Santo Estêvão

Santo Estêvão, or St Stephen in English, is located sixteen kilometres to the north of another Orizonte Lisbon Golf facility at Ribagolfe, in the fertile rolling landscape of the Northern Alentejo region. It’s a Donald Steel design that first opened for play in 2004, with wide fairways routed around open, wooded countryside on a large property extending to 180 acres.

The course measures more than 6,400 metres from the tips, playing to a par of 73, with well-designed greens and strategically-placed bunkers to challenge golfers of all abilities during an easy, pleasant walk. As a bonus, clever greenside contouring is such that players can often choose to play a low running shot to the pin instead of a full, aerial pitch.

Notable holes include the par three 3rd (requiring a drive over water with the tee shot), the tough, stroke index 2, par four 7th (where water threatens down the right), and the last of the five par fives at the 459-metre 18th, which doglegs gently left to the home green in front of the clubhouse, offering a decent opportunity to end the round with a birdie.