El Rincon Country Club

Overview: El Rincon Country Club is an 18-hole private course in Neuquén, set beside the Neuquén River in the Rincón de Emilio area. Angel Reartes is credited with the design, which uses a compact piece of land in varied ways: the course combines narrow fairways, blind shots, doglegs, out-of-bounds, water and sand hazards rather than relying on sheer length. The Azul tee card is listed at 6,366 yards and par 70. One nine is relatively flat, while the other rises onto higher ground, giving the routing a change of pace that is easy to notice during a single round.

History: The country-club development grew from Neuquén’s early private residential expansion, with golf becoming part of the property’s recreational offer. In 1992, the club received authorization to occupy additional land so the existing nine-hole course could be extended to 18 holes and homologated for Argentine golf. Local reporting dates the inauguration of the present 18-hole course to 1994. That sequence is more useful than treating the club’s residential origin, the earlier nine holes and the current championship routing as one date. The course remains a distinct Neuquén identity on the river side of the city.

Did You Know? The 11th hole is a par five where a rise in the fairway hides much of the approach. Its sloping green can make the second shot look easier than it is, turning a relatively familiar hole shape into one of the course’s more thoughtful strategic moments.