Gavea Golf and Country Club in Rio de Janeiro
The beauty of Rio de Janeiro, with its hills, sea and amazing vegetation is unique, and these are the ingredients that make Gavea Golf & Country Club one of the most beautiful golf courses in the world. Located between Pedra da Gavea and Tijuca Forest, it is the most central golf course in the city a few meters from Sao Conrado beach. You need to be in shape to face its fairways, particularly the ones on the front nine. However, the reward is worthwhile: an unforgettable view over the course and the sea.
The Gavea Golf Course
The front nine of Gavea Golf Course meander over hilly terrain, high up into the rainforest. Sometimes there is a fantastic view of the island formations off Rio de Janeiro. After 9 holes we go to the other side of the street near the sea for 5 holes. In contrast to the other holes, these fairways are completely flat. The last 4 holes are then played again on the opposite side in the mountainous terrain.
Redesign and renovations
Having existed since 1921, the Gavea Golf Club has recently been renovated several times. In the 1990s, Dan Blankenship redesigned the greens on holes 1, 2, 8, 9 and 15 and built new fairway bunkers on some holes. The small pond at the 15th green also comes from his planning.
In parallel with the design of the Olympic golf course, Gil Hanse, another famous golf course designer, renovated holes 10 – 14. The influence of water on the game strategy was reduced by sandy fallow areas. Some greens have also been reworked to allow for more pin placements.
Big important tournaments in the past
From 1945 to 2014, Gavea hosted the Brazil Open sixteen times. The most famous winners were Billy Casper (1959), Peter Alliss (1961) and Gary Player (1972 and 1974). The Brazilian golf legend Mario Gonzalez, who was the club’s head professional for over 35 years, also won the Brazil Open title four times as a professional and five times as an amateur.
Visit one of the most traditional golf clubs in Brazil: Gavea Golf Club
The Gavea Golf Club, one of the most traditional in Brazil, works in partnership with some local hotels. The Golf Course is open to visitors from Tuesdays to Fridays. On weekends, it is restricted to members.