier to entry.
For golfers prioritizing proximity over anything else, Santa María's masterplan puts the clubhouse a golf-cart ride from the front door — see our full Santa María neighborhood guide for schools, dining and the rest of what the gated community offers.