Rio's love for golf dies after the Olympics

Three months after the Olympics ended, Rio’s beautiful but controversial golf course is breathing little life.

Perhaps missing out on some activities, it is evident it was put to good use during the games.

Built specially for the Olympics, it was to ignite passion in a sport barely known by persons who live in the city.

“What happens when we run out of gas and diesel ? if we run out of gas and diesel we can’t maintain a structure or a program of mowing grasses because it takes gas and diesel to run the machines. So that’s a simple thing: running out of gas and diesel, no golf course should ever run out of gas and diesel. And we’ve been close,” said Neil Cleverly, Olympic golf store keeper.

To try to save this field, retired Golfer, Roberto Maueler and his golfing friends have decided to set up an association for the defense of Olympic golf.

“For our city, this is something we have been waiting for a long time. We must preserve this Olympic heritage. Our great hope is to see this golf become a true public club and that it allows to make known this sport here in Brazil.” Maueler said.

The $19 million facility created by star US designer Gil Hanse risks becoming a white elephant with a payment issue also threatening to kick out the company responsible for its maintenance.