Mar del Plata (Playa Grande) - Argentina

6th Argentina Ranking
Mar del Plata Golf Club,
Aristubulo del Valle,
Mar del Plata,
Costa Atlantica,
Buenos Aires,
Argentina

  • +54 22 3486 2329

  • Not known

  • Juan Dentone

  • Not known

In Volume 2 of The Confidential Guide to Golf Courses by Tom Doak, Ran Morrissett, Masa Nishijima and Darius Oliver, the authors have this to say about the course:

“In Buenos Aires there are six or seven clubs which fight over the reputation of the country’s best course, but the best golfers at each of them also hold a membership at Mar del Plata, five hours by car to the sea, which for 100 years has been Argentina’s one true great course. Built on a bluff overlooking the naval college and the ocean beyond, it plays like a true links… If you bring your clubs to Argentina, you’ve got to play here.”

The Playa Grande course at Mar del Plata Golf Club is known as "the golf cathedral" as it is similar in style to a Scottish links. It is a relatively short course that looks quite simple at first sight, but the rough, the difficulty and speed of the greens, added to the strong and changing winds, turn Playa Grande into a very demanding course. The greens and fairways are well protected by attractive and deep bunkers. It has 18 sea view holes that complete a beautiful postcard where the visitor will be surely fascinated.

Home of the South Open, the oldest regional event in Argentina, played by the best professionals and amateur golfers of the country. Severiano Ballesteros was invited to play here some years ago.

Tournaments: South Argentine Open, South American Amateur Team Championship (Copa Los Andes), Argentine Open, Argentine Interclubes Championship.

Click to visit WeGolf ArgentinaWords taken from WeGolf Argentina

Llamada “la catedral del golf”, es un típico link escocés, construido sobre lo que en algún momento fueron dunas, aprovechadas para el diseño de fairways inclinados sobre la ladera del terreno. Es una cancha relativamente corta e incluso a primera vista parece sencilla. Sin embargo el rough, la rapidez y dificultad de los greens, sumados a los fuertes y cambiantes vientos que la cruza en diferentes direcciones, muchas veces la transforma en una cancha muy exigente. Asimismo tanto los greens como los fairways están muy bien protegidos por llamativos y profundos bunkers. Sus 18 hoyos con vista al mar completan una autentica postal de “la catedral del golf” en donde el visitante seguramente quedara gratamente atrapado. Es la sede del Abierto del Sur, el evento regional más antiguo de la Argentina, donde juegan los principales profesionales y aficionados del país. Cabe destacar que contó también con la presencia del español Severiano Ballesteros en una exhibición en homenaje a Roberto de Vicenzo.

Campeonatos disputados: Abierto del Sur de la Republica, Campeonato Sudamericano de Aficionados (Copa Los Andes), Abierto de la Republica, Torneo Internacional por equipos, Campeonato Argentino de Interclubes.

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Reviews for Mar del Plata (Playa Grande)

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Description: The course at Mar del Plata Golf Club is known as "the golf cathedral" - with sand dunes more at home on Scottish links courses. Rating: 10 out of 10 Reviews: 2
TaylorMade
Javier Pintos

I have played this course so many times and what it is great apart from the greens is that depending on the conditions it is and the time of the year you play it can be a totally different animal.

In my previous review I am driving 18th with fairways yellow due to dormant grass in late fall when the course played very firm and fast, in windy conditions it was an extreme Mar del Plata (Playa Grande) Golf Course - Photo by reviewer fun challenge.

Two weeks ago we played The Argentine National Interclubs for +40 golfers and the course was so different! It had rained a lot the past weeks and fairways were very green and soft but not with very dense grass, which was a high challenge for the wedges. Greens were as perfect as you can imagine, rolling easily 11 feet in the stimp and when in windy conditions it is a very tough quest. And I suffered them all three days.

The course is sorrounded by the city and this was a huge problem a couple of years ago when an errant shot went OB and made street walker lose one eye. Tougher when you find the errant shot came from a small boy, but it was an accident and it also happened during Ryder Cup with Brooks Koepka.

They had to make some changes and 3 holes from the kids course have dissapeared which is sad as many of our top golfers in history learned to play golf there.

Of the changes, all of them I believe are Mar del Plata (Playa Grande) Golf Course - Photo by reviewer postivie to the course despite one which took away the fantastic views from 10th tee:

- 3rd hole tee shot was re though aiming away from the OB and due to this green 6th had some slopes added on the back, not bad at all.

- 4th hole plays like a dog leg and now it is a higher challenge from the tee.

- 5th tee moved 10yds to the right, no bid deal.

- 10th tee moved down and shortener 15yds which made this shot not as nice as it was, but the hole plays exactly the same.

- 11th was shortened 10 yds and all the high rough on the right cut down to avoid balls to the stree,

- 14th shortened 20 yds, no big deal.

It remains to be a classic and a true test every day, the greens are the best in South America by far.

As Mr Doak said, if you come to Argentina this is a must!

April 11, 2019
10 / 10
Reviewer Score:
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Javier Pintos
The reviewer plays a solid approach to the 18thWhat can I say? Course has more than 100 years and has never been modified, just new tees were added to 2, 13 & 14 to add less than 100 yards to the course to make just 6100yds. Very fast greens, they break always in the sea direction, except some parts of 16 &17. On a calm day it can play very easy, but in a windy day it can be a brutal test for patience, golf skills and luck. Rough is the other defense the course has, but it is nothing compared to what wind can do here. The 5 par 3s are my favourite, 5 diferent shots, winds can make you switch from a wedge to a wood on 12, the best one. Driveable par4s, a lot of history, a course you MUST play at least once in your life.
November 26, 2008
10 / 10
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