On the Scene: Rio 2016 Golf Test

(ATR) Seeing the Olympic golf course in action has organizers excited about the sport returning to the Olympic program.

Nine Brazilian golfers played the course for the first time on March 8 as the official test event for golf. The test event had originally been scheduled for late 2015, but moved back to allow the course to mature. Organizers chose a small number of athletes so that the stress on the course would not be high from the first time use.

"It’s been a long haul to get here after we got into the Olympic program back in 2009," Peter Dawson, International Golf Federation president, said after the day’s round was completed.

"Above all we got here, and we have an absolutely terrific golf course. I think all the players loved it today and had fantastic conditions. My salute is to Neil Cleverly and his team for doing all they’ve done here, and I think we’ve got an absolutely special golf course. It is good to ensure golf has a very successful return to the Olympic Games."

Brazilian golfer Alexandre Rocha said that the course is indicative of what the future of golf can be in Brazil. He said to Around the Rings that the course was very modern, and that there was no reason that more courses like it couldn’t be built all over the country.

"They can make this place play unbelievably difficult, and they can make it play easy so they can please both the professionals and the everyday player. I think this is the future for us," Rocha said.

"The course is beautiful to the eye; it is magnificent. I think the key was being able to play well enough that I could give organizers something to study and I think that has been accomplished."

For course designer Gil Hanse, having the players be receptive to the course and have a successful event was the culmination of a long journey to deliver this venue. Hanse described the event as having a "level of play that was fantastic," and was worthy of the first groups playing the course.

"It’s such a great team here that put their heart and soul into this and to be able to see the fruition come through," Hanse added.

"In the winter time here it will be a little bit browner and more dormant, and I think we can see the balls run and a bit more creativity around the greens. Typically that’s the windiest time of year, so I think if we can get firm and fast conditions and we can get the wind to blow, you are going to see a completely different golf course."

Rio 2016 venue management Gustavo Nascimento said to ATR that the team in charge of the venue will arrive on April 15 ready to install the temporary overlays and finalize the venue for a positive Games experience. Stands will be built around the driving range and the first and eighteenth holes, and will respect all environmental protections needed for the course.

"It is great to be here, but first and foremost the test is an opportunity for our partners to test golf competition and see how it goes," Nasicmento added.

"The site superintendent here is still very concerned about our protection to the course, so we can let it heal, let it be perfect for the Games in August, but so far everything is going really well.

"What we have here is a full Olympic venue program still respected. The golf course experience is one where you walk a lot, and you have food concessions and beer gardens along the way. It will be a full experience. We are confident that we found a great recipe and its going to be good."

Written by Aaron Bauer in Rio de Janeiro

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