The Olympic Golf Course (Rio de Janeiro) - Photo Tour

[Joe Zucker]

The Olympic Golf Course – Rio de Janeiro
 
 

 
I found myself in Rio de Janeiro last week and with great difficulty, found an opportunity to play the Olympic course designed by Gil Hanse.  The course officially opened to the public on October 1st after completing a PGA Tour Latin America Event, but there is still no course website or phone number that I could find.  I was only able to set up the round because my hotel concierge was able to find the email of a course employee through a Brazilian concierge network he was part of (seriously).
 
Once I secured my spot, I headed down to Barra de Tijuca to play my round, which is about 20 miles from downtown Rio.  Before I get into the course tour and pictures, I’ll note a few things about the experience.  First, while the course is technically open, it is still not ready to be a destination. The parking lot is gravel, the kitchen/restaurant area does not have any appliances, and the pro shop consists of a folding table and a guy with a calculator.  I actually shared an Uber with the General Manger on my way back to the city and he said the essentials to run the facility will arrive by January in time for summer.  Until then, it is a lean operation, but the course itself is in fantastic shape and ready for play. 
 
Another integral part of the Olympic course experience is the caddie program for area teenagers, which is included in every green fee ($200 USD for foreigners).  Since the course has only been open a few days, I had two caddies accompany me around.  Naturally they were a little raw since the course just opened and they are new to golf, but with a little help they were standing in the proper positions and tending flags after a few holes. I don’t think many will be reading greens and picking clubs for players any time soon, but they both seemed really excited for the job. Hopefully the program is successful and inspires the next generation to pick up the game in Brazil.
 
As for the course, it is fantastic and firm.  This is my first Gil Hanse course and I have not been to the Australian Sandbelt, which many have said this course fits, so I cannot comment on any comparisons in this area.  The course looks a lot like Streamsong without the big dunes.  The fairways are wide and the greens are protected by undulating mounds in many spots.  There can’t be more than 20 or 30 feet of elevation change on the entire property, but the course does not lack interested in spite of this, which is a testament to Gil Hanse and his team’s skill.  Even the modern geometric architecture of the clubhouse reminded me of the buildings at Streamsong.
 

 
I only had an old iPhone for pictures, so hopefully the merit of the course can be seen.  I’ve also linked the flyovers from the Olympic games as a reference. All yardages below are from the back and middle tees.  One additional note on the course:  There is not a single yardage on the entire property:  no hole lengths listed on the tees or any yardages in the fairways.

[Joe Zucker]

Hole #1 – Par 5 - 603/548     Hole #1 Flyover
 
Right from the start on the opening par 5, the character of the course makes itself clear: width and interesting ground features.  While there are two traps in the landing zone, the effective fairway can be 60-70 yards wide depending on what club is chosen off the tee.  It’s a little tough to see in the picture below, but the fairway rumples gently and can leave the player with a hanging lie in almost any spot. 
 

 
The second shot is guarded by a sandy area that sticks out into the fairway at about 130 yards.  If the player is able to carry this hazard, he can hit as much club as possible at the green since there are no traps protecting the surface.
 

 
While it is possible to get close to the green in two, it is not necessarily an easy up and down for birdie because the greens are so undulating that great touch is needed to pitch anything close.  In addition to the overall right to left slope of this green, there seemed to be a lot of spots where a pin could be hidden with a slope that is different from the overall tilt of the rest of the green.  For example, the back right section of the green flattens out or even slopes to the right from the perspective of the fairway. 
 

 
A view of the first green from just left of the surface.  Two large mounds in the background can be seen here, which are a real challenge if the player leaves his second out to the right.
 

 
A shot from behind the green shows how tricky the mounding around this green can be.  Without any penal hazards, this complex can challenge the best and allow the worst to survive.
 

[Joe Zucker]

Hole #2 – Par 4 – 506/439    Hole #2 Flyover
 
The tee shot on the dog leg left second hole requires the player to keep his ball right of two fairway bunkers.  This shot appears to really favor players who can hit it long and keep it down the right side.  I can’t quite tell why a player would choose to challenge the bunkers on the left because it does not open up a view of the green.  In the flyover, Hanse notes that it is possible to catch a slope for an additional 30 yards if the tee ball gets past the bunkers, but this seems out of the question for most average players.
 

