OLIVOS

In 1926, a group of thirty golfers, driven by an immense faith and confidence in the future of golf in our country, decided to write the opening page of this story. They  founded the Olivos Golf Club, as a corporation that would establish a sports center focused on promoting and developing the game of golf and other social entertainments such as Rugby.

THE INAUGURATION

On May 19th, 1928, with the presence of President Torcuato de Alvear, provincial and municipal authorities, the Olivos Golf Club opened its facilities. Alvear was invited to play the first ball of the inauguration tournament, with a "Fierro No. 3" provided by John Cruickshank, who was known as “Cruki”.

Years later, around 1950, the club located in the streets Marcelino Ugarte and España, in Olivos town, with one of the best courses in the country - 18 holes, British-style, par 75 - and a well-earned reputation, had to face the effects of rapid urban growth and move its headquarters to its current location. Thanks to the joint efforts of those who directed it and the deeply committed club members, everything needed to carry out the construction of its new headquarters in the Malvinas Argentinas neighborhood was arranged.

That moment was considered a "Second Foundation" with a club spirit that, far from vanishing, grew stronger and gave meaning to their actions. In that land, where the facilities are located today, there was absolutely nothing, just a few fences, thistles and a small eucalyptus forest.

Once the place was defined, studies for the new course were entrusted to an old acquaintance of the Club, the engineer Luther Koontz. It was agreed that Koontz, along with Herbert Diesch – Board member – and other partners who had already begun studies, would outline the project, defining the necessary spread for the two golf courses planned, with 18 holes each. President Massé suggested the idea of allotting part of the land to make weekend homes for the Club’s members, houses which sales would allow additional funding to the project of social and sports facilities. It was also decided to make a housing development similar to the Hindú Club, with apartments that could also contribute with more resources.

For the proposed new course, engineer Koontz developed his work under the watchful eye of Captain Herbert Diesch and Golf Pro Ramón Rivarola.

Koontz accomplished the grand layout design of the current White / Red Courses (“Blanca” & “Colorada”, the central 18 holes course). Although it suffered some changes in the location of tees and the design of some greens, this course never lost the essence that, for almost sixty years, makes it one of the best in the country. Koontz also designed the irrigation system, considered, even nowadays, the most advanced in the country. Over time, the golf course has changed adapting itself to the advance of technology for golf clubs and balls. Today, most of its holes are dogleg and the greens are very firm and fast, with lots of undulations, which require different kinds of shots with both effects, draw and fade, to be played.

With Cocoos bent and creeping bent greens, and natural grass fairways, the course took shape, becoming one of the most important courses of the continent and a must for every golfer who visits Argentina. Vicente Fernandez said: "To make a good score in Olivos the golfer has to play hit every shot in the bag, but more important is to know how to handle the two effects, pull and slice, since the course requires constant effect. For example, hole 1 is played with pull, hole 2 with slice, hole 3 with pull, 5 with slice, 6 with pull, 9 with pull, 11 with pull, 12 with slice, 14 with pull, 15 with slice, pull in 16, in 18 slice. You must have the effects in mind all the time, and that leads to mistakes."

The trees of the course were entrusted to the firm Neira y Escurra and 2,300 trees of varied species were planted. For example, silver poplars were used to indicate 150 yards to the green, on the left side of the fairway. Some can still be found today in the holes 2, 14 and 16.

In the 1960s Margarita Mackinlay de Maglione, one of the greatest amateurs in Argentina’s golfing history, completed the afforestation of the course. She achieved an effect of contrasts in color of great beauty and also optimized aspects related to the strategy of the game and for course maintenance.

The 18 holes of the White & Red course were inaugurated in May 1953 - twenty-three years after President Alvear’s first shot on the course of the old Olivos Golf Club location.