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Golf
A Guide to Golf in Brazil
By Shane Hughes
"Golf courses? Are there any golf courses in Brazil?" was my most repeated response when researching this guide. Another response was "Nobody plays golf around here. Youd be better off going to the States or Japan". Well for your information there are golf courses in Brazil and some pretty spectacular ones too. Finding them is a bit tricky and sometimes getting into them for a game is nigh on impossible, but theyre there and well worth a visit. Golfs growing all over the world and Brazils no exception, around 30 clubs have been built in the last 5 years and the Confederacão Brasileiro de Golfe (C.B.G) has just opened the countrys first public course conveniently located near Congonhas airport. A collection of short par threes that amazingly, will be lit at night so now theres no excuse for not getting the old sticks out of the cupboard and dusting off your back swing. If a lack of playing partners is your excuse then dont worry because at most clubs I found people friendly and very willing to join up.
Ex-pats and competitions
If youre overseas and looking to get involved with a Sunday afternoon competition, its a good idea to try the coincidentally named St Andrews society, named after the saint not the legendary club. The events which they organise in São Paulo are amongst the oldest golf competitions in Brazil. There are events such as St Andrews Day played against São Fernando G.C. or the annual Caledonian Ball, which unites a good 400 people. With about 40 (predominantly Scottish) competitors the "Quaich" is a weekend competition which has been held since the 1930s, so dont go thinking that its just an excuse for a fine whisky, although according to this years champ Graham Wallis the cup fits about three bottles. For more info on the society get in touch with Graham ([email protected].).
You love golf or just dont understand what they see in it.
Have you ever heard the one about the bloke that was playing a half decent round when he received a call on his mobile as he was walking down the 17th informing him that his wife was dying in hospital. He grabbed his clubs and ran down the fairway shouting to the group in front "Can I play through please - its urgent!!!!" What Im trying to say is that for those of us who play, theres very little that comes in the way of a good game of golf. Were fanatics, well reschedule meetings, choose holidays around it and even risk peril and divorce over it, but try convincing most of your Brazilian colleagues to join you for a game, and youre fighting a losing battle. For those of you who love the game and are looking for a good game of golf, stress relief, or to extend youre personal networking, this list of some of my favourite courses, should do just the job.
Gávea; Classy club, convenient for Rio, spectacular setting
Gávea Golf and Country Club - São Conrado, Rio de Janeiro (15 minutes from Leblon). Set in the middle of a couple of Rio style mountains and a half hit sand iron away from the beach its probably one of the most expensive bits of real estate in the world. A breathtaking experience that you dont have to be a golfer to appreciate. A par 68, its a relatively easy course with a few tricky entry shots and no extra long holes. 14 of the holes go around the clubhouse and the other 4 run along the beach on the other side of the road from Rio to Barra. If you happen to have been sunbathing on the beach near Gávea golf club a couple of Fridays ago could you please return my two brand new Titleist balatas? The 4th, a par 3, as well as being a beautiful little hole, has a fantastic view of the course, breath deeply and focus on the game its quite easy to be taken away by it all and if you miss the green left its a long way back. If you see two nesting "quero quero" birds on one of the latter holes dont get too close theyre little but valiant and will advance! English is spoken by most players; in fact its a real cocktail of international high society. There are a number of languages being spoken in the clubhouse with words like "Four iron" or "Follow through" dotted into the conversation in plain English. Try the capalette de riccotta ao fungi at R$10 its a bargain.
Petrópolis; Forgiving fairways, Good clean mountain air, beautiful valley
Petrópolis Country Club - Petrópolis, Rio de Janeiro (An hour and thirty minutes up into R.J. mountain regions). Playing there you get to check out one of Rios most famous weekend retreats as an added bonus. Located in the Nogueira Mountains at the bottom of a valley surrounded by steep hills and beautiful trees, it can get quite cold during the winter due to the altitude. A 9-hole course with two tee bases on each hole to differentiate the front nine from the back, youll find you can be a lot more aggressive with your drives as the fairways are wide in places and often wayward shots bounce back onto the middle of the fairway off of the valley banks. The real danger lies with the healthy number of lakes and streams. The club is more approachable than some for non-members as it is quite affordably priced.
São Fernando; challenging holes, quality golfers, Lots of water
São Fernando Golf Club - Granja Viana, São Paulo (about 40 minutes out of the city). One of the things that goes a long way towards making this club renowned as being the best in Brazil is having the best golfers. If you take the game seriously then the respect and understanding shown by the members makes S.F. a pleasure to play. One of the most difficult courses in the country, winning a competition here you know youve had a solid round. My advice is to think before you play or disaster is on its way. The back nine is a little tricky. Theres water on every hole including the picturesque 14th and the 600-yard, par 5 17th.The only consolation is that the greens are a little bigger than the other courses I played. Back at the 19th theres a good club feel with a lot of the members living locally. If excess is your game then youll love the extravagantly- fitted changing rooms with home theatre, sink-in sofas, massage parlour and waiter service.
