The destination of mountains, adventure and good gastronomy where golf sets the trend

It is clear that in recent years Tandil has been establishing itself as one of the most requested for escape for a few days from the city in search of relaxation and nature.

The city’s solid arguments are based on its beautiful landscapes mountain people, the activities in the naturesuch as hiking, mountain biking or rowing, among others; the high level of his gastronomywhere there is never a shortage of the best cheeses and salamis, and the diverse and increasingly refined relaxation alternatives that have been emerging, with spas that combine the peace of the mountains with different types of treatments for the body (and the soul, of course).

And to all these options, a new one is being added: Tandil as a golf destination. But not just another golf destination, but one that combines like no other the practice of this sport with everything described above, and luxury accommodation just a few steps from the playing field… a combo that It is not so easy to match.

“At the end of last year we took possession of the Valle de Tandil Golf Club“, and in the first months we worked to enhance the infrastructure, improve the field and reactivate services,” Gonzalo Olguín, from the Faro Verde economic group, tells me as we begin to walk through the incredible landscape of this field in a verdant valley between two mountain ranges.

And he adds: “We improved the agronomic part and valued the practice sector. We opened a bar and it remained next to the driving, where the golf school operates, for which we hire a professional, because we seek to be an option not only for regular playersbut also for those who are starting in this sport.”

Faro Verde is a group in strong growth that is already going very strong in Tandil, with the hotel Mulen (in the center), the Cascada Inn (in an unparalleled landscape in the Don Bosco area, 5 minutes from this golf course) and the Amaike hotel, which is at the top of the mountain range just 500 meters from the golf course and, therefore, offers views privileged to its fairways, greens, obstacles and roughs.

And now, Amaike offers a unique experience in the Valley of Tandil Golf Clubwhich allows you to reserve luxury accommodation, with a pool and spa, gastronomy and the green fee in a unified way, shortening times and simplifying management.

The valley course has 18 holes, is par 71, and stands out for its great movement and unevenness both in its fairways and in its greens. “The lagoons formed by the natural channels play in most of the holes as hazards and enhance the beauty of the landscape,” Gonzalo highlights as we tour the place in a kind of six-seater electric minibus.

From the driving range (for practice and learning), equipped with 10 covered and illuminated cat flaps, there is a great view of the mountainsand a bar and cafe that is usually chosen to close a day of sports tasting typical flavors of Tandil.

“Now the Valley has a great connection with the hotel. In fact, at the end of October we held the first edition of an Amaike cup, for which we offered a package with accommodation and a tournament,” says Gonzalo.

There is also relaxation and golf packagesrest and golf and also linked to gastronomyespecially on weekends. “During the week, when we also organize tournaments, many members and local players come, many getaways of two or three days, and more and more people coming to play golf”.

And since Tandil is a gastronomic destinationOr, there are always new options to eat, with the most interesting proposals. If last night we had dined until we could say enough in the spectacular Saffron Landcreated by chef Ricardo Camgros and where the specialty is rice, fish and seafood, the option for tonight is one of the restaurants Pumpkin -there are 3 in different parts of the city-, where chef Emilio Pardo displays his creations with a passion that is contagious.

After tasting a delicious slow cooked osso bucco with mashed potatoes and a prawn curry with rice, Emilio shows us the kitchen, where it is not difficult to imagine Ratatouille throwing spices on different pots and pans. In addition to dishes from the “grandma’s kitchen“There are also cakes, salads, Milanese, the menu is very extensive. And all homemade, made with dedication and passion.

The sun rises, and at the De La Cascada inn the morning landscape rules: in the lower part, a small stream that runs between stones and you can cross it over several bridges – one of them, a suspension bridge – between large willows and a pine forest beyond a huge, green meadow dotted with flowers where some donkeys graze; behind, a pine forest, and in the background, the mountain ranges of angular stones.

“Do not feed the foxes,” the signs warn, so we just wave to them as we walk towards where some llamas graze. Further back the waterfall is hidden, in a natural reserve where local birds and animals live.

But we are not going there but to another gastronomic, or rather oenological, event. Because 10 km from the inn, in the La Elena area, are the first vineyards of the Cordón Blanco winerya project that began in 2005 when Matías Luckas was studying oenology and it was suggested to him that Tandil could be a good area for vineswith characteristics similar to those that give rise to famous wines in the world, and together with his brothers Mariano and Valeria they decided to embark on the adventure of producing wines.

“At that time Tandil was just taking off, there wasn’t that much tourism. We planted the first vineyards – two hectares – in 2008; We tried different varieties – 9 or 10 – until there were two left, sauvignon blanc and merlot, and two years later we added cabernet franc,” Matías tells me in the new winerybetween stainless steel and concrete tanks and oak barrels that give body to high-end wines.

later came a second vineyardanother two hectares in the Don Bosco area – right between the De La Cascada inn and the golf course -, where Carmenere, Syrah and Suvignon Blanc were planted, with a soil composition very different from that of La Elena, despite the closeness.

Matías takes a small sample of Cabernet Franc 2023 from the barrel to taste, while he tells me that they are working on finding wines that identify the place; In fact, this year they received the “Geographical Indication Tandil”, recognized nationally as a product with its own identity. “It means that our wine has something of its own, different from the wines of Mendoza, San Juan or any other wine-growing area,” says Matías while his sister Valeria receives a group of visitors.

“The tourism proposal is important because we think it is great to show what we do in the place where we do it, and luckily we are receiving a lot of people”says Matías while Valeria tells the group the history of the vineyards, which are just starting up and show great potential. Future promise.

• From CABA to Tandil it is 360 km along RN 3 to Las Flores and from there, provincial route 30. Variant highway 2 to Etcheverry bridge and from there RP 215 and RP 29, 388 km.

• Bus from Retiro (Plusmar, Cóndor-Estrella, 5 hours), from $40,200 one way.

• Hotel Amaike, 500 m from the golf course

• Hostería De La Cascada, 7 minutes from the playing field, has rooms, bungalows and a fully equipped guest house.

• Basic pack in Amaike in January (accommodation with breakfast, use of the spa, dinner, late check out 2 p.m., green fee and basket of 30 balls per day, from $240,700 + VAT, double base. There are also Intermediate and Full packs, with more services, and special rates from Monday to Thursday.

• Double room with breakfast + green fee at De La Cascada inn (access to gym, swimming pools and spa), starting at $326,000 + VAT.

• Pumpkin: mushroom socarrat and Argentine roast, $14,000; lentil stew, $14,000; slow cooked osso bucco, $14,550; potato pie, 14,800.

• Tierra de Azafranes: tasting menus by steps (on special dates), from $40,000.

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