Golf in Argentina
Alister MacKenzie parkland on the edge of Buenos Aires, Jack Nicklaus golf beneath the Andes, and a steak and a Malbec to finish. A long haul, but a golf trip like nowhere else. The courses that matter, the regions, the seasons and how to plan it.
Photograph: Golf Club Argentino, Lorena Galati, via Google
Why golf in Argentina
Argentina is golf's great South American secret, a country with a deeper golfing history than its distance from the rest of the world suggests. The game took root early in the twentieth century, and in 1930 Dr Alister MacKenzie, fresh from Augusta National and Cypress Point, spent time in Buenos Aires and laid out the Jockey Club, leaving two courses that remain among the finest parkland in the southern hemisphere. The country has since produced major champions in Roberto De Vicenzo and Angel Cabrera, and the standard of its classic clubs is a revelation to first time visitors.
What makes a trip here special is the contrast. Around Buenos Aires sit the historic, leafy members clubs, a short drive from one of the great cities of the world. Fly south and the golf turns spectacular, with resort courses at Bariloche and San Martin de los Andes set among lakes, forest and the snow capped Andes of Patagonia. Pair the two and you have a trip that mixes classic architecture, world class scenery, and the food, wine and warmth for which Argentina is famous. The seasons are reversed, so the Argentine summer offers an escape from the northern winter.
The regions
Buenos Aires
The historic heart of Argentine golf, where the MacKenzie courses of the Jockey Club, Olivos and the modern Buenos Aires Golf Club sit in the leafy northern suburbs, a short drive from the city.
Patagonia
The scenic golf, around Bariloche and San Martin de los Andes, where Llao Llao and the Nicklaus course at Chapelco play among lakes, forest and the Andes. A summer destination, snow bound in winter.
Cordoba and the interior
The country's second city offers sandy, heathland style golf at the Cordoba Golf Club and others, a worthwhile detour for the keen architecture traveller in the central sierras.
The courses that matter
Jockey Club, Red Course
MacKenzie's South American masterpiece, a flat site transformed by brilliant bunkering and greens into the finest parkland in the country. Private, played by member introduction or through an operator, usually midweek.
Olivos Golf Club
Designed by one of MacKenzie's shapers who stayed on in Argentina, a strong, mature 27 hole parkland in the northern suburbs and a worthy companion to the Jockey Club. Private, access arranged through an operator.
Buenos Aires Golf Club
A modern 27 hole championship layout that hosted the World Cup of Golf in 2000, a bolder, more American test than the classic clubs and one of the more accessible top courses near the city.
Chapelco Golf Club
A Nicklaus resort course threaded through the lakes and forest of northern Patagonia, with the Andes filling the horizon, the most celebrated scenic round in the country and open to visitors.
Llao Llao Golf Club
The course at the grand Llao Llao hotel above Bariloche, set on a peninsula between two lakes with the mountains all around, perhaps the most beautiful setting for golf in Argentina.
Cordoba Golf Club
A sandy, heathland style course in the hills above Argentina's second city, firm and natural, a favourite of architecture enthusiasts and an easy add on to a Buenos Aires trip by a short domestic flight.
Designers and host history verified June 2026. Several of the Buenos Aires clubs are private; we arrange access where possible. Course profiles are added as the directory grows. Always confirm visitor access and fees directly before booking.
When to go
| Season | Conditions | Verdict |
|---|---|---|
| October to December | Spring in Buenos Aires, warming up, Patagonia opening | Prime window for a two centre trip |
| January and February | Hot in Buenos Aires, peak summer in Patagonia | Best for the southern resort courses |
| March to May | Autumn, mild and settled near the city | Excellent Buenos Aires golf, Patagonia winding down |
| June to August | Cool in the city, snow closes Patagonia | Buenos Aires only, the off season |
The seasons are flipped below the equator, so the Argentine summer runs from December to February. Time a Patagonia leg for that window, and pair it with Buenos Aires golf either side.
Indicative costs
| Item | Indicative 2026 | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Green fee, visitor courses | Around US$80 to $200 | Patagonia resorts and Buenos Aires Golf Club |
| Private clubs | Access through an operator | Jockey Club, Olivos, by member introduction |
| A two centre week, all in | Around US$3,000 to $5,000 per person | Internal flights, hotels and golf, excluding international flights |
Indicative third party figures for the 2026 season, shown to set expectations only. The exchange rate moves a great deal, so values shift. We are a guide, not an operator, and never quote our own pricing. Always confirm directly before booking.
Getting there and around
Buenos Aires is the gateway, reached by direct long haul flights from Europe and the Americas into Ezeiza international airport. The classic clubs lie in the northern suburbs of San Isidro and Olivos, around 45 minutes from the airport and easily reached by car. For Patagonia, a domestic flight from the city Aeroparque airport reaches Bariloche or San Martin de los Andes in around two and a half hours, and a hire car or a driver links the lakeside courses once you are there. A two centre trip pairing the city and the south is the classic way to see the country, with the internal flight the only real piece of logistics to plan around.
Where to stay
In Buenos Aires, a hotel in the elegant Recoleta or Palermo neighbourhoods puts the restaurants, the tango and the city within reach while keeping the northern clubs a short drive away. In Patagonia, the grand Llao Llao hotel above Bariloche is a destination in itself, with its own course on the doorstep and the lakes and mountains all around, while San Martin de los Andes offers a charming alpine town base for Chapelco. Book the Patagonian resorts well ahead for the short summer season, and let one planner line up the city stay, the flights and the southern leg as one trip.
Plan your Argentina golf trip
Tell us the courses you want and roughly when. One concierge costs the whole trip to the head and replies within one working day, with no obligation.
Argentina golf questions
When is the best time to play golf in Argentina?
Around Buenos Aires the golf is good year round, with spring, from October to December, and autumn, from March to May, the most comfortable seasons. Patagonia is a summer destination: the resort courses at Bariloche and San Martin de los Andes open from roughly November to April and close under snow in winter. Remember the seasons are reversed, so the Argentine summer is the northern hemisphere winter.
Can tourists play the Jockey Club in Argentina?
The Jockey Club and the other historic Buenos Aires clubs such as Olivos are private members clubs, so visitor access is by member introduction or arranged through a golf tour operator, usually on weekdays. The Patagonian resort courses and several others are open to visitors more readily. We arrange the introductions and tee times as part of planning a trip.
How much does a golf trip to Argentina cost in 2026?
Argentina offers strong value, though the exchange rate moves a great deal. Indicative 2026 green fees run from roughly US$80 to $200 at the courses open to visitors, with the private clubs accessed through an operator. A two centre week pairing Buenos Aires with Patagonia, including internal flights, hotels and golf, typically lands between US$3,000 and $5,000 per head. Always confirm directly before booking.
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