Golf in Brazil
An Olympic course open to all in Rio, a clutch of historic clubs in the big cities, and serious modern resort golf in the hills of Sao Paulo and on the Bahia coast. A clear eyed guide to the courses that matter, the season, the costs and how to plan it.
Photograph: Olympic Golf Course, Sergio Olimpio, via Google
Why golf in Brazil
Brazil has never been a golf nation, and that is exactly what makes it interesting. Golf here is a small, mostly private world, concentrated in Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo, which means courses are uncrowded, scenery is spectacular and you almost always have the place to yourself. The game got its biggest boost in a century when Rio hosted the 2016 Olympics and Gil Hanse built a brand new public course in Barra da Tijuca, the rare top class layout in Latin America that anyone can simply turn up and play.
Beyond the Olympic Course, Brazil rewards the curious traveller with history and drama. Gavea sits against the Tijuca rainforest with Rio's mountains and ocean as a backdrop, the Sao Paulo Golf Club is one of the oldest in the southern hemisphere, and the resorts in the hills around Sao Paulo and on the Bahia coast bring modern Arnold Palmer and championship golf. This is a destination to weave into a wider Brazil trip, beaches, cities, food and Carnival, with golf as a memorable thread rather than the whole cloth.
The regions
Rio de Janeiro
The Olympic Course in Barra da Tijuca and the historic Gavea club against the rainforest, the most scenic and accessible golf in the country, paired with the beaches and the city.
Sao Paulo
The oldest clubs and the best modern resort golf, from the city's historic Sao Paulo Golf Club to the Arnold Palmer and championship courses at Fazenda Boa Vista and the country estates nearby.
The Northeast Coast
The Bahia coast around Costa do Sauipe and the Comandatuba island resort, warm year round with beach resort golf to add to a tropical northeast holiday.
The courses that matter
Olympic Golf Course
The 2016 Olympic course in Barra da Tijuca, a public layout inspired by the sandbelt of Melbourne with native sandy scrub and firm, fast greens. The most important and most accessible serious course in Brazil, and a must play for any visiting golfer.
Gavea Golf and Country Club
Rio's most prestigious club, a characterful older parkland set against the Tijuca National Forest with the mountains and ocean in view. Short by modern measures but unforgettable for its setting. Private, so access needs arranging ahead.
Sao Paulo Golf Club
One of the oldest golf clubs in South America, a mature parkland in the heart of the city, steeped in history and a fixture of Brazilian golf for well over a century. A private members club.
Fazenda Boa Vista
The most ambitious modern golf in Brazil, a luxury country estate near Porto Feliz with two championship courses, including an Arnold Palmer design that sits lightly on the rolling tropical land. A private resort community, played through membership or a stay.
Terras de Sao Jose
A Gary Player designed course at a gated country estate near Itu, a strong, scenic test in the hills outside Sao Paulo and one of the better modern layouts in the south.
Bahia coast resorts
Resort golf on the warm northeast coast, with 18 hole courses at the Costa do Sauipe complex and on the private island resort of Comandatuba, a way to add a round to a tropical Bahia beach holiday.
Designers, pars and yardages verified June 2026 where confirmed; most Brazilian courses are private, so visitor access is usually arranged through members, resorts or an operator. Course profiles are added across the site as the directory grows. Always confirm access and fees directly before booking.
When to go
| Season | Conditions | Verdict |
|---|---|---|
| April to October | Cooler, drier southern winter in Rio and Sao Paulo | Prime golf season for the south, comfortable and clear |
| December to March | Hot, humid and wet southern summer, Carnival in February | Tougher for golf in the south, plan early rounds |
| The northeast, year round | Warm tropical coast, wettest in autumn | Bahia plays all year, pair golf with the beach |
Brazil spans the tropics and the subtropics, so the right timing depends on the region. Travel in the southern winter from April to October for Rio and Sao Paulo, any time for the northeast coast.
Indicative costs
| Item | Indicative 2026 | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Olympic Course green fee | Moderate, public access | The most accessible serious round, confirm current rates |
| Private club guest round | Arranged through members or an operator | Gavea, Sao Paulo, Fazenda Boa Vista and most others are private |
| A week, all in | Around €2,500 to €5,000 per person | Hotels, transfers and golf, excluding long haul flights |
Indicative third party figures for the 2026 season, shown to set expectations only. We are a guide, not an operator, and never quote our own pricing. Most courses are private, so access and fees vary widely. Always confirm directly before booking.
Getting there and around
Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo are the two main gateways, both with direct flights from Europe and North America and good domestic connections to the northeast. In Rio, the Olympic Course and Gavea sit within the city, a taxi or transfer from the beachfront hotels, while Sao Paulo's clubs and the country estates are a drive out of the city. For the Bahia coast, fly on to Salvador or Ilheus and transfer to the resorts. Distances within Brazil are vast, so a golf trip that spans regions is built around internal flights, with a driver or a hire car handling the transfers at each base. English is not widely spoken, so local arrangements through an operator smooth the private club access and the logistics.
Where to stay
In Rio, the classic bases are Copacabana, Ipanema and Leblon for the beaches and the city, with Barra da Tijuca closest to the Olympic Course. In Sao Paulo, a hotel in the Jardins or on Paulista pairs the golf with the country's best dining, or stay out at a resort estate such as Fazenda Boa Vista for golf, spa and countryside in one. On the Bahia coast, the Costa do Sauipe complex and the island resort of Comandatuba are self contained stays with the golf on site. Book private club access and resort stays well ahead, and let one planner line up the rounds, the rooms and the internal flights.
Plan your Brazil golf trip
Tell us whether you want Rio and the Olympic Course, the Sao Paulo estates or the Bahia coast, and roughly when. One concierge costs the whole trip to the head and arranges the private club access, replying within one working day, with no obligation.
Brazil golf questions
What is the best golf course in Brazil?
The Olympic Golf Course in Rio, built by Gil Hanse with Amy Alcott for the 2016 Games, is the headline public course. The historic Gavea club in Rio and the Arnold Palmer and Randall Thompson courses at Fazenda Boa Vista near Sao Paulo are the other standouts. Most courses are private, so access is usually through members, resorts or an operator.
Can tourists play the Rio Olympic golf course?
Yes. The Olympic Course in Barra da Tijuca was built as a public course and welcomes visitors, the most accessible serious golf in Brazil. It is a par 71 of around 7,128 yards by Gil Hanse with Amy Alcott. Confirm tee times and fees directly before booking.
When is the best time to play golf in Brazil?
In Rio and Sao Paulo the best weather is the cooler, drier season from about April to October, avoiding the hot, humid southern summer from December to March. The Bahia coast is warm and playable year round. Travel in the southern winter for the south.
Is Brazil a good golf destination?
Brazil is a niche destination with a few very good courses rather than a deep circuit, best combined with a wider trip taking in Rio, Sao Paulo or the northeast, with the Olympic Course as the golf highlight. Most other courses are private, so a planner helps arrange access.
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Course designers, pars and yardages verified June 2026. Last reviewed June 2026.