Rio de Janeiro Olympic

Designed by American golf course architect Gil Hanse, the 970,000m² Rio 2016 Olympic Golf Course was originally built to host many of the world’s top players during the 2016 Olympic Games. Fully funded by private investment, the 18-hole venue—capable of accommodating up to 15,000 spectators—was inaugurated by the city government in Barra da Tijuca, near the main Olympic Park. Featuring a challenging layout with two artificial lakes and a variety of natural and designed obstacles, the course was created to test and highlight golfers’ skills.

Today, the Olympic Golf Course remains fully operational and stands as the only Olympic golf course in the world. It serves as a lasting legacy of the Games while promoting greater public participation in golf across Brazil. Set within Barra da Tijuca on Rio’s west side, the course is a green oasis built on a restored coastal ecosystem. Wildlife such as capybaras, caimans, sloths, snakes, and numerous bird species—once a highlight for spectators and players during the 2016 Games—continue to inhabit the area and even gained international attention through global media coverage. Visitors walking across the specially developed turf, part of an environmental recovery project, will also find signs informing them about possible encounters between humans and wildlife.

Recognized as one of the best golf courses in the world, the Rio course received the prestigious Green Star Award 2016 from Golf Digest, marking the first time a course outside the United States earned this distinction for ecological excellence. In addition, the Rio Olympic Golf Course holds environmental certification from GEO Foundation for Sustainable Golf.