São Paulo; elite, expensive and traditional
São Paulo Golf Club - Santo Amaro, São Paulo (near Ponte Socorro). My favourite course for playing would have to be the most difficult - not for scoring but for getting into, top dog and son only, but not for this reason is it my favourite nor the fact that I made an eagle on the long thin par five 8th (although it did make my week). Its a course thats set bang in the middle of São Paulos buzzing Santo Amaro, but once youre through the gates its easy to forget that the city stress is so close. The course was built long before the many congested and polluted roads in the area even existed and so has the qualities of a well aged course, big beautiful trees that only a course of hundred years plus can have. Founded in 1901 by English and Scottish engineers that came to build the railway, the club is par 71 and at 6,500 yards, its nicely designed and full of character. The ninth is a short par 3 that runs up to the clubhouse with beautiful lakes that start at the tee and finish at the green. Flying the ball all the way to the green is the only shot - not so easy with the pressure of a clubhouse gallery. Then theres the spectacular par 13th, a par 5 lined with trees coloured yellow, red and purple. Back at the 19th the facilities are all top class with staff ready to attend to your every whim. If youre not short of a few bob, this is your club.
Itú; inexpensive, pleasant and international
Terras de São José Golf Club (hotel) - Itú, São Paulo (about an hour and halfs drive down Rodovia Castelo Branco). Itú is a quaint little B n B in a market full of 5 star hotels. Easily accessible with a relaxed atmosphere its a good quality club. Play here on a Monday and you might just have the pleasure as I did, of being the only one on the course, but on the weekends theres a steady flow of golfers from different countries and walks of life. The course is short, beautiful and not too difficult although the back nine is much easier than the front. As most of us are not millionaires this club is a great option; good golf holes without the pomp and circumstance back in the bar.
And theres more...
You could try Guarapiranga Golf Club, S.P., which, like Itú is reasonably priced as well as being a good quality club. The prices have recently shot up for non members wanting to play on the weekend due to high demand. Also Búzios, R.J. is said to be the most difficult club in Brazil. Hotel do Frade Golf and Resort, Angra dos Reis has waterfalls set into some fantastic coastal Mata Atlantica scenery. Just up the road from Gávea theres Itanhangá Golf Club, which was the venue for a recent European tour event. São Francisco Golf Club, conveniently located in Osasco with a nine-hole course is reasonably priced and the list goes on.
Not just coconut trees
At the end of the day its not just the coconut trees that differs between Brazilian and British courses. Like the two cultures their characteristics are distinct and unique. An interesting ingredient that can still be found in tropical golf is the high society mix in the clubhouse. Its a glimpse of how you would have found British golfing communities thirty years ago, just before the mass growth of the sport and the rapid appearance of municipal courses. On the whole the main differences are that Brazilian courses are a little easier (a 4 handicapper can play off scratch). Theyre also shorter with hardly any wind and this, together with the fact that they are quite tight and easy to lose balls on, means there is no need for big booming drives and I recommend concentrating on solid straight irons. Also theres a lot less golf being played on Brazilian courses, which tends to mean two eventualities. Either the green keeping can be neglected and the course become overgrown or the lack of traffic trampling through leaves the fairways in a lush condition and the greens receptive and true. The thing that makes the most difference is of course the weather and playing in shorts in mid-winter. The fresh afternoon sun and a calm breeze is almost enough to leave behind the vivid childhood memories of battling against gale force winds on long par 4s. Hitting a driver with everything youve got followed by banging a three wood only to fall short of the green and then chasing your brolly a 100 yards back down the fairway as it gets blown just out of reach. Why not throw in a bit of hail for good measure.
For more about tour timetables, national rankings or clubs around the country, access the Confederacão Brasileira de Golfe Website at www.cbg.com.br
This article was originally published in Britchams monthly magazine.
HERE ARE SOME GOLF CLUBS IN SAO PAULO
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Arujá Golf Clube
Estrada Municipal, 2000 - Arujá Telefax: 4655-2627 / 4655-2048
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Clube de Campo São Paulo
Rua Frederico René Faeguer - Praça Rockford, 28 - Vila Represa Tel: 5929-3111 or 3849-4314
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Federação Paulista de Golfe
Rua Capitão Fonseca Rosa, 36 Tel: 5641-0335
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FPG Kaiser Golf Center
Rua Deputado João Bravo Caldeira, 273 - Jd. Ceci Tel: 276-0148
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Guarapiranga Country & Club
Estrada Jaceguava, s/n - Parque Jaceguava Tel: 5979-2366 or 5979-2391
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Guarapiranga Golf and Country Club
Estrada Jaceguava s/n- Parelheiros Tel: 5979-2250 or 5979-2391
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Hotel Transamérica
Avenida das Nações Unidas, 18591 Tel: 523-4511 - ext. 8571/8572- Fax: 5548-8884
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PL Golf Club
Avenida PL do Brasil, s/n - Arujá Telefax: 4655-2622 / 4655-2345
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