How to Play the Best Golf in Santiago
Chile's capital hides one of South America's best club golf scenes in plain sight: a 1910 club under the Andes at Los Leones, a country club named for a king who abdicated, a 660 yard par 5 at La Dehesa and 36 tournament tested holes at Chicureo. Nearly all of it is private. Here is how visitors actually get on.
Photo: Las Brisas de Chicureo via Google.
Why Santiago is different
Golf arrived in Santiago with the British a century ago and never left the clubs they built. The result is a city ringed by mature, manicured private courses with the snow line of the Andes behind nearly every green, and almost no public golf of consequence. That makes Santiago the opposite of a walk up destination: the golf is excellent, the gates are real and the trip works when the access is arranged before you fly.
It rewards the effort. The parkland at Los Leones sits inside the city the way Royal Sydney sits inside Sydney, Chicureo's modern 36 has hosted professional tour golf, and the whole scene pairs naturally with Chilean wine country an hour away. Many traveling golfers fold Santiago into a two capital South America swing with Buenos Aires, and the contrast between the two cities' golf cultures is half the fun. For the national view, start with our guide to golf in Chile.
The courses that matter
| Course | Why it matters | Access (2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Club de Golf Los Leones | Founded 1910 in Las Condes, par 72, the city's most storied club, with the Andes as the backdrop to a refined inner city parkland | Private; operator, concierge or member introduction |
| Las Brisas de Chicureo | 36 holes north of the city: Stuart Moore's Valle course from 1997 hosted the Web.com Tour's Chile Classic from 2012 to 2014; the Montana course followed in 2001 | Private; arranged visitor play, weekdays favored |
| Prince of Wales Country Club | Founded 1925 in La Reina and named for the prince whose reign as king lasted under a year, a full country club with golf at its heart | Private; operator or member introduction |
| Club de Golf La Dehesa | Late 1960s layout in the Lo Barnechea foothills whose 660 yard 18th is the longest par 5 in South America | Private; arranged visitor play |
| Hacienda Santa Martina | 2005 course of 6,993 yards, par 72, climbing the slopes above La Dehesa with the best high vantage views in the city | Private; arranged visitor play |
Club facts verified June 2026. None of these clubs runs a public online tee sheet for visitors; treat every round as an arranged one and budget for caddie fees on the day.
How to book it, step by step
- Arrange access before you fly. This is the whole game in Santiago. A golf travel specialist with Chilean club relationships, your hotel's concierge desk or a local member host are the three doors in. Multi day Santiago golf packages through operators are an established product, and it is exactly the arrangement we build into a planned trip.
- Aim for weekday mornings. Members own the weekends. Tuesday to Friday tee times are the realistic visitor window at every club on this list, and an early start beats the afternoon heat in summer.
- Time the trip for spring or fall. September to November and March to May give mild days, green courses and the clearest Andes views. Golf is playable year round; January and February run hot and dry.
- Build the week around two bases of play. Los Leones and Prince of Wales sit inside the city; Chicureo, La Dehesa and Santa Martina are 30 to 45 minutes into the northern foothills. Two city rounds and two foothill rounds make a natural four round week, with a Casablanca or Maipo Valley winery day between them.
- Respect the club culture. These are formal members' clubs: proper golf dress, caddies as standard at several, and a jacket never hurts at lunch. Spanish is the house language but golf staff handle English bookings without trouble.
If the South American itch extends beyond Chile, the natural pairing is a flight over the Andes: our guides to the best courses in Chile and the best courses in Argentina map both sides of the range.
Build a Santiago golf trip
We arrange the club access that Santiago golf depends on, sequence the city and foothill rounds and book the lodging and winery days around them. Tell us roughly when and who is travelling and one concierge costs it to the head, with no obligation.
Santiago golf questions
Can visitors play golf in Santiago?
Yes, but almost every course of note is a private members' club, so visitors get on through a golf travel operator, a hotel concierge introduction or a member host rather than an online tee sheet. Weekday mornings are the realistic window. Arranged access is the norm, not the exception.
What is the best golf course in Santiago?
Club de Golf Los Leones, founded in 1910 in Las Condes with the Andes standing over the fairways, is the city's blue ribbon club. Las Brisas de Chicureo, whose Valle course hosted the Chile Classic on the Web.com Tour from 2012 to 2014, is its strongest modern rival.
How much does golf cost in Santiago?
The private clubs do not publish visitor rates; fees are quoted when access is arranged, typically through an operator or hotel, and vary by club and day. Budget for caddie fees as part of the round. Always confirm the full cost directly when booking.
When is the best time to play golf in Santiago?
Santiago's Mediterranean climate makes golf a year round proposition. Spring, September to November, and fall, March to May, are the sweet spots: mild days, clear Andes views and active club calendars. High summer is hot and dry; winter mornings can be cold but playable.
Related
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Club facts verified June 2026. Last reviewed June 2026.