Almancil

Quinta do Lago Ria Formosa San Lorenzo VL - Ocean Course VL -  Royal Course

The golf course was designed by the respected American architect, Ronald Fream and consists of two nines of contrasting character.

The front nine covers a rolling landscape of tall pines ("Pinheiros Altos") while the back nine is played on the gently moulded Gondra where lakes abound and dominate the strategy of the golfer. The 620 yard 13th is a holiday in itself, while the intimidating island green 17th has become Pinheiros Altos' signature hole.

The firm, fast and testing greens are sown with Pentcross Bent and, combined with the Bermuda fairway grass, provide resilient and excellent surfaces on which to play golf and make Pinheiros Altos a "must play" course when visiting the Algarve.
The Pinheiros Altos Golf Academy is possibly the finest in Europe. It offers the very latest in high-tech audio and video A-star computer analysis, coaching expertise from our multi-lingual golf staff, a manicured driving range and chipping and putting greens.

This combination provides the best possible opportunity for all standards of player to develop and understand the game of golf.

Future plans for the Pinheiros Altos Resort include a further nine holes of golf, a fabulous Health Spa and further plots and properties which, when completed, will enhance what is already proving to be one of the most successful and sought after residential estates in Europe.

Location: On the EN125 after reaching Almancil, follow the road to Vale do Lobo. The course is sign posted to your left.

Designed by William Mitchell, this 6.488 metres, par-72 championship course, set in undulating hills and pine forest, has hosted the Portuguese Open seven times.

A truly wonderful course, ideally designed to test the scratch golfer but can also be enjoyed by the handicap golfer, the layout favours the long hitter but correct placement of shots is needed to score well. Strategic bunkering, occasional water hazards and large, contoured greens are the main challenges. The signature hole is the beautiful par-3 15th with a long carry (190 metres) over a large lake to a well-guarded green set amongst pine trees.

The 8th, 10th and 18th are excellent, testing par-4s for low-handicap players on this scenic course which is an enjoyable experience for players of all standards. This is a course that demands accuracy on your club selection, as the greens are very wide and long.

Location: On the EN 125 after reaching Almancil, follow the road to Vale do Lobo. The course is sign posted to your left.

Named after the adjacent natural park, this 6.000 metres, par-72 course was co-designed by William Mitchell and Joseph Lee.

This course begins with a gentle-looking downhill tee shot, but do not be fooled as this course can prove a stiff test to any golfer. In basically the same style as the Quinta do Lago course, Ria Formosa is notable for its four fine par-5 holes and many doglegs where accuracy off the tee is a must. The tricky downhill par-3 14th with its green well defended by bunkers on either side is an outstanding challenge.

A majestic 480-metre par-5 finishing hole demands a drive over a lake and between fairway bunkers to set up the ideal second shot, with the approach up a steep rise to the green. Due to some of the holes having long walks in-between greens and tees, it may be recommended for some people to use a buggy.

The course has two architects. Holes 1 to 5 and 15 to 18 were designed by American William Mitchell in 1974. These holes (as with the other course) share a unique character. The terrain is typical of the area: sandy and strewn with pine trees, heather, gorse and wild flowers. All the par 4 and 5 holes are doglegs, demanding precise tee shots, to set up straightforward approaches. Like the Quinta do Lago course, it is an anti-clockwise loop and favours the player with a draw.

Holes 6 to 14, were designed by Joseph Lee with the collaboration of Rocky Roquemore, both from the USA, and opened in 1989. The terrain is superb, sandy and littered with umbrella pines. In the Spring, the rough is covered with a blanket of wild flowers. The bunkering is incomparable, both on the fairways and surrounding the greens and gives the course an advantage over many courses of similar quality and design.

San Lorenzo Golf Course, owned exclusively by Le Méridien Dona Filipa is set along the shores of the Ria Formosa nature reserve, and is a short courtesy bus ride away. This spectacular course is rated one of the best in Europe.

San Lorenzo’s beautifully manicured condition is maintained by the greenkeeper’s policy of preparing the course as if for a tournament each and every day.

It lingers long in the memory of all who play it – a combination of natural beauty, pristine presentation and hole after hole of challenging golf, and it is considered one of the best courses in Europe and ranked in the top one hundred golf courses world-wide.

While much of the course meanders through typical Algarvian pinewoods, it also opens to stunning ocean views and distant mountain backdrops. A good part of the course is virtually an extension of the nature reserve of the Ria Formosa estuary with fairways that run alongside saltwater marshes and freshwater lagoons. This protected environment is the habitat of over 70 bird species, including herons, black-winged stilts and the rare purple gallinule.

The Clubhouse offers pro-shop, lounge bar and restaurant. A large terrace overlooks the driving range with the fairways of the fist and tenth holes on either side. Instruction is available and a separate practice area is reserved for visiting professionals and their classes.

Facilities: Driving Range, Putting Green, Chipping Green, Tennis, Pro-Shop, Swimming pool, Practice net, Restaurant, Bar.

Location: From the EN 125, turn onto the EN396 to Quarteira. Then continue to Vale do Lobo, where you will find a sign indicating the course.

Facilities: Driving Range, Putting Green, Chipping Green, Tennis, Pro-Shop, Swimming pool, Practice net, Restaurant, Bar.