Palmares Golf (Praia & Lagos)

Palmares is described by golfers as the "jewel on the Algarve" and it's an interesting course designed by Frank Pennink that was opened in 1975. It has distinct flavours.

The course is located over and on the Atlantic coast, close to Meia Praia beach, Palmares offers golf holes that resemble links and parks. Not only is the course excellent and varied, but Palmares is home to one of the best views on any Portuguese golf course.

"Palmares blends seamlessly into the seaside countryside with stunning views of the coastline surrounding in the Bay of Lagos and, from higher elevations and those mountains that make up the Monchique in the interior." The author was Michael Gedye in his Golfer's Guide Portugal. "The area provided Pennink with a truly unique setting which is a hilltop that is dotted with blooming plants Acacia, almond and other trees, that cascade down to a sand-covered area of linksland, with dunes that border the ocean. He was overwhelmed by the task of combining links and parkland golf, and created an interesting course with numerous varieties that never ceases to entice and test. The breathtaking views are an added benefit."

Robert Trent Jones Jnr upgraded Palmares in 2010 and divided it into 3 nines:namely "Lagos," "Praia" and "Alvor". The four golf holes of the Praia nine (two beautiful par threes and two par fives that are tough) are along the shoreline. The final green on the circuit is part of the hole of the Lagos nine (where the two water holes in the course are located).

The Alvor nine is located in the more hilly terrain in Palmares. The first three holes of this loop is in the least attractive area of the course, being followed by three fairways which are laid out on the road that runs through a beautiful valley. After playing a superb hole on par three close to the water's edge, the last two holes are straight upwards to the clubhouse.

In his remarks about the Palmares project, Robert Trent Jones II: "Palmares Golf Course is unique on many levels. The vast ocean views and dramatic elevation changes the most iconic Mediterranean private valleys as well as vast dunes have provided us with the right conditions to design a course that has a tremendous depth of personality and a challenging course."