Olympic Golf Course Reportedly Struggling

[Jon Byron]

http://www.golf.com/tour-and-news/rio-olympics-golf-course-reportedly-struggling-just-months-after-games


Seems Rio/Brazil are just not a golf place, or the real estate developers in this location are less interested in golf. Certainly Hanse provided a spectacular new golf course, on a terrain which is golf course friendly.

[John Kavanaugh]

Certainly Hanse provided a spectacular new golf course, on a terrain which is golf course friendly.

If what you say is true the course would not fail. If you believe everything you read the golf was also the most watched tournament of all times. Something isn't adding up.

I've thought about this quite a bit and believe the course is a design failure because of a lack of color contrast. It simply does not motivate enough people to visit.

[Ronald Montesano]

This thread on the same topic has been going for a few days.


http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,63866.0.html

[John Kavanaugh]

But Jon raises the point that it is a great course on friendly land. The other thread is a political discussion.

[Ronald Montesano]

Good point, John. If only this guy were around to give each thread a proper title.

[Matthew Sander]

Certainly Hanse provided a spectacular new golf course, on a terrain which is golf course friendly.

If what you say is true the course would not fail. If you believe everything you read the golf was also the most watched tournament of all times. Something isn't adding up.

I've thought about this quite a bit and believe the course is a design failure because of a lack of color contrast. It simply does not motivate enough people to visit.

John,


To the extent that the aesthetics contribute to the course's struggles, I agree with your assertion. As much as I appreciate the type of presentation (playing conditions) that were on offer in Rio, most of the anecdotal feedback I've heard regarding the visuals of the course have been very negative. I liken it to what I heard after the recent Pinehurst U.S. Open. People I spoke with regarding Pinehurst reacted negatively by at least a 10:1 ratio. That type of response is a gut punch to me as this iteration of #2 is arguably my favorite course. In total, I think the course merits are but a miniscule contributor to the course's lack of success, but the at-large lack of affinity for the monochromatic look can't help.

[John Kavanaugh]

How can I make a tee time at the Olympic Course next week? I google and google to no avail. With Carnival coming up next week it seems like a perfect place to play.

[Jeff Schley]

I was in Rio last September for a few days and my hotel couldn't get me a tee time, for it was "having maintenance"?  Not sure but I wanted to play it before it went the way of the dinosaur.

[Mark McKeever]

I'm actually surprised it's still around.  I didn't think it would make it long after the Olympics.

[John Kavanaugh]

I'm actually surprised it's still around.  I didn't think it would make it long after the Olympics.

I can't find any evidence that it is.

[Tom_Doak]

John:


Maybe you just need to brush up on your Portugese !


www.campoolimpico.com.br

[Matthew Mollica]

How can I make a tee time at the Olympic Course next week? I google and google to no avail. With Carnival coming up next week it seems like a perfect place to play.

Go take a look at them on Instagram. The course seems busy with a range of womens juniors and corporate golf events. I suspect rumours of their demise are greatly exaggerated.


Matt

[Michael Whitaker]

18 Holes cost ~$125

[John Kavanaugh]

The cost of a greenfee in Rio is the least of your worries.

[MClutterbuck]

Were you able to book online? If not I can get you an operator that takes groups there.


The course is quite full and doing well, as I reported a few months back. There is no reason for it to fail unless it is mismanaged by a US management company with no experience in Latin America. We discussed all this on a separate thread.