Llao Llao Resort & GC (pronounced zhow zhow) opened in 1929 as a nine hole course designed by Luther Koontz, who also designed Olivos GC.

The course is part of the fabulous Llao Llao Hotel & Resort near Bariloche in Argentina. The hotel is absolutely superb, and I only wished we had stayed longer...

The setting is gorgeous with the course and hotel surrounded by lakes and snow capped mountains. It's almost too good to be real!

The original nine holes by Koontz were located on a heavily treed peninsula near the hotel, but in 1994 Emilio Serra was employed to add a further nine holes on the other side of the hotel.

The two nines are connected by tunnels under the main road. In the adding the additional nine, Serra starts the round with 2 of the original nine and then uses the new holes from 3 to 11 before returning to the original holes for the completion of the round.

As a general rule the newer holes have younger trees, so it will take some time before they match the look and feel of the original holes where the trees are mature and dominate proceedings. In time I believe the new holes will fit in well.

Llao Llao is a short simple course. It measures 5913 yards off the back markers with a par of 70. In places it is quite tight with fairways on the older areas of the course framed by mature pines placing an emphasis on accuracy off the tee.

The greens have plenty of interest, and despite a number of short approaches can protect par by 'hiding the pins' behind swales, bunkers or steep drop offs. And there is enough movement in the greens to raise the possibility of 3 putting for ultra conservative approaches...

Llao Llao is a joy to play!

With two absolute world class holes (10 & 18), and a number of others that are memorable we would recommend this course for all Travelling Golfers. It is not a championship course, but it is an engaging golfing experience, and one that should not be missed.

Peter Wood is the founder of The Travelling Golfer – click the link to read his full review.