"In Argentina you can choose the type of course you like, and combine it with the destination of your interest. Cities, ocean, mountains, sierras, vineyards......
Everything is possible!"

A little bit of golf history

There is general agreement that the Scots were the earliest of golf addicts but who actually invented the game is open to debate. We know that golf has existed for at least 500 years because James II of Scotland, in an Act of Parliament dated March 6, 1457, had golf and football banned because these sports were interfering too much with archery practice sorely needed by the loyal defenders of the Scottish realm. It has been suggested that bored shepherds tending flocks of sheep near St. Andrews became adept at hitting rounded stones into rabbits holes with their wooden crooks. For many years the game was played on rough terrain without proper greens, just crude holes cut into the ground where the surface was reasonably flat. These places were the "links", meaning the connection between land and sea, like the Old Course in St. Andrews (1754). When the game reaches the USA, other kinds of courses were built, the "parkland" style. These were courses that were made inside the woods, with hills and creeks.

Golf in Argentina

Golf reaches Argentina in late 1800. Golf was brought by the English who were the owners of the railways at that time. There was plenty of territory on those days in our country, so every important railway station had its own golf club. This gave the possibility to the members of the club to get there by train.

Late 1800 and begining of 1900

In 1892 was created the first Local Golf Club, renamed as "San Andrés Golf Club" and finally placed in its actual location in 1907. Since then a number of clubs were created at that time like the "Lomas Athletic Club", "Hurlingham Club", "Ranelagh Golf Club", "Golf Club General San Martin". And outside Buenos Aires in other parts of the country "Mar del Plata Golf Club"(links style), "Atlantic Golf Club de Miramar"(links style) and "Cordoba Golf Club" all created by the English on those times. These courses have old and big trees, are not very long and have beautifull designs, are typically old parkland courses.

60's and 70's

During these two decades we can see modern courses, with the same parkland style but longer. Bigger greens and beautifull trees gives these courses an international level. Those are "Olivos Golf Club", "Highland Park Country Club" and "Los Lagartos Country Club".

80's and 90's

In these decades, new "american style" courses were built. These have larger greens with plenty of slopes in it, big water hazards, golf cars, and tees for every kind of player. Those are "Buenos Aires Golf Club", "Martindale Country Club", "Los Pingüinos Club de Campo" and "Pilar Golf Club".

2000

In the last decade some new courses were inauguratyed. Like in many other countries, the past ten years was characterized for the arrival of the "great players designers". Nicklaus Design inauguranted his first course in South America, in the city of San Martin de los Andes, the Chapelco Golf Resort. Two years later, in 2008, this same company inaugurated the Nordelta Golf Club (35 kms far from Buenos Aires downtown). In 2010, Pilar A is going to be finished, the first Nickalus Signature in the region, while two other courses from this designer are already buing built (both of them in Patagonia). Estancias Golf was also inaugurated in 2008, a design of Randall Thopmson. Finally, Greg Nroman is developing "El Desafio" in front of the Chapelco Golf Resort and Gary Player is shaping "Aymuray" a golf / real estate development of wine makers in Mendoza.