3 GAVEA GOLF AND COUNTRY CLUB

WHERE IS IT? 20km south-west of Rio. WHAT’S IT LIKE? The grande dame of Rio golf, opened in 1926 by Scottish and English expats, and redesigned by Robert Trent Jones Sr and Stanley Thompson in the 1930s, retains the exclusivity that repelled Vargas. That’s no reason not to play it – its location at the foot of the huge Pedra da Gavea mountain is spectacular, and it has the yesteryear charm of a course where strategy and skill are more important than pure power. When city expansion demanded a new highway, Gavea demanded a tunnel to access the four holes nearest to Sao Conrado beach; not that you’d know it, because a high wall keeps beachcombers out.

As befits the stratospheric value of its real estate, this is a short, compact layout, with the emphasis on land-saving doglegs. The opening holes loop over hilly terrain above the clubhouse: the par 34th provides the best overview, but don’t admire the seascape at the expense of your tee shot as missing left carries a heavy penalty. After the ninth, players duck under the highway to tackle 10 to 13, dominated by hazardous lake, before ducking back for the final stretch. CONTACT Estrada da Gavea 800, Sao Conrado; tel +55 (21) 3323 6050; gaveagolfclub.com.br PRICE Weekdays R$350/£65; weekends R$450/£85; caddie (compulsory) R$80/£14 plus tip; buggy R$200/£39; golf shoes R$30/£6; clubs R$50/£10. CLUB HOURS 7am-9pm, visitor tee times available Mon/Wed/ Fri from 8am, Tues/Thurs from 12.30pm. MAXIMUM HANDICAP Men 24, women 28. FACILITIES 18 holes, 5,950yds, par 69; floodlit driving range, practice area and putting green. AFTER THE GOLF The clientele is international, with Rio’s elite well settled on the clubhouse’s long terrace, and the interior is luxurious, with floral chesterfields and brass chandeliers.