Pinheiros Altos
Designed by the American golf course architect Ronald Fream, the Pinheiros Altos 18-hole championship standard course is part of Quinta do Lago’s 72-hole resort. The golf course, which measures 6, 049 metres from the back tees, is rich in variety and presents a challenge for players of all standards. The layout is unusual, combining two nine hole loops of contrasting character set against a backdrop of the orange groves of the Ludo Valley and the picturesque marshy terrain and lagoons of the Ria Formosa nature reserve.The first nine wind through undulating valleys with fairways lined by umbrella pines while the back nine are embraced by the nature reserve where lakes come into play on seven of the nine holes. The short par 4s here seem straightforward but great accuracy is needed to avoid a watery grave and the well contoured greens demand additional golfing skills. The first nine holes were opened in June 1992 and the second nine the following October. There are a number of memorable holes including the par 3 5th where a middle iron shot is called for to play across a valley of umbrella pines to a heavily contoured green with panoramic views. Most golfers will be delighted to score a par at this spectacular hole. Accuracy and thought rather than power is required for the tricky par 4 12th which sets the standard of play for the remainder of the course. 
A lake hugs the left side of the hole and then sweeps in front of the green. A special feature of Pinheiros Altos is the golfing academy with extensive coaching and practice facilities including three putting greens.
| Director: | Wayne Johnson |
| Facilities: | Golf academy, clubhouse, restaurant, pro shop, buggy and club hire. |
| Professional: | Wayne Johnson |
Quinta do Lago – Ria Formosa
Two 18 holes – Ocean Course and Royal Course
This 36-hole course is spread over some 66 acres of the Quinta do Lago estate. Designed by the late American golf course architect William Mitchell it consists of four nine-hole loops set in picturesque terrain of pine trees and artificial lakes. The course has been widely acclaimed for its design and high standards of maintenance and the tees and greens are said to be among the best in Europe. Quinta do Lago has been the location of numerous major tournaments including the Portuguese Open on seven occasions. Many professional and amateur competitions are held each year, notably European PGA Pro/Ams and events hosted by such names as BMW, TAP, MARTINIROSSI, LANCOME, MERCEDES, OMEGA & BRITISH AIRWAYS. Water is a big hazard on all the courses, as are the strategically placed bunkers. The A course features 7 dogleg holes demanding precision from the tee. The par 5 9th epitomizes this, with a 170 metre carry over a lake, to a right hand turn, protected by bunkers left and right. The newer D course is a great design, with the par 3 6th and par 5 8th being exceptional. One of the most challenging holes is the par 3 6th on the C course which requires a carefully measured shot over a lagoon with a carry to the front of the green of 170 metres. Two favorite holes on the B course are the par 5 5th and the par 4 9th. The former is 505 metres and the tee shot has to be placed between two fairways bunkers about 
200 metres away because of a double dogleg. The following shot needs to go to the right side of the fairway to provide a clear view of the elevated and well bunkered green. The par 4 9th runs from an elevated tee to a fairway that doglegs sharply to the left in the last 100 metres. A drive right of the centre is the best line in order to set up an iron shot to a deep elevated green. But beware of the grain on this green which runs towards the fairway so you may need to choose a club of a higher number than at first appears. This holes sum up the concept of the Quinta do Lago courses which is to offer a good test of golfing skills in a beautiful environment.
Vale do Lobo
This enjoyable course was designed by the late Sir Henry Cotton and is the focal point of the resort. The layout incorporates the most photographed hole in Europe, a long par 3 7th which stretches from the tee over two gaping ravines to the green 210 yards away. The original course, consisting of two nine-hole Orange and Yellow loops, opened in 1968 and a third Green loop was added in 1972. Many of the holes, especially on the Orange and Yellow courses, afford spectacular sea views, notably the 7th and 8th of the Yellow. Vale do Lobo is a well undulated course with tight fairways ensuring penalties for the player whose concentration strays. To master the famous 7th a full-blooded tee shot of great accuracy and line is required and despite its daunting nature more than one golfer has earned a niche in the Vale do Lobo hall of fame by achieving a hole-in-one here. The greens generally run fast and true so only the firmest of approach shots combined with decisive putting will bring success. In 1970 pro David Ingram shot a record 66 on the Orange and Green 18-hole course. 
