The Most Spectacular Holes in Colombia: Icons of South American Golf

The country’s only par 6, a Caribbean Island Green, the highest course in South America, and Pete Dye bunkers: seven iconic holes of Colombian golf.

Updated: April 2026 · By Pelecanus — Golf Tour Operator in Colombia — IAGTO Member

All golf courses have good holes. Great courses have memorable holes. And the best — the ones golfers remember decades after playing them — have one or two iconic holes: that par 3 that intimidates you from the tee, that par 5 where the strategic decision defines your round, that dogleg that frames the yearbook photo.

Colombia has several. This is a selection — not exhaustive, but representative — of the most spectacular holes in the country.

1. Colombia’s Only Par 6 — Club Farallones (Cali)

Club Farallones, designed by Fernando Gamboa in Cali, has Colombia’s only official par 6. A par 6 is a rarity in any country: it requires very long terrain and a design philosophy that values the challenge of reaching the green in three perfect shots. Most courses in the world don’t have them.

At Farallones, the par 6 works as a test of patience: even long hitters need to manage their game to avoid turning it into a double bogey. It’s the hole everyone talks about after the round.

2. The Island Green — Club Lagos de Caujaral (Barranquilla)

Joe Lee, the architect who also redesigned the Doral Blue Monster in Florida, signed Caujaral in 1972 — and left Colombian golf a gift: an island green completely surrounded by water. It is one of the few in South America.

It’s not TPC Sawgrass 17, but it serves the same psychological function: it forces you to choose between the club that gives you confidence and the club that gives you distance. The sound of water around the green doesn’t help. Caujaral was named Best Course in Colombia at the 2024 World Golf Awards — and the Island Green has a lot to do with that recognition.

3. Hole 18 at Karibana — Caribbean Cartagena

Jack Nicklaus closed his Karibana design (2012) with a final par 4 facing the Caribbean. From the tee, the northeast trade wind pushes the ball toward dunes and tropical vegetation — and the green is protected by a deep bunker. It’s the typical Nicklaus hole: more strategic than spectacular at first glance, but impossible to forget because the Caribbean is the backdrop of every photo.

Finishing a round at Karibana with the sea in front of you is one of the distinctive experiences of Colombian golf.

4. La Cima and the Sabana View

La Cima, at over 3,000 meters (9,843 ft) altitude, doesn’t have a signature hole in the traditional sense — the course’s signature is the view. From several tees, the panorama spans the entire Sabana de Bogotá, the Andes in the background, and on clear days you can see the snow-capped peaks.

Holes 9 and 18 at La Cima are particularly photogenic: the terrain’s elevation makes the ball appear suspended in the air for seconds. In a world of drones and social media, it’s the Colombian course that looks best from above.

5. Pete Dye’s Bunkers in Pereira

Pete Dye — the architect of TPC Sawgrass and Whistling Straits — designed Club Campestre de Pereira in 1979. What he left in the Coffee Region are strategic bunkers that have nothing to envy from those of his most famous works in the United States.

Several holes on the course are defined by bunkers in the drive landing zone. The decision on the tee — go short and safe, or try to carry them to shorten the approach — completely changes the outcome. Pure Pete Dye philosophy: “think twice, execute once.”

And as a bonus: capybaras roam the fairways. No joke.

6. Ruitoque and the Canyon Wind

Jack Nicklaus designed Ruitoque in Santander (1997), taking advantage of a highland terrain with views of the Chicamocha canyons. Several holes play along the cliff edge, and the wind changes direction based on the geography. Holes 7 and 14 are particularly memorable for the views — and for the feeling of playing golf with a movie-worthy landscape behind you.

7. El Rincón’s Historic Greens

Robert Trent Jones Sr. designed El Rincón de Cajicá in 1957. The course’s 7,464 yards are demanding, but the greens are what set El Rincón apart. They are wide, with steep breaks and multiple tiers. Where you place the ball determines whether you make birdie or three-putt.

El Rincón has been the PGA Tour Americas host for four consecutive years (2023–2026) and was named Best Course in Colombia at the 2023 World Golf Awards. The top professionals on the Latin American circuit play here every June — and the scores aren’t low.

What Makes Them “Spectacular”

A spectacular hole isn’t necessarily the hardest. It’s the one that combines three elements: a real strategic challenge, a landscape that justifies a photo, and a story — of design, of tournaments played, or of characters who came through.

The seven holes on this list have all three. And the interesting part is that they are spread across six distinct regions of the country — which means that to play them all you need a real golf trip, with domestic flights and climate changes.

That is precisely the value of golf in Colombia: it’s not about a single iconic course, but a national circuit where each region offers a hole you’ll remember.

Related Content

• Colombia’s Nicklaus Courses
• Karibana: The Nicklaus Signature of the Caribbean
• Golf at 2,600 Meters (8,530 ft): What to Expect in Bogotá
• PGA Tour Americas in Colombia
• The Complete Guide to Golf in Colombia