Sao Paulo Golf Club fairway with the Serra do Mar beyond, Sao Paulo, Brazil

Ranked · 7 courses · updated 2026

The Best Golf Courses in Sao Paulo

Brazil's golf heart beats around Sao Paulo, where the plateau's mild climate and a cluster of private estates have produced some of the finest courses in South America, from a Fazio masterpiece near Itatiba to a historic club founded in 1901. These are the seven best golf courses in and around Sao Paulo, ranked, with our verdict on each and how to play them.

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By the GolfForKings editorial desk · How we rank · Last reviewed June 2026

Photograph: Sao Paulo Golf Club, via Google.

How we chose them

Sao Paulo is the engine room of Brazilian golf. The city sits on a temperate plateau where golf plays well all year, and within an hour or two of the centre lies a remarkable concentration of private clubs and country estates that includes the best course in the country. We judged these courses on the quality of the design, the conditioning, the playing experience and the standing of the club, and we leaned toward the layouts a visiting golfer can realistically arrange to play.

Every fact here, from designers to opening years, was checked at the time of writing. The order is our editors' view, so reasonable golfers will reshuffle it, particularly among the exclusive estate courses where access is the deciding factor. Most of these clubs are private, so an introduction or a planned visit matters more here than at a resort destination. If you want these built into a costed Sao Paulo golf trip, that is exactly what our concierge does.

Reviewed June 2026 by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Course facts verified at publication. How we research and review.

The seven best golf courses in Sao Paulo

Santapazienza Golf Club

Tom and Logan Fazio · opened 2015 · near Itatiba

Our top pick and, by most accounts, the finest course in Brazil. Santapazienza was the first South American design from Tom Fazio and his son Logan, routed through an enormous, densely forested private estate just south of Itatiba. It is a big, beautifully conditioned and intensely private layout that moves through the trees with the polish you expect from the Fazio name. Access is the catch, this is one of the most exclusive clubs in the country, so a visit needs planning well ahead.

Plan a Santapazienza round

Fazenda Boa Vista, Palmer Course

Arnold Palmer · Fasano estate · about an hour from the city

The most realistic marquee round for a traveling golfer, because it sits within the Fazenda Boa Vista resort and real estate development run by Fasano, about an hour from Sao Paulo. The Arnold Palmer championship course is the standout of the estate's two layouts, a polished, modern design across a former coffee and sugar plantation, paired with first class lodging and dining. It is the best base for a luxury golf stay near the city.

Plan a Fazenda Boa Vista stay

Sao Paulo Golf Club

Founded 1901 · Robert Trent Jones Jr refit 2005 · Santo Amaro

The grand old club of Brazilian golf, founded in 1901 and one of the oldest in the country. The course at Santo Amaro was substantially reworked by Robert Trent Jones Jr in 2005, a mature, tree lined parkland with the Serra do Mar as a backdrop. Its history is unmatched here, having welcomed the likes of Arnold Palmer, Sam Snead and Roberto de Vicenzo over the decades. A private club steeped in tradition and a fine test in its own right.

Plan a Sao Paulo Golf Club round

Sao Fernando Golf Club

Cotia · formed 1958 · leading tournament venue

One of the most respected courses in Brazil, set near Cotia on the western edge of Sao Paulo. Sao Fernando is admired for its impeccable conditioning and the technical demands of its design, and it has hosted some of the most competitive tournaments in the country. A serious members club where the better player will find a proper examination, it is a regular fixture near the top of the national rankings.

Plan a Sao Fernando round

Quinta da Baroneza Golfe Clube

Dan Blankenship · par 72 · Braganca Paulista region

A handsome par 72 set across a vast, manicured estate in the countryside northeast of the city, designed by Dan Blankenship. Part of an exclusive residential and equestrian community, the course is beautifully kept and access is restricted to members and their guests. For golfers who can arrange entry, it is one of the most enjoyable and scenic rounds in the Sao Paulo countryside.

Plan a Quinta da Baroneza round

Fazenda da Grama Golf and Country Club

Brian Costello · opened 2006 · Itupeva

An American designed layout by Brian Costello, opened in 2006 within a gated residential estate near Itupeva, about an hour from downtown Sao Paulo. A modern, well presented country club course with generous landscaping and good conditioning, it suits a relaxed round in attractive surroundings and rounds out the cluster of quality estate courses ringing the city.

Add Fazenda da Grama to a trip

Guarapiranga Golf and Country Club

Rubens Berti · opened 1968 · par 71 · Sao Paulo city

The most distant of the courses inside the Sao Paulo city limits, laid out by Rubens Berti in 1968 beside the Guarapiranga reservoir. A par 71 of about 6,591 yards with long fairways and holes of varied length and difficulty, it is among the more scenic city courses in Brazil and a convenient round without leaving town. A well established private club with full social facilities.

Plan a Guarapiranga round

Designers, opening years and layout details verified June 2026 from the clubs and recognized golf databases. Santapazienza is the first South American design by Tom and Logan Fazio; the Palmer course at Fazenda Boa Vista is part of the Fasano estate; the Sao Paulo Golf Club dates to 1901 and was reworked by Robert Trent Jones Jr in 2005. Access and rates change, so always confirm directly before booking. Looking for tee times? Check availability and book a round.

Quick guide: which Sao Paulo course suits you

Our shorthand on the leading Sao Paulo courses. Editorial view, verified June 2026. Always confirm access before booking.
Course	Setting	Best for
Santapazienza	Forested estate, Itatiba	The best course in Brazil
Fazenda Boa Vista	Fasano resort estate	A luxury golf and lodging stay
Sao Paulo Golf Club	Santo Amaro, in the city	History and classic parkland
Sao Fernando	Cotia, western edge	A serious tournament test
Guarapiranga	By the reservoir, in the city	A scenic, convenient round

A shorthand only; tell us your dates and group and we will match the courses to you.

Plan a Sao Paulo golf trip

Tell us roughly when you want to travel and which courses you have your heart set on, and a concierge will arrange the access, build the itinerary and cost it to the head, with no obligation.

Sao Paulo golf: common questions

What is the best golf course in Sao Paulo?

Santapazienza Golf Club is our top pick, the Tom and Logan Fazio design near Itatiba that opened in 2015 and is widely rated the finest course in Brazil. The Arnold Palmer course at Fazenda Boa Vista and the historic Sao Paulo Golf Club lead the chasing group. Most of the best courses around Sao Paulo are private, so plan access in advance.

Can visitors play golf in Sao Paulo?

Most of the leading courses around Sao Paulo are private members clubs, including Santapazienza, Sao Fernando and the Sao Paulo Golf Club, so visitor access is limited and usually needs an introduction or a member host. Resort linked layouts such as the Palmer course at Fazenda Boa Vista, part of the Fasano estate, are the most realistic for traveling golfers. Always confirm access and any green fee directly before booking.

When is the best time to golf in Sao Paulo?

Sao Paulo sits on a plateau with a mild, temperate climate, so golf is good year round. The drier, cooler months from April to September are the most comfortable for play, while the summer from December to March is warmer and wetter with afternoon storms, when morning tee times are best. Always confirm current rates and tee times before booking.

The Tee Sheet

Tee time windows, course access changes and the trips worth taking. Every other week.

Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Course designers, opening years and layout details verified June 2026. Last reviewed June 2026.