Arelauquen Golf & Country Club: a golf course at the foot of The Andes

Arelauquen Golf & Country Club is an exclusive country club located fifteen minutes from Bariloche and immersed in a setting of pure air, surrounded by mountains, lakes of crystal-clear waters and unique vegetation. Arelauquen translates as ‘still waters’ and it really is a place where people can find peace and privacy.

The clubhouse & amenities

Arelauquen is five-star real estate venture which includes not only the golf course but also a 1.300 m2 Club House, 2 polo fields, 2 heated semi-Olympic pools, 2 saunas, tennis courts and a gymnasium.

Inside the premises there are at least five restaurants among which you can choose before or after your golf round. You can check them out in this link. All of them are excellent restaurants, ranked among the best places to eat in Bariloche. It should not be an issue but just make sure to book a table in advance in the restaurant you prefer. 

As for accommodation, Arelauquen has a boutique hotel and bungalows which gives you access to all the services mentioned above. What is more, you can also find several properties available for renting, as most of them are not permanently occupied.

Regarding the golf practice facilities, the club has a 300 yards long driving range and a putting green.

The course

Arelauquen Golf & Country Club has one of the best golf courses in Patagonia. It was designed in collaboration with PGA Champions Tour player Vicente “Chino” Fernández. The layout goes through lakes, mountains, and lots of pines. The first nine are just straight golf holes, with not many outstanding features. The fun starts at the back nine, they run through hilly terrain and have some spectacular views to the mountains and lakes surrounding the country club. 

Course conditions

Inside of a five-star country club, you would expect a five-star golf course, but Mother Nature and her ruthless winters may have other plans. Nevertheless, the maintenance team at Arelauquen does a great job as greens and fairways are neatly maintained, especially considering that the golf course must endure more than 3 months with subzero temperatures and 25 mm of snow on average per year.

My golf round

My golf round started with some early birdies at 2 and 3. Then, I eagled 4 and got really worried. These things are not normal, ‘Today I am breaking the course record’ I said to myself. Big mistake. I think the golf gods heard my insolence and gave me a terrible break on my tee shot at 5 that ended out of bounds. I hit my fourth shot to the water and made a five feet putt for quadruple bogey. I was back at E in less than 20 minutes. From there I played fairly decent, with some avoidable bogeys in the second nine but at least I recovered myself mentally from that disaster at 5. 

The final score was a 74(+2), pretty good considering that the course has some narrow fairways and lots of out of bounds in the last 6 holes. Fortunately, I was able to beat my dad 4&3, so you can rest assured I left the course happy. 

Shot of the day

My eagle at 4 was a sum of excellent shots. The short par 5 slightly turns to the right, but you must fly over some pines if you want to cut away. I hit an arrow-straight drive that easily overcame them and left me 140 yards away from the pin. My second shot was a perfect gap wedge that stopped 7 feet passed the flag. The putt was short but with some slope from left to right. I remember the ‘putting the picture’ advice from my friend Tiger Woods and drained it through the middle of the hole. 

Favorite hole

My favorite hole is undoubtfully 15, a 150 yards par 3 that requires a spectacular downhill challenging shot. It is perhaps the highest point of the course, and it offers a spectacular 180° view of the mountains and the woods in their feet.

Rating

Aspect	Rating
Condition	Very Good
Value	Very Good
Friendliness	Good
Pace	Very Good
Amenities	Very Good
Overall rating	Very Good

Expenses

In the following table I detail the expenses you might incur at Arelauquen Golf & Country Club:

Final tips

• If you are planning a golf trip to Bariloche you should travel in February or March because of the warmer weather and the better playing conditions, it provides. 
• Bariloche is full of other activities to do with family or friends. Try to book an early tee time to be free in the afternoon. 
• Arelauquen is a mountain golf course with some steep slopes. If you are not used to walk long I would recommend renting a golf cart.
• When making the reservation specify if you are going to rent a cart or clubs because they are scarce. 
• Chat with me if you need any further information

What’s the in Bag?

Chasing Par is a resource for golfers looking to get an edge if they are just starting to learn the game or dedicated to shaving strokes off their score. We focus on gear reviews, golf tips, and local golf courses that actual players review. Sometimes we give away free golf and gear to our golfing buddies – get on the list. 

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Guido Sargiotto

Golf Enthusiast at Chasing Par Golf

Argentinean golf enthusiastic, member of the Board of Directors of Córdoba Golf Club, one of the most prestigious golf clubs in Argentina. Regularly competes in the local amateur tour and annually hosts the ‘Guido Sargiotto Invitational’, a charity golf tournament to help a localNPO (Nonprofit organization)

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