The best amateur score stretches back to 1973 when Timmy Koch de Garynard shot a gross 72. Vale do Lobo was chosen as the venue for the Portuguese Open in 1976 and the Algarve Open in 1971. The club also stages the annual Europe’s Finest Amateur Week, one of the major events in the Algarve golfing calendar, featuring a variety of match-play competitions.
| Professional: | Stephen Walker |
| Facilities: | Pro shop, restaurant, equipment hire, buggies and trolleys, driving range and practice green. |
| Secretary | Janet Walker |
Vila Sol
The Vila Sol golf and residential holiday resort is destined to become one of the finest in the Algarve. The clubhouse and golf course are the first phase of the 367-acre development which was launched by a large Portuguese company in 1988. The course is the focal point around which the plots for luxury villas and apartments and other leisure facilities are designed to blend with the surrounding landscape of softly undulating terrain enhanced by mature umbrella pine, fig, almond, and a 300-year old almond tree. The resort offers water sports at the Ancão Beach Club, tennis courts, a health clinic, day nursery, shops, and there are plans for a hotel village and heliport. Work was also scheduled to start in 1994 on a unique feature – a cultural centre which has been designed to stimulate and encourage contemporary art. It will comprise workshop and studios for visiting artists and gallery space for exhibitions. A sculpture park will constantly enrich the beautiful environment. The centre will also include an amphitheatre for 1500 spectators which will stage musical events, dance, and drama, as well as other entertainments and conferences. In 1994 the Vila Sol management introduced its first annual international golf tournament with invitations to a number of clubs in seven
European countries to participate, the finals of the tournament played at Vila Sol in late summer. Property owners enjoy a 25-year membership of the golf club. Vila Sol, owned by Empresa Imobiliária Da Fonte Nova, is part of the Atlântica Group of private companies which is one of the strongest financial groups in Portugal and great care has been exercised in preserving the natural beauty of the resort’s environment. Manuel Rodo, President of Empresa Imobiliária Da Fonte Nova, has described Vila Sol as a resort where great vision and technical skill has turned a dream into a reality. He adds eloquently: “The golf course architect is not the only in the project such as Vila Sol. He may be the conductor of the orchestra but the music making came from the skill and devotion of many.
| Director: | Antonio Paixao |
| Facilities: | Pro shop, equipment hire, buggies and trolleys, driving range, Turkish baths and sauna. |
| Professional: | David Silva |
Vilamoura UM
Vilamoura UM, a par 73 course which in 1994 celebrate its 25th anniversary is the oldest of three courses located within the 4.000 acre Vilamoura estate. This course has been the venue for a number of major championships including the World Ladies Amateur, The Portuguese Open, and The Portuguese Ladies Open. Designed by golf course architect Frank Pennink along the lines of the classic English course, the 6331 metres layout is set among gentle pine-covered slopes with the sea providing a spectacular backdrop. The relatively narrow fairways which cut through the pine woods create a stiff test for all golfers and every hole presents a new problem. Many golfers claim that the key to a good score at Vilamoura UM is to master the short holes and great accuracy of play is required in order to achieve this, especially on the par 3 4th, 6th and 15th. The 144-metre 4th has to be played over a pond with bunkers on either side. It requires a good tee shot and a neat pitch to make a birdie possible. 
To salvage a par on the 207-metre 6th you may have to pin your hopes on a good bounce and the rub of the green. The 15th is difficult to club from an elevated tee to a high green with steep bank in front and a valley-of-death bunker at the back. There are also some memorable par 4 holes including the 404 metre 8th which calls for an accurate drive from an elevated tee to find the narrow, tree-lined fairway that rises to the green. Also unforgettable is the par 3 10th from the clubhouse where the tee is flanked by pink and white oleander trees with breathtaking views of the Atlantic Ocean.
| Commercial director: | Susete Calado |
| Facilities: | Pro shop, equipment hire, restaurant, driving range, practice green, buggies and trolleys, pro lessons, golf museum. |
| Professional: | Joaquim Catarino |
Vilamoura DOIS
This beautiful par 72 18-hole course was designed by the English golf course architect Frank Pennink and opened in 1976. A numbers of holes were reconstructed by the American architect Robert Trent Jones in 1985 with the idea of improving its playability and appeal to all level of golfers. The course measures 6192 metres and the first nine holes are an open land with pleasant sea views while the back nine wind through umbrella pines and gently uphill to the superbly appointed clubhouse. The greens are relatively small which compels a need for great accuracy of play and the true test starts as early as the second, a par 4 where the tee shots needs to be to the right to avoid a solitary pine which stands close to the centre of the fairway. The green on the par 5 3rd is guarded by a small lake and again the ideal shot here is down the right flank of the fairway to allow a second lay-up shot short of the water. a lake also comes into play on the second shot on the 309 metre 4th and it provides another hazard on the par 3 5th where it snakes round in front of the green. 
A long tee shot to a rising fairway is needed on the 7th to make the par 4 possible. Careful play is also required to achieve a par 3 on the 12th where a cluster of pine trees poses the biggest problem. A drive from the elevated tee has to be played with enough height and distance to find the green in one stroke. On the par 5 17th there is a sharp dogleg some 180 metres from the tee with the second shot played blind over a quickly rising fairway. The 18th, a par 4, calls for a tee shot right of centre and the green here is well protected by bunkers.
