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PORTUGAL
- THE ALGARVE - A GOLFERS PARADISE
Golf
courses in the Algarve, Portugal
Guide to golf courses in the Algarve, Portugal
There
are currently more than twenty-five courses in the space of
100 miles of coastline, with more opening soon. All Algarve
courses are within one hour’s drive of Faro International
Airport. Over the last few years the
Portuguese Open has been hosted variously at Penina, Vila Sol
and São Lourenzo,
all of which may be included in the list of top European
championship courses.
Warm
playing conditions and immaculately manicured fairways and
greens are the
norm in the Algarve.
N/A
means not applicable for handicap certificates
Subjective
star rating 1-5 for difficulty and challenge (Note
this information is provided to euro-rentavilla.com/jmlvillas.com
and any rating has been supplied by the provider note this
web site)
Palmares
1975
Regarded
by many as the region’s most scenic course, with five links
holes on
the front nine next to Lagos Bay and the back nine sloping
through almond
groves. Best known for its "Almond Blossom"
tournament in February
when the countryside is particularly colorful and
pleasant.
Architect
: Frank Pennink
5,961
meters
Par
72
Handicap
; Men 28 Women 36
Rating
*** 
Pinheiros
Altos 1992
A
course of two very different halves. The first nine undulate
through the tall pines from which
the course takes its name. The second nine feature
spectacular water hazards. Try not to be too distracted
by the abundant bird
and plant life. Buggy is included.
Architect
: Ronald Fream
5,766
metres Par 72 Handicap ; Men 28 Women 36
Rating
****
Pine
Cliffs
Owned
by the Sheraton Hotel, this course sits spectacularly on the
cliff top overlooking Falesia, one
the Algarve’s loveliest beaches. Tehere are
stunning ocean views through the umbrella pines along
the fairways.Only nine holes but still a real test of golfing
skill.
Archirtect
: Martin Hawtree
2,274
meters Par 67 Handicap ; Men 28 Women 36
Rating
***
Quinta
do Lago 1974
At
the heart of this 2,000 acre golf and leisure complex, the
course
offers 36 pine fringed holes which are a true test for
golfers of all levels.
A venue for major tournaments situated next to an important
wetland nature reserve from which the Ria Formosa
Course takes its name.
Architects
: William Mitchell, William Roquemore and Joseph Lee
6,488
meters Par 74 Handicap ; Men 27 Women 34
Rating
*****
Salgados
A
compact course situated behind a long stretch of dune-backed
beach. It has the feel of a
Scottish links course – except the sun shines more
often here! There
are a lot of testing lakes. Most of the holes are
surrounded by
water hazards.
Architects
: Pedro de Vasconcellos & Tobert Muir-Graves
6,080
metres Par 72 Handicap ; Men N/A Women N/A
Rating
***
San
Lorenzo
Currently
rated number 2 course in continental Europe by Golf World Magazine.
The variety of holes and the way they blend in with the
natural environment of the Ria Formosa nature reserve gives
added pleasure to playing this immaculately maintained course.
Architect
. Joseph Lee
6,238
meters Par 73 Handicap ; Men 24 Women 28
Rating
*****
The
Old Course, Vilamoura 1969
A
major renovation in 1966 has not altered the basic
characteristics of what
used to be known as Vilamoura 1. Accuracy is essential on the
narrow fairways.
With its lovely umbrella pines it remains a favorite with many
of the
Algarve’s most seasoned golfers
Architect
: Frank Pennink
6,254
meters
Par 73
Handicap
; Men 24 Women 28
Rating
*****
Pinhal
1976
Situated
in typical Algarvian countryside, this is more open course
than the
Old Course but the greens are smaller and require greater
accuracy. Probably
the most difficult hole comes at the very end. So don’t
relax until
you are back in the clubhouse.
Architect
: Frank Pennink
6,300
metres
Par
72
Handicap
; Men 28 Women 36
Rating
***
Laguna
1990
Laguna,
in contrast to the other Vilamoura courses, has no pines, but
has plenty
of water hazards in its fairly flat layout. This is a
challenging course which demands accurate placing of tee and
fairway shots.
Architect
: Joseph Lee
6,133
metres Par 72
Handicap ; Men 28 Women 36
Rating
**
Millenium
Opened
in 2000 and is a perfect blend of nine extensively reshaped
holes on
the 27-hole Laguna course, and a completely new nine. A few of
the holes
are over rolling parkland, but most are set between umbrella
pines.
Although
different in style to the other three Vilamoura courses,it shares
their technical and aesthetic excellence.
Architect
: Martin Hawtree
6,200
metres
Par
72
Handicap
; Men 24 Women 28
Rating
***
Vila
Sol
At
your doorstep is one of the best and best cared golf courses
with 18 holes,
with excellent and fast fairways, and waved greens.
Designed
to give you unique moments of pleasure and challenge.
Vila Sol
was the first Golf Course in Portugal partly designed by
English
architect
Donald Steel. It was open in 1991 and has been used for two editions
of the Portugal Open, in 1992 and 1993. Water hazards
throughout.
