Avenida das Americas 899,
Barra da Tijuca, Rio de Janeiro State 22641-004
The Course:
18 holes. Open links-style. Relatively flat terrain - no effort to walk.
Surroundings:
Lakeside (Lagoa de Marapendi) and residential; very limited views of the lagoon.
Designer:
Gil Hanse in collaboration with Amy Alcott.
-23.004744
-43.407223
4 km W of Barra da Tijuca / 30 km SW of central Rio de Janeiro.
Olympic Course, Rio
The Olympic Golf Course for the Rio 2016 Games is located half-way along the Lagoa de Marapendi, a large salt-water lagoon that runs parallel to the Atlantic Ocean for almost 10 km. Here in the Barra da Tijuca neighbourhood of Rio de Janeiro, this relatively new golf course joined many other Olympic Games venues.
Marking the return of golf to the Olympic Games after an absence of 112 years, the Gil Hanse designed course lays down a worthy challenge for today's big-hitting professionals. The relatively open and challenging layout pays more than a passing nod to the sandbelt courses outside Melbourne. Gently-undulating good-width fairways are flanked by plenty of threatening bunkers and large sandy waste areas.
Two artificial lakes also play their part. Large bunkers sidle up alongside the fast-paced greens, while slick run-off areas will further test your full short-game repertoire.
As soon as the gold, silver and bronze medals were awarded to the respective winners of the men's and women's Olympic events, the golf course reverted to a public golf facility ... and standard bearer for raising the profile of golf in Brazil.
Visitors welcome on weekdays and weekends.
Must book in advance.
Contact club for full details, discounts, packages, etc. [Last updated: 2024].
Golf carts available for hire.
Excellent
The Lagoa da Marapendi (Marapendi Lagoon), which flanks the Olympic golf course, offers Rio's residents a popular venue for water sports, such as sailing, windsurfing and canoeing. High pollution levels in the lagoon have curbed bathing and fishing activities.
The most abundant vegetation around the lagoon is mangroves, of both the red and white variety. This coastal lagoon is connected to other lakes in the Barra da Tijuca district by a system of narrow canals.
Brazil's 2nd best course (Golf Digest, 2022).
Sony Open in Hawaii: played at Waialae Country Club near Honolulu, the Sony Open takes over the spotlight from The Sentry as the PGA Tour’s calendar-year opening event (Jan 15-18). The Sentry (not being played in 2026) was formerly known as the Tournament of Champions, with a field typically restricted to golfers who won a PGA Tour event in the previous calendar year.
Dubai Desert Classic: the DP World Tour’s first Rolex Series event of 2026, is contested for the 37th time (Jan 22-25). First won by Englishman Mark James in 1989, it now boasts a four-time winner, Rory McIlroy. Played on the Emirates Golf Club’s Majlis course, this once desert-surrounded course is the long-time flagship for Golf in Dubai.
Our visit last month included two rounds at Golf de Chantilly, one of France’s most prestigious clubs.
It offers two superb layouts: Le Vineuil, a five-star championship course with a rich history, and Longères, an excellent four-star course that provides a strong and enjoyable test.
The wider Paris region offers plenty more. Courses such as Fontainebleau, Golf de Saint-Germain, and several other top-rated layouts make this area one of Europe’s most rewarding golf destinations, offering a mix of woodland, heathland, and parkland designs.
The Dutch: "It's no' just a game", as they say in Scotland, and that's certainly true at The Dutch. With 5-star services throughout, a lavishly comfortable Loch Lomond-inspired clubhouse, and a superbly designed and presented golf course, one could not ask for more from this top-end private club.
Join us at The Dutch from August 21–24 for the Festival of Golf, featuring the HotelPlanner Tour. Experience four days of top-tier sport, live music, incredible food, and unexpected surprises. Explore the grounds, connect with others, embrace new challenges, and dive into an unforgettable celebration. Click here to buy tickets.
Here at Prince’s Golf Club you'll find 27 excellent holes of links golf. Just over the fence and sharing similar terrain is Royal St George’s; but Prince’s is far from overshadowed by its venerable neighbour. The three nine-hole loops at Prince's, laid out over gently undulating terrain, are sure to bring a smile of satisfaction to all lovers of links golf.
Stay&Play at Prince's: excellent onsite Lodge accommodation available
You can subscribe to the Where2Golf channel on YT if you like to see more video content. You'll find a "Subscribe" button on any of our YouTube videos. Or if you want a quick and direct access subscribe here. Once done, any new published videos will show up in your Subscriptions feed.