| Commercial director: | Susete Calado |
| Facilities: | Golf shop, equipment hire, restaurant, driving range, putting green, buggies and trolleys, golfing lessons. |
| Professional: | Manuel Pardal and Francisco Pontes |
Vilamoura TRES
This 27-hole parkland course was designed by American architect Joseph Lee, completing the trio of championship courses owned by Lusotur Golfes SA at the Vilamoura resort . The first 18 holes , the pinhal and the Lago courses ,measure 2935 metres and 2953 metres respectively from the back tees and opened in 1990. The nine-hole Marina loop, measuring 3180 metres, was completed in 1993. It is not particularly long for a modern layout but Lee has made great use of a high water table and introduced water hazards on numerous holes. The greens are heavily bunkered so highly accurate iron play is needed for a good score. The first hole on the Pinhal nine is a 328-metre par 4 with out-of bounds waiting to catch a hooked tee shot. A number four wood may be the best choice here followed by a medium iron to the well bunkered green. Two hearty shots should be enough to bring the strong hitter within birdie distance of the par 5 second. After a straightforward par 4 third comes the first par 3 which again presents few problems, culminating in a large green. Club selection is critical if the wind is against at the par 3 6th which runsto an elevated two-level green and a mistake here could see your ball on the wrong step and in the 3 putt zone. The next par 4 is a memorable hole of 376 metres which demands a strong tee shot to achieve a glimpse of the green and a downhill iron shot. The par 4 9th is an enjoyable hole. The drive needs to be left of the fairway bunkers on the right make it a tough first shot. A green with water in front and bunkers at the back is a daunting prospect for the careless player. The 315-metre par 4 5th on the Lago course also requires diligent play to overcome a dogleg hole with water cutting into the fairway. A built-up green is flanked by a lake which invites the sliced shot. The 9th, a par 4 of 378 metres, has a lake guarding the entrance to the green and the line of the tee shot must overcome an old water well situated in the centre of the fairways. The Marina course presents a similar golfing challenge with water hazards playing a predominant role.
| Commercial director: | Susete Calado |
| Facilities: | Golf shop, equipment hire, restaurant, driving range, putting and pitching greens, buggies and trolleys. |
| Professional: | Abilio Coelho |
Penina Golf
Penina has always been regarded as the pioneering force behind golf in the Algarve. The 18-hole par 73 championship course designed by Sir Henry Cotton was the first in the Algarve and over the years has been chosen for innumerable major competitions and tournaments. The Portuguese Open has been held at Penina five times and the World Amateur Team Championship for the Bisenhower Trophy in 1976. A luxury five star hotel owned by Forte Hotels is the main focal point of the estate which in recent years has been upgraded into the complete golf and leisure resort. The estate consists of a rich, tree-lined 18-hole course and two nine-hole courses. The layout is spread over beautifully landscaped and wooded terrain with waterways and lakes forming a predominant feature of the design. The par 4 2nd is an outstanding example. There is an out-of-bounds ditch the entire length of the fairway and a water hazard in front of the green. Few players reach the green in two shot. Another challenging hole is the par 5 5th where a long left hand dogleg requires a good drive and then some careful play to overcome the stream that runs through the centre of the fairway up to the green. It is said that one in every five golfers falls foul of the infamous short par 3 13th which winds dogleg around the lake to a tightly guarded green. 
A dredging operation here in 1986 produced an amazing 20.000 lost balls. To avoid this watery grave a carry of some 190 metres is required. Meticulous play is also called for to achieve a par 3 at the 16th with the final approach to the green once more made difficult by a waterway. The final hole uphill to the hotel with a backdrop of the Monchique Mountains provides a memorable finish.
| Director: | Leonel Rio |
| Facilities: | Bars, Pro shop, tennis courts, swimming pool, equipment hire, restaurant, driving range, putting green, buggies and trolleys. |
| Professional: | José Lourenco, Robin Liddle, José Marcelino |
San Lorenzo
The 18-hole par 72 San Lorenzo championship course was designed by the American Joseph Lee in conjunction with William ‘Rocky’ Roquemore and is situated in in the 2000-acre Quinta do Lago estate which is renowned for its pinewoods, lakes and abundant wildlife. The course has an ever-changing face. A classic hole is the par 4 6th which offers spectaculars views of the Ria Formosa nature reserve. Only a perfect drive will achieve par here with water lapping the edge of the fairway all the way to the green. Water hazards come into play on the 7th, 8th and 10th and intelligent plat is required to cope with a dog-leg right and a green set into an embankment on the par 4 9th. The par 4 11th offers splendid mountain views and the next five holes border the nature reserve. The play is straight forward until the 16th which heralds a finishing stretch as unforgiving as any in Europe. The 16th, a long par 3, needs a wood or a one iron to a green with bunkers back and front while the par 4 17th demands two accurate shots over water with a tight finish on the green. The greatest challenge is surely the 18th. Either a shot up the fairway with a second shot across a lake to the island green or a powerful 200-metre drive across a larger lake to the causeway, leaving a pitching wedge for the second shot I needed.
| Director: | Antonio Santos |
| Facilities: | Clubhouse, restaurant, bar, pro shop, buggies and trolleys. |
| Professional: | Albano Rodrigues |
