Buenos Aires

[cary lichtenstein]

There are 3 courses in Buenos Aires that are rated in Golf Digest top 100 in the world

The Jockey Club #86
Buenos Aires GC #79
Olivos GC #59

I am going on a cruise departing from Buenos Aires in Jan.

Has anyone had any 1st hand experience playing these courses and can give me a little guidance as to which one I should try to play?

[JWL]

Cary

I am working in BA at present.   The guys down there speak mostly about the Jockey Club, although I haven't played any of the courses to date.
The course we presently have under construction is called Pilara' and is located in Pilar, just outside of the BA.
There is a Nicklaus Design course called Nordelta, which is a couple of years old.   Not sure that would do much for you though.
Have fun in BA.   I have enjoyed my time there.
cheers

[wsmorrison]

Why don't you play all three?

[Tim Pitner]

Cary,

I was in BA last Nov/Dec.  I'm not trying to be a wet blanket, but I really question whether playing golf there would be the best use of your time.  I suppose it depends on how much time you'll be there--if only for a few days, I would advise against it. 

[SPDB]

Assuming you only have time for one round, it should be the Red course at the Jockey Club - you can preview it on Ran's course review.

Olivos was designed by Luther Koontz, MacKenzie's construction foreman at the Jockey Club.

I'm pretty sure Buenos Aires GC was designed by our own Kelly Blake Moran, while laboring under the Von Hagge flag.

But Wayne's right, why not play them all?

[Bill_McBride]

My wife and I spent 5 days in BA late January (their summer) for a big wedding anniversary. This was strictly tourism and was great fun, there is a lot to see in BA, the museums & cemetaries are unbelievable and the food and wine are both outstanding.  It's also probably the best place in the world right now for the Yankee dollar.

Check Ran's review of the Jockey Club, it looks well worth playing.  We took a tourist excursion by train and boat out to the river Platte Delta through the town of San Ysidro, which is the closest to the Jockey Club.  San Ysidro is a fashionable suburb, think Montecito.  I think it would be a lot of fun to stay in a hotel out in San Ysidro (about 45 minutes) for a couple of nights and play both Jockey Club courses, then move into Buenos Aires for some tourist stuff and maybe a round at one of the other courses.

Based on everything I've read about the Jockey Club in the past, I was quite surprised to read Ran's very positive review after his recent visit.  As a huge fan of Mackenzie courses, I was disappointed not to at least walk around out there, but on that trip it wasn't in the cards. 

[astavrides]

Jockey club was nothing special tee to green.  completely flat site.  how he defends the greens however, was something special.

[Carl Nichols]

My wife was born in Argentina and we go down there once every 18 months or so.  Her family doesn't live in Buenos Aires, so my experience is limited; I've played Olivos and Buenos Aires GC, but not the Jockey Club.  As between Olivos and BAGC and strictly based on the courses, I have a slight preference for the better two nines at Olivos (can't remember which they are).  BAGC, while fun, feels very American to me--in fact, the whole place feels a lot like walking into a CCFAD.  Olivos, on the other hand, has a much older, traditional, and unique feel--both the course and the muni-style clubhouse, pro shop, starter, etc.  So I would give a slight recommendation to Olivos based solely on the golf, but if you're looking for a unique experience, I would strongly recommend Olivos -- it's just a lot different from what we're used to in the U.S.