 
The second shot is well guarded by water on the left and a knob on the right.  Just as the first hole, the green slopes right to left and it is possible for the player to use the slope to feed the ball close to the hole without directly challenging the water. 
 

 
However, miss too far right and the third shot will be off a tight lie to a green that slopes towards the hazard.  In the picture below, taken from right of the green, some of the contours that allow the player to use the ground to his advantage can be seen.  These elements are common throughout the course and made me want to drop a dozen balls around the green and practice different types of shots.
 

[Joe Zucker]

Hole #3 – Par 4 – 338/280   Hole #3 Flyover

The third hole is a really interesting short par 4 with plenty of opportunity for disaster, which would be a great match play hole in my opinion.  The player has the option to take an iron off the tee and play to a relatively wide landing area.  Alternatively, he can take driver and challenge the water on the left.  If this shot is successfully pulled off, it leaves a straightforward pitch right down the throat of the green.  The closer the tee shot is to the water, the better the angle into the left to right canted green.



A view from the front left portion of the green shows how long and skinny it really is.  The depth and narrowness of this green forces the player to be very precise with a wedge shot.  Hitting the green from 75 yards is not a given and the bunkers long and left wait for any hooded wedges.

[Joe Zucker]

Hole #4 – Par 3 – 194/132     Hole #4 Flyover

The first par 3 of the course is mid length hole with large bunkers looming on the right.  From the tee, these traps look ominous and push the player to aim away from these hazards.  It appears that just left of the green is a reasonable bailout, but this is not true.



The slope to the left side of the green is very steep and the front portion of the green is relatively narrow.  This feature makes the recovery shot difficult because the slope almost seems too steep in some parts for a bump and run shot.  I won’t say the only option was a high lofted shot off a tight lie, but the severity of the slope requires excellent touch if the player chooses to go low.



The view looking back towards the tee shows that this green is perched up and exposed to the wind, which was a consistent 1-2 clubs most of the day.

[Joe Zucker]

Hole #5 – Par 5 – 572/511    Hole #5 Flyover

Before getting into the specifics of this hole, I’ll note that the backdrop of rugged and mountainous terrain is a very interesting juxtaposition to the flat playing conditions of the course closer to the sea.  I found it enjoyable to have those views surrounding the course all day long and it made up for the multi-story apartment complexes they are constructing near the clubhouse.

The 5th hole is a shortish par 5 with water running along the left side for most of the hole.  However, it really isn’t in play if you choose not to challenge it on the second shot for a superior angle to the green.  The tee shot plays to an extremely wide fairway initially that narrows as the player gets closer to the green.



The second shot is most likely a layup short of two long and deep greenside bunkers that begin about 50 yards short of the green.  On the second shot, challenging the water yields a distinct advantage because the player can then pitch to the green without having to fly as much of the bunkers.



A shot from the front left side of the green shows how easy it is for a ball to roll further away from the green on closely mown areas.  The recovery shots offer a lot of options and interest around the 5th green, just as with the rest of the course.

[Joe Zucker]

Hole #6 – Par 3 – 202/154    Hole #6 Flyover

The second par 3 on the front side is semi blind from the tee and the green sits in a low bowl with mounds surrounding the right and left sides of the green.  In theory, these mounds could be used to funnel balls that miss slightly right or left on to the green.  In practice, I found that the grass seemed a little sticky on these mounds and the ball did not come off the hills and onto the green quite as smoothly as they might on UK links course.  Perhaps it’s just how I hit my shots, but I would love to have watched a dozen shots into this green to see how differently this hole could be played.



A view from the right side of the green shows how steep the slope left of the green is.

[Joe Zucker]

Hole #7 – Par 4 – 509/425     Hole #7 Flyover

The tee shot on the 7th hole plays over an alignment bunker that slightly obscures the player’s view of the fairway.  This long and difficult hole is slightly more friendly to the player who keeps his drive down the left side.



