remains at the peak of cutting edge design mirroring
the many villas and luxurious apartments that adorn its
fairways.
The facilities here are second to none, numerous
European Countries have chosen the venue as a training
base in preparation for an upcoming competitive
season, it’s currently ranked within The Top 100
European Golf Courses and it has been the venue for
various international golfing events.
Quinto do Peru is not short, both the front and back
nines start with demanding par 5’s and end with equally
testing holes, the 9th and the 18th par 4’s are both in
excess of 400 yards. It’s a serious yet very enjoyable
test of golf from the back tees, the American architect
has guaranteed that huge bunkers and water are in play
throughout your round, if you play to handicap on your
first time out here you should be extremely impressed
with yourself.
Although the course is challenging it’s not there to
punish you at every opportunity, from the shorter tees
the lower handicap players will relish the opportunity
to take on the obstacles before them and enjoy the
lack of rough when not on the fairways. The course
applauds you for hitting greens and fairways but if you
find yourself the wrong side of the short stuff the dry
yet soft pin needle floor instead of tough long grasses
provide a good platform to get back on track.
The 220 yard 8th and 195 yard 16th par 3’s are the
courses signature holes, played across lakes to some
very well guarded greens, they are not easy but if
conquered they will leave a smile on your face for the
rest of your round.
Quinto do Peru Is a wonderful course, its technical
challenge never overrides the enjoyment of your round.
With its location atop of an undulating plateau it offers
fantastic views across the region, this partnered with
a variety an interesting holes makes Quinta do Peru
one of Portugal’s must play courses. Quite simply it’s
stunning.
A night in Lisbon is definitely called for, you’re never
more than 40 minutes to a course by car so you can
afford yourself a lie in and time out in the evening to
gorge on the capitals delights. The Lisbon experience
encompasses so many things, from enjoying fresh
foods and pastries and bica (espresso) on a petite leafy
plaza, mingling with Lisboêtas at one of the many jazz
bars and clubs or watching one of the country’s most
famous football teams Lisbon or Benifica.
Our final venue for the weekend was Aroeira, a 900
acre resort dubbed by the British press in the 80’s
as the Wentworth of Portugal. The private estate
is situated just 20km south of Lisbon and just 600
metres from the sea on the Setubal Peninsula within a
beautiful Pine land preservation area.
Now I can’t remember which member of the press
said it but they weren’t too far off when describing
the private estate of Aroeira as something similar to
Wentworth, the land surrounding the two courses
is worth visiting just to bare witness to the amazing
architecture that has folded its self into the undulations
of each hole, the course of Aroeira 1 however is more
reminiscent of Woburn with its tall pines trees lining
each and every narrow fairway.
YOURCADDY MAG - ISSUE 06 | 53