Jockey Club
Alister MacKenzie arrived in Buenos Aires in 1930 and, in roughly three months, laid out the two courses of the Jockey Club at San Isidro. The Colorada, or Red, runs to a par 72 of about 6,577 yards and is widely rated among the five best courses in Argentina, a MacKenzie design that nods to the Old Course at St Andrews.
Photo: Jockey Club via Google.
The verdict
The Jockey Club was founded in 1882 and added golf in 1929, commissioning Alister MacKenzie to route two eighteens on flat farmland beside its new racetrack in San Isidro, just north of Buenos Aires. MacKenzie completed the contouring in a matter of weeks in 1930, and the result, the Colorada and the Azul, remains his most important work in South America.
The Colorada, or Red, is the premier course, a par 72 of about 6,577 yards that has hosted the World Cup and the Argentine Open and sits comfortably in the country's top five. On a featureless site MacKenzie built interest with bold green contours and clever bunkering, borrowing ideas from Scotland: the par 5 tenth green echoes the Road Hole at St Andrews, and the closing hole carries its own Valley of Sin. The Azul, or Blue, is the gentler companion at about 6,378 yards. This is a private members club, so access comes through a member or a specialist planner.
Jockey Club at a glance
- Opened
- 1930
- Designer
- Alister MacKenzie
- Type
- Parkland, two courses
- Par
- 72
- Yardage
- Colorada about 6,577 yds
- Green fee
- Members and guests
Designer, opening year, par and yardage verified June 2026 from the Alister MacKenzie Society and leading course databases. MacKenzie designed both courses in 1930; the Colorada (Red) is a par 72 of about 6,577 yards and the Azul (Blue) a par 72 of about 6,378 yards. The Jockey Club is a private members club with no published public green fee, so always confirm access and any guest arrangement directly before planning a visit.
The holes worth the trip
What makes the Colorada special is how much MacKenzie conjured from so little. The land is almost dead flat, yet the course never feels dull, because the architect shaped movement into the greens and set his bunkers to pull the eye and the ball toward trouble. The fairways are framed by mature trees grown in over a century, and the angles into the greens reward the player who thinks a shot ahead.
The most talked about hole is the par 5 tenth, whose green MacKenzie modeled on the Road Hole seventeenth at St Andrews, a long, narrow target set at a teasing angle. The closing hole, a short par 4 of about 348 yards, draws on the eighteenth of the Old Course, complete with a Valley of Sin gathering area in front of the green. It is a thinking golfer's finish rather than a slugger's.
The Azul, or Blue, course is the quieter sibling, a touch shorter and more forgiving, and the two together make the Jockey Club one of the great 36 hole members retreats anywhere. For the visiting golfer the draw is pure architecture: a chance to read MacKenzie's hand on holes that have changed remarkably little since 1930.
How to get on
| What to know | Detail |
|---|---|
| Access | Private members club; play is generally as the guest of a member or via a recognised golf travel specialist |
| Green fee | No published public green fee; guest rates are arranged privately (indicative, 2026) |
| Booking | Arrange well in advance through a member or specialist planner; tee times around member events are limited |
| On the day | Smart traditional dress and etiquette expected; caddies and carts can usually be arranged |
| Getting there | San Isidro, about 30 minutes north of central Buenos Aires and roughly 40 minutes from the international airport |
| Best months | September to April for warm, dry conditions; the Buenos Aires summer can be humid |
Access verified June 2026; the Jockey Club is private and arrangements change, so always confirm directly before planning a visit through a member or your trip planner.
Where to stay nearby
Most visiting golfers stay in central Buenos Aires, in the Recoleta or Palermo neighborhoods, both rich in grand hotels, steak houses and the tango and cafe culture the city is known for. From there San Isidro is a straightforward drive north along the river.
For a golf focused stay, the northern suburbs around San Isidro and Tigre put the Jockey Club and several other notable clubs within easy reach, and the leafy riverside setting is a pleasant contrast to the city. Buenos Aires pairs naturally with a wider Argentine trip, from the wine country of Mendoza to the courses of the Atlantic coast.
Looking for a base? See our recommended hotels and resorts near Jockey Club.
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Jockey Club questions
Who designed the Jockey Club courses and when did they open?
Both courses at the Jockey Club in San Isidro were designed by Alister MacKenzie in 1930, the Colorada (Red) and the Azul (Blue), making them his most significant work in South America.
What is the par and length of the Colorada course?
The Colorada, or Red, course is a par 72 of about 6,577 yards, while the Azul, or Blue, course is a par 72 of about 6,378 yards.
Can visitors play the Jockey Club?
The Jockey Club is a private members club. Play is generally as the guest of a member or arranged through a recognised golf travel specialist; there is no published public green fee, so confirm access directly before planning.
Why is the Jockey Club historically important?
MacKenzie shaped two memorable courses on flat ground in 1930, borrowing ideas from St Andrews, and the club has hosted the World Cup and the Argentine Open, anchoring its place among the top five courses in Argentina.
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Designer, opening year, par and yardage verified June 2026; indicative green fees verified June 2026. Last reviewed June 2026.