The second shot is a long one and it must cover what is one of the steepest false fronts I have ever seen.  My ball ended up short and the putt up that ski slope really needs to be hit hard.  I used to be of the mind that a long tough hole should have an easier green, but being challenged from the tee through the green here makes for a really enjoyable par 4 and 1/2.



Looking back down the fairway from the green, the player can see another gently rolling fairway.

[Joe Zucker]

Hole #8 – Par 3 – 179/121    Hole #8 Flyover

The third and final one shotter on the front nine plays to a wide green fronted by a deep bunker on the left.  The pin can be tucked behind this trap, but if it is anywhere else on the green it is fairly accessible.



The gentle right to left slope of the green can help balls funnel towards the middle of the green.  However, I did not find anything too exciting on this hole and thought it was the most pedestrian of the par 3s in an otherwise very good set.

[Joe Zucker]

Hole #9 – Par 4 – 364/304    Hole #9 Flyover

The blind tee shot over the dune on 9 can be confusing on the first round, but is actually quite playable once the players sees the fairway.  For the average player (or conservative pro) the landing zone is extremely wide short of a fairway bunker on the right that can be seen on the outside of the dune.



What makes this hole so interesting are the two large humps that front each side of a very small green.  On my one play, the pin stat right in the saddle.  Considering the approach should be made with a short iron or wedge, I liked the opportunity to drop a high lofted shot onto this green over theses mounds. Since wind is a constant factor on this course, it plays as a tough shot and getting caught behind one of these mounds leaves a difficult recovery.



A picture from the left side of the green shows that shots ending up on the downslope of the fronting mounds can be kicked onto the green if the player is lucky.

[Joe Zucker]

Hole #10 – Par 5 – 583/529   Hole#10 Flyover

The back nine starts out with a long par 5 that wraps around a lake on the left side.  Standing on the tee, this felt like the tightest drive on the course.  The lake sits to the left and on the right is a sandy area where it would be very tough for the player to cross the water on his second shot.  This tee ball requires an excellent strike with really no bailout.



The second shot plays across the lake to a very wide section of fairway.  The player really only needs to avoid two bunkers on the right.  Favoring the left is preferred because of the better angle, but doing so requires a longer carry.



By keeping the second shot left, the player achieves a better angle into a very large green that might be 50 yards wide.  Precision on the wedge approach shot is an absolute must because of traps on the front right and back left parts of the green.

[Joe Zucker]

Hole #11 – Par 4 – 498/432    Hole #11 Flyover

The 11th is a long tough par 4, but the beginning part of the landing zone is once again extremely wide if the tee shot can get past the first set of bunkers on the left.  There is absolutely no trouble on the right and from the tee it feels very inviting, but this will result in tougher angle of approach into the green.



The green is fronted by the deepest bunker I found on the course and it can be a daunting carry to a flag that is positioned behind this trap.  Once on this green, it is obvious that playing down the left side of the fairway off the tee yields a significant advantage.

[Joe Zucker]

Hole #12 – Par 4 – 522/470    Hole #12 Flyover

Another par 4 that requires the player to hit a long and straight drive to avoid a large trap on the left hand side of the fairway.  The bunker here (and many other spots on the course) really cuts into fairway, forcing the player to consider it on the tee.  This characteristic heightens the strategic element of these hazards and made me feel like I was in the pictures of the Australian sandbelt courses I have seen.



In my opinion, the most interesting feature of this hole are two humps that lie about 20 yards short of the green.  Because the hole is a long par 4, the player could certainly be running a long iron or hybrid into this hole and these features would be extremely fun to navigate. Unfortunately, they are probably moot for the best players in the world because their 4 irons drop straight down.



This green complex appeared relatively flat to me and felt somewhat hidden as it sits with trees/brush on three sides.  Perhaps I missed a key feature or the other greens were just that good, but this one was not as memorable.



After finishing the 12th, the only awkward walk on the property is to the 13th tee along a gravel path that runs adjacent to the ocean.  The rest of the transitions are seamless and often over short grass, making the day a delightful walk.

