Playing golf in Brazil

Tuesday, 31 May 2005

The first time I played golf in Brazil, I was not totally prepared, and has since that learnt a few things that can be good to know  when you are planning your round. Some of these may sound trivial, but when you are at the golfcourse, you do not want to miss your tee-off because a detail that you forgot. First of all - find the course you want to play. This is the easy part now. Just enter the name of the state or city in the searchbox on the left side and hit search. This should give you a list of clubs in the area. Then you can use the form on the clubpage to get in touch with the club. The Sambagolf Golfguide is the easiest way to locate the golfcourses in Brazil. You might run into some languageproblems when contacting the clubs. So we will try to put together a list of words and phrases for golfers in Portuguese. Remember to bring your hcp card or a membershipcard from your homeclub. Not all clubs in Brazil ask for this, but it is alwys better to bring it than to start searching for it when they ask. The next thing you need to bring is cash. Some clubs might accept creditcards in the restaurant, but many clubs will only accept cash or a check from a domestic bank as payment for the greenfee or in the proshop. As anywhere else in the world, you can find golfcourses with no proshop. So bring some extra golfballs just to be on the safe side. Check the Sambagolf Golfguide to find out if there are rental golfclubs and caddies available. Caddies are normally R$ 30 to 50 for a round. It is of course always preferrable to bring your own golfclubs. Most airlines have a special price for golfbags. Just make sure you pack it well so you avoid getting anything broken or bent. I am lucky to have people around me that keep reminding me about how strong the sun is. And this is something everyone should take seriously. People living in Brazil frequently use sunblock factor 30 - 50! So put it on. Almost nothing can ruin a holiday like a heavy sunburn. And use a hat or a cap to protect your head. Let me add another word of advice. Don't drink anything containing alcohol. It does not help when you are dehydrated. Actually it can cause your body to get even more dehydrated. The quickest way to add water to your body is to drink tempered water. Not cold. Tempered water will get into your body in less than five minutes. There has actually been golfers fainting during a round in Brazil. So bring enough water and start to drink before you are thirsty. Of course, after a round there are usually plenty of excuses to enjoy a glass of your favourite beverage. But the most important thing to remember in Brazil is to enjoy the many fantastic golfcources there. Fore! {mos_sb_discuss:2}

Last Updated ( Monday, 06 June 2005 )