Benamor

In 1986, the Martins Dias family, owners of the Quinta de Benamor property near Tavira, engaged Henry Cotton to layout the first golf course in the eastern part of the Algarve, twenty years after he established his pioneering course at Penina, in the west side of the region.

Unfortunately, the three-time Open champion died the following year, way before construction got under way, but his outline plans were later taken up by architect Howard Swan, which eventually led to the opening of an 18-hole layout at the start of the new millennium.

The clubhouse is located beside a disused church and perhaps it’s this old building that convinced Sir Henry, a well-known religious man, to get involved in the project in the first place. Certainly, the course’s owners are pleased nowadays to promote Benamor as a Cotton design.

Fairways are bounded by combinations of almond, carob, cork and olive trees and they’re set out on gently undulating terrain which offers splendid views of the mountains to the north and the Atlantic Ocean to the south. Elevation changes may be frequent but they’re never too strenuous.

The tight par five 5th is rated the toughest hole on the card, playing uphill then doglegging slightly left to the green. The par four 6th immediately following is probably the best hole on the front nine, plunging back downhill to a green that’s well defended by sand to the front left hand side.

The inward half at the par three 10th begins with a heroic downhill tee shot to a pulpit green on the other side of a gully and this short hole is almost matched for dramatic value at the par three 17th, where the green is benched into a small hill, protected by a pond at the front and two enormous bunkers on either side.