[Joe Zucker]

Hole #13 – Par 4 – 483/440    Hole #13 Flyover

The 13th might be my favorite hole on the course.  It is a dog leg right that only opens itself up to the player when he reaches the corner.  From the tee, playing as close to the sandy area on the right as possible will lead to the easiest approach shot; although there is plenty of room left for the faint of heart.



The hole reminded me somewhat of #4 at Bandon Dunes, where the Ocean comes into view as you approach your second shot.  The vista may not be as dramatic as the Pacific Ocean in the background, but a beautifully framed green with mountains as a back drop is not so bad.



The green has large and wild contouring that can reject approach shots into the lows and leave some pretty confusing putts.  In the picture below, several of the rolling slopes leading to plateaus can be seen.



Walking off the back of this green, the player has completed the most challenging section of the course and can now begin to see the risk/reward finishing holes that made the Olympics fun to watch.

[Joe Zucker]

Hole #14 – Par 3 – 257/198    Hole #14 Flyover

The longest par 3 on the course places a fairly simple request on the golfer: don’t hit it right.  Large deep bunkers stretch the entire right side of the green, but the area short and left of the green is all fairway and a great place to leave the tee shot.



From behind the green, we can see that a pitch from the front left area is relatively straight forward and does not require the player to challenge any hazards, taking a big number out of play.

[Joe Zucker]

Hole #15 – Par 4 – 424/364    Hole #15 Flyover

The 15th hole features the only centerline bunker on the course and it sits about 250 yards from the white tees.  Laying up short of this hazard leaves a middle iron in and is probably the best shot in a medal play setting.



The really interesting strategy of the tee shot reveals itself if the player thinks ahead to the best angle for the day’s pin position.  While left of the bunker appears wider than right, it would be a heck of a shot to get at a left pin from the left side.  If needed, a player can give himself a real advantage by playing down the correct side depending on the day’s pin.

A view from the left side of the trap.



And a view from closer to the green on the right.



Like the par 3 4th, this green is perched up a few feet and falls off the sides, exposing it to the wind and making recovery shots challenging because of all the available options.

[Joe Zucker]

Hole #16 – Par 4 – 334/302   Hole #16 Flyover

The hole we have been waiting for all round.  Having played it only once with only one wind direction, my opinion is obviously not complete.  But from what I have seen, the play would be to bomb it as close to the green as possible every time.  This won’t necessarily leave an easy birdie, but the green is so challenging and tight in spots that I would rather be hitting a pitch shot than a 80 yard shot into the tiny quadrants.

There was a thread comparing this hole to the 10th at Riviera early this year and I do see similarities (I have not played Riviera, only seen it on TV).  It seems like the 16th at the Olympic course may be just as tough of a birdie as the 10th at Riviera, but it seemed like an easier par.  Perhaps this is due to the crazy conditions the tour plays, but I did not see a spot where it would be impossible to chip it on the green and two putt from 30 feet.



A tee shot that ends up short of the green is a good spot to be, unless the pin is tucked way back to the right, the pitch is very playable.  The real challenge of the green becomes apparent if the tee shot ends up to the side.



Pin high and left forces the player to go up and over a very steep slope.  When I hit a few shots from the low here, it was difficult to judge the bounce up the steep face.  Since the grass was not quite as tight as I saw in my one week in Scotland, it seemed like the ball died a little bit into the hills and did not bounce as firmly when the bump and run was played (still firm by most America parkland standards).



Missing the right of the green forces the player to contend with this trap and very little green to stop the ball.



Looking back down the fairway from the green, we can see some of the mounding that is present well short of the green that a player would have to contend with if he layed up.  I imagine this is a hole that would reveal itself over dozens of plays, but as I saw it, a wedge from 70-100 yards off a potentially uneven lie is more challenging than a tough pitch near the green.  I would love to find out if I am wrong!

[Joe Zucker]

Hole #17 – Par 3 – 140/101    Hole #17 Flyover

The most distinctive features of this short par 3 are the sections of green that appear to stick out in the front right and front left parts of the green.  If the pin is located in these sections, the green effectively shrinks in size by half.  There is way more depth to the green on the right side, but this is not clear when standing on the tee.



