São Francisco Golf Clube

The São Francisco Golf Clube is in Osasco, a western suburb of the Brazilian mega-city of São Paulo in the state of the same name. It lies on the former property of Count Luiz Eduardo Matarazzo near the Rio Pinheiro with a view of the high-rise buildings of a neighboring residential area. From the center of Osasco one can reach the São Francisco Golf Clube from São Paulo via the BR 116 in about a half an hour, or via the Av. dos Autonomistas in a quarter of an hour. In 1937, it opened a 9-hole-course with par 71 and a length of 5,837 meters, which was designed by José Maria Gonzalez. In 1972, the course was reworked by the well-known golf course architect Alberto Serra. Today, the course at the São Francisco Golf Clube usually shows long, wide fairways, flanked by trees, eleven large greens, which are supported by bunkers, as well as lakes and streams as water hazards. There are two very different tee-off opportunities on the fairways, which enable playing an 18-hole-course. Therefore, the other 9 holes follow the first, except for hole 11, which runs diagonally to the course and has its own small, remote green. At holes 4 to 6 and 9, or 13 to 15 and 18, golfers must dare the tee-off over a stream.