Architect
. Donald Steel
6,189
metres
Par 72
Handicap
; Men 21 Women 35
Rating
*****
Vale
do Lobo Ocean Course
As
its name implies, the Ocean Course provides attractive
links-style
holes
adjacent to the Atlantic. There are parkland holes, too,
meandering through
the Vale do Lobo estate. The front nine meanders gently inland
with
views to the distant Loulé hills. It is followed by the
more
difficult
back nine, with greens set against the backdrop of white sand and
blue sea. The combination provides a challenging course for
golfers of all
handicaps.
Architect
: Sir Henry Cotton and William Roquemore
5,493
meters
Par 71
Handicap
; Men 28 Women 36
Rating
****
Vale
do Lobo Royal Course
Originally
designed by Sir Henry Cotton and containing the famous seventh
hole, 'Rocky' Roquemore subsequently elaborated the original
plans and laid
out a wonderful test of golf. 'Rocky Roquemore has fashioned a
course out of the unique Vale do Lobo land using the natural
pine and eucalyptus trees, incorporating three man-made lakes
to test the skills of the finest
golfers. Attention to detail and concern for the
natural environment play a major part in the course design,
preserving as much of the natural
forest as possible.
Architect
: Sir Henry Cotton and William Roquefort
6,174
metres, buggy compulsory
Handicap ; Men 27 Women 35
Rating
**** 
Alto
Club
Located
near Alvor, a picturesque fishing village in the western
Algarve. Beautiful vies of both the sea and Monchique range of
hills. This course is
set in rolling countryside with views out to the Atlantic and
to the
busy provincial town of Portimão. Features the longest
par 5 in Europe of 604 metres " the Henry Cotton
challenge"!
Architect
: Sir Henry Cotton
6,125
Meters Par
73 Handicap ; Men 28 Women 36
Rating
**** 
Penina
1966
The
Championship Course is the masterpiece of Sir Henry Cotton and
that by which he wished to be remembered. The Penina' as it is
reverentially known, was originally laid out on land used for
growing rice. Eucalyptus
trees are now here in abundance. The course has
carefully been upgraded over recent years. If recognition were
needed, the decision to hold the Portuguese Open here in 1998,
1999 and again in 2000, must surely be
recognition enough.
Architect
: Sir Henry Cotton
6,343
metres (Resort course 2,987 metres. Academy course 2,035
metres) Par 73
(Resort : 35, Academy : 30)
Handicap ; Men 28 Women 32
Rating
*****
Parque
da Floresta
Just
fifteen minutes beyond the historic town of Lagos, this is the
most westerly
of Algarve courses. The land here is totally different: hilly
and with cistus bushes as far as the eye can see. In early
spring the area is blanketed
with white flowers. The course is crafted through valleys and
over hills to the interior to the north. The shimmering
Atlantic is to the south.
Architect
: Pepe Gancedo
5,670
metres Par 72
Handicap ; Men 28 Women 36
Rating
***
Vale
do Milho
When
Dave Thomas designed Vale de Milho he deliberately set out to
provide a golf facility which did not necessarily
require using woods. The result is a course which is excellent
for beginners,but also gives more
experienced golfers the chance to concentrate on their
short game. This has nine holes but for those wishing 18 each
hole has two sets of tees.
Architect
: David Thomas
926
metres
Par 54
Handicap ; Men N/A Women N/A
Rating
*
Vale
da Pinta
Set
in a area of undulating land not far from the popular seaside
villageof Carvoeiro, Pinta and Gramacho are the work of a
master of course design,
Ronald Fream. Indeed, as soon as Fream saw the land, he
declared
it to be 'God Given' for
golf. Scattered with almond, carob and olive
trees - many centuries old
- and with natural rocky outcrops, he envisaged the
construction of two courses with the minimum of
environmental
disruption: Pinta - a
conventional layout of 18 holes; Gramacho - unique in
Europe with its 18 tees, 18 greens, but only 9 fairways. Pinta,
rated
one of the best courses in
Europe.
Architect
: Ronald Fearn
6,152
metres
Par 72 Handicap ; Men
27 Women 35
Rating
**** 
Gramacho
For
many people, the only true golf course is the conventional 18
hole
layout. At Gramacho, Fream
created this unique concept which has 18 tees and
greens, but only 9 fairways. However, the design skill which
went into
creating the green
positions and the protective bunkering is such that an 18-hole
round genuinely produces 18 different golf challenges. Varying
the
tee boxes and pin positions
obviously further increases the options. As
with Pinta, the condition
of this 'sister' course is highly maintained,
year-round. Pinta, rated one of the best courses in
Europe.
Architect
: Ronald Fream
5,919
metres
Par 72 Handicap ; Men 28 Women 36
Rating
***
Benamor
The
first course to open east of the Capital, Faro. Benamor lies
between the coastline at Tavira and the Serra. Built from an
original concept by Sir
Henry Cotton and providing a course on undulating ground with
stunning views on all sides.
Handicap
; Men 28 Women 36
New
course, please request further up to date information. Probably
rated
***
Vale
do Lobo golf -
Alto golf - Pinheiros
Altos-
Vale
do Milho -
Ria Formosa -
Pinta
golf
©ECMarch2005
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