If the tee shot can avoid the traps fronting the green, there is not much else to challenge the player off the tee on this short hole.  However, getting to a spot with a makeable birdie putt is much more difficult because of the challenging internal features on the 17th green.

[Joe Zucker]

Hole #18 – Par 5 – 583/512    Hole #18 Flyover

The tee shot on the closing hole was a tough one for me to pick the line because the shot plays completely across a sandy area, where it is hard to judge how much can be carried.  As with many of the holes on the Olympic course, if the drive can reach the tour landing zone, it is tight with bunkers.  But if a player is less aggressive or skilled, the landing areas short of the fairway traps are very wide.





The second shot is fairly straightforward for those who hit a good tee shot, but are unable to go for the green in two.  Laying up short of the bunker ~70 yards from the green is the obvious play.  However, if the tee ball was not well struck or the wind is blowing hard, carrying the last fairway bunker on the left is no guarantee.



In keeping with the character of the course, the 18th green is primarily guarded by rolling mounds and swales both on and around the surface.  The one trap behind the green could catch a thin wedge or a fairway wood second shot that rolls over the back. 



Conclusion

Playing a round at Gil Hanse’s Rio Olympic Course was a fantastic experience.  From the local caddies to the firm playing conditions to the strategic merits of many holes, it is a course playable for all levels of golfer.  After my one play from the middle tees, I am somewhat surprised the winning scores in the Olympics were not lower.  I suppose this is a testament to the quality of design and reliance on wind as a defense because I found it to be very playable. 

It is possible to play to parts of the fairway that are 50 yards wide on most holes and never lose a ball, but taking this route will have its costs.  It’s also possible to play aggressively into areas of the fairway protected by bunkers or hazards and be left with short clubs all day.  The variety of options that the player has on each hole, depending on his ability or his temperament, are greater than almost any course I have played.  The single cut of fairway on the entire property didn’t hurt either.  While I have yet to find a course I would want to play every day, I can say for certain that it would take me a while to become bored in Rio.

[Randy Thompson]

Never enjoyed a photo tour more! Well done and all with an I phone.  A lot of work and a lot of time went into your presentation and I for one really appreciate your efforts! Thank you!

[Matthew Mollica]

Same here. Thanks so much for the commentary and effort. Cannot believe how unorganised the facility it. Really glad you got to play Hanse's work. And hope you grabbed a big handful of scorecards. They will be valuable in due course I suspect.

[Randy Thompson]

Joe,
Never saw another golfer in the photos and you had to jump through loops to get on! Was there any traffic? Do they have another rate for South Americans or Brazilians? Did the GM share any info on how there going to sustain or some kind of general business plan or targeted market? Has anybody heard a final number in dollars in relation to final construction cost for the course. Sounds like they need a management company or outside expertise but that will be a tough sell.

[Joe Zucker]

Randy and Matthew,

Thanks for the kind words.

There was only one other group on the course.  I played on Monday and supposedly they were busier on the weekend. Brazilian nationals can pay a lower rate, but I can't remember how much exactly. 

I believe the course is owned/run by the Brazilian golf federation.  When I talked with the GM, he was on his way to the hotels in Copacabana and Ipanema to set up relationships, which I think would do well if they provide transportation to the course.  They also want golfers from the local clubs to play regular rounds and support the course, but I would guess tourism would be a big chunk of their revenue.  The guys I talked to were not from the golf business (they did catering for the Olympics), so hopefully they have somewhere to go for advice.

[Jim Nugent]

Based on pictures alone, the Olympics course looks similar in some ways to the sandbelt courses around Melbourne.  (I've never played any of these.)  Is that right?

[Thomas Dai]

Joe,


Thank you for this most comprehensive photo-tour.


Can't help but wonder what the initial reaction to the course would have been if some photoshop/video/digital expert had adjusted the background in all the published photos and films and told us the course was say somewhere in Aussie or S Africa etc etc instead of being the Rio O-2016 course.


Atb