Venezuelan golf fairways, bunkers and greens have become both the stage of an ideological war headed by President Hugo Chávez and a showcase for the Bolivarian revolution's internal contradictions.

After a 70-year presence in the country, golf is now the target of criticism and attacks by Chávez administration leaders and organizations.

Official measures may result in the closing of more golf courses. In the past five years, the number of courses in Venezuela has gone down to 22 from 28, and three more courses may be in line to be closed as well, according to directors of the Venezuelan Golf Federation (VGF).

Among the closed courses is one the famous designer Robert Trent Jones built on Margarita Island -- the only Venezuelan course certified by the U.S. Professional Golf Association.

The other five courses no longer operating are located near oil fields in the states of Monagas, Zulia and Falcón. The courses remain inactive because the government does not consider their maintenance a priority.

Chávez describes himself as a sports fan, and he frequently plays softball. During a visit to India in 2005, Chávez broke with protocol and teed off at a golf course in New Delhi, but he leaves no doubts of his aversion to the sport originated in Scotland.

``Let's be very clear about it: golf is a bourgeois sport,'' Chávez said in a recent TV appearance in which he proposed using 74 acres of a golf course in Maracay, state of Aragua, to build popular housing.

Questioned by Chávez, the governor of Aragua and former secretary of the treasury, Rafael Isea, admitted that he played golf regularly on that course.

Chávez: ``You now play golf, Isea?''

Isea: ``I played golf some time ago, my commander. But I no longer play.''

Chávez: ``You played golf?''

Isea: ``Yes.''

Chávez: ``Who plays golf here now?''

Nobody responded.

Governor Isea is not the only confessed golfer. Without admitting it publicly, other officials and government supporters share a passion for golf.

``Many golf clubs in Venezuela, like the Lagunita Country Club in Caracas, are full of Chávez supporters,'' said Fernando Solórzano, president of Venegolf, an amateur golf league operating in South Florida whose members often play in Venezuela.

``Of course there are many Chávez supporters who are members of golf clubs in Venezuela, and many of them play regularly,'' Jesús Mejía told El Nuevo Herald. Mejía is a director of the Caraballeda Golf & Yatch Club, in the state of Vargas.

The Caraballeda Club is one of the courses in line to be expropriated and used for ``social interest'' construction work such as housing and parks.

According to VGF's estimates, golf courses of 18 and nine holes employ approximately 12,000 workers directly and 40,000 indirectly.

Most of the clubs are ``semi-private where all kinds of people play,'' VGF executive director Julio Torres said. The estimated number of golf fans in Venezuela is approximately 60,000.

``Golf is an egalitarian sport in Venezuela, where the club members play on equal terms with caddies,'' said Diego Arria, a diplomat who was a talented player in his youth.

The top Venezuelan player now is Jhonattan Vegas, who tops the list of the 10 best prospects to enter the PGA Tour in 2010. If he makes it, Vegas will become the first Venezuelan in the history of the sport to enter the circuit.

Join the discussion

The Miami Herald is pleased to provide this opportunity to share information, experiences and observations about what's in the news. Some of the comments may be reprinted elsewhere in the site or in the newspaper. We encourage lively, open debate on the issues of the day, and ask that you refrain from profanity, hate speech, personal comments and remarks that are off point. In order to post comments, you must be a registered user of MiamiHerald.com. Your username will show along with the comments you post. Thank you for taking the time to offer your thoughts.

     Showing: Oldest first Newest first Most-recommended first Least-recommended first

@Nyx.AuthorDisplayName@ wrote on @Nyx.PostedAtTime@:

@Nyx.repliedToText@

@Nyx.replyAnswerText@

Reply to this Comment @Nyx.Recommender@ @Nyx.AbuseReporter@