Vale d'Oliveiras Quinta Resort & Spa

The 8 times consecutive host of the European Seniors Tour Qualifying final, Vale de Pinta golf in the Algarve, is rightly respected not just for its playability and challenging layout but for outstanding levels of beauty and enjoyment. Designed by the famous American golf course architect Ronald Fream and inaugurated in 1992 Vale de Pinta has earned its place as one of the best designed courses in the Algarve and in Europe.
Imagine the fairways of Bermuda grass, strategically placed sand bunkers, and greens clad in Pen Cross Bent grass. Not to mention ornamental lakes in a rolling terrain dotted with carob, fig, almond and olive trees (including one olive tree over 1200 years old!).

Silves is a serene spot at the foot of the Monchique mountain, but it is anything other than 'a walk in the park' - a drive at the opening hole has to flirt with water hazards on both flanks. This course is for players - low handicaps will find it a serious challenge to come in under par. But high handicaps (with concentration) will be able to enjoy their round. Most holes offer spectacular mountain views overlooking palm trees and olive groves, the surrounding cork and citrus farms generate a true feeling of authentic Portuguese golf.

After his success designing the Vale de Pinta course, Ronald Fream teamed up with the former world No. 1 Nick Price to create the unique design of Gramacho. With 18 holes and 27 greens, plus numerous different tee points, players are able to enjoy the same course time and time again but always with slightly different challenges.
Having hosted the Portuguese Ladies Open on a number of occasions Pestana Gramacho is recognized as a championship course enjoyable and playable even by those with a higher handicap.
Apart from the fantastic golf design, Ronald and Nick managed to incorporate the traditional landscape by utilizing the natural stone outcrops, historical dry stone walling and existing ancient trees with some artfully sculpted lakes and bunkers. The effect is a wonderful journey through the countryside.

Designed by Christy O'Connor Jnr., this course complements the neighbouring Faldo Course and also takes full advantage of being situated in a fertile valley. Its various water features, both lakes and watercourses that are spread throughout the entire course, demand accuracy and test from all golfers, and the rich topsoil has been skillfully landscaped and planted with mature palm trees, affording a lush, ornamental setting like an extensive oasis.  This course has tees that are generally connected to the fairways, but its greater overall distance, the water hazards and big greens provide its challenge. Golfers must also be prepared to read the subtly contoured putting surfaces that are strong features.  Holes 7, 8 and 9, average length par 4's, offer a particular challenge as all three run alongside lakes, so golfers' concentration and accuracy of tee-shots as well as approaches are vital. 3rd and 17th holes are both excellent par 3's.  Two consecutive par 4's, the 14th and 15th with large rolling greens, are tough hurdles to overcome at such a critical stage of the round, and then the finishing hole, 356m off the white tee, requires a precision drive to set up the approach to a two tier green benched into the hillside. Christy's 18th hole brings the course to a fantastic finish, a gentle climb with the river running along the right hand side. 'This hole is a humdinger; once you get up here and look down on the golf course, you will feel you have been blessed.'

Designed by Sir Nick Faldo with strategic play in mind this 6598m PAR 72 championship course demands careful positioning to score well.  "The land at Amendoeira is dramatic and the project has the potential to be a real talking point in the Algarve. With so many courses in the region, that's no mean feat", pointed out Nick Faldo, during his visit in 2007.  In a modern twist of a traditional recipe, cacti and wild herbs replace the role of Sunningdale's heather, spartan Holm oaks and ancient olive trees take the place of a lush English woodland, and desert scrub bunkers of crushed limestone replace Berkshire’s sandy tracts in a golf course that revels in the classic principles of strategic play.