The course has two architects. The American William Mitchell designed holes 1 to 5 and 15 to 18 in 1974. These holes (as with the other course) share a unique character. The terrain is superb and typical of the area, sandy and littered with umbrella pines trees. In the spring, the rough is covered with a blanket of wild flowers, heather and gorse. The Fairways and tees are covered with Bermuda hybrid with a cool season mixture of grasses, which provides year-round, top quality swards. The greens are sown with Creeping Bentgrass Penncross, giving a fast, true putting surface, and which provide good all-year round putting surfaces. The bunkering is incomparable, both on the fairways and surrounding the greens and gives the course an advantage over many of similar quality and design.
This course has four great Par 5 holes requiring power and accuracy to play them well, also providing superb views. The Par 3 holes are all influenced by the wind, hole 14 is outstanding. The Par 4´s are all doglegs except for holes 10 and 13. Precision driving is vital to set up the chance of a low score. Lakes on holes 12 and 18 claim many victims. The course is an anti-clockwise loop and favours that can draw the ball.
These holes have more cross falls on the fairways than the other layouts and all the Par 4 and 5 holes are doglegs, demanding precise tee shots, to set up straightforward approaches. Like the 'Quinta do Lago South' course, it is a favours the players who can draw the ball. Holes 6 to 14 were designed by Joseph Lee with the collaboration of Rocky Roquemore, both from the USA, and opened in 1989.
All the famous male and female players who have experienced this course, including 'Ryder Cup' and 'Curtis Cup' team members, have been euphoric in their praise for this course, which will soon take its place among the great European layouts.
Packages 2 Pax / 60 min. 3 Pax / 60 min. 4 Pax / 60 min.
90,00 €
120,00 €
140,00 €
Playing with Professional
Score Card:
Hole
S.I.
Par
Meters
Yards
Meters
Yards
Meters
Yards
1
11
4
367
404
340
374
300
330
2
15
3
180
198
145
160
110
121
3
3
5
482
530
452
497
406
447
4
7
4
380
418
350
385
330
363
5
1
4
345
380
320
352
310
341
6
13
4
319
351
307
338
268
295
7
5
5
504
554
484
532
368
405
8
17
3
153
168
140
154
120
132
9
9
4
380
418
367
404
326
359
Out
36
3110
3421
2905
3196
2538
2792
10
6
4
358
394
349
384
326
359
11
14
5
465
512
560
495
412
453
12
10
4
329
362
315
347
229
252
13
2
4
374
411
358
394
328
361
14
16
3
154
169
141
155
114
125
15
4
4
370
407
335
369
310
341
16
18
3
160
176
130
143
95
105
17
12
4
326
359
301
331
245
270
18
8
5
480
528
440
484
385
424
In
36
3016
3318
2819
3101
2444
2688
Total
72
6126
6739
5724
6296
4982
5480
Tips given by professional players and based on white tees:
1
Not a long Par 4 to start with, but requiring precision from the tee. A bunker on the right at 215 metres catches many drives as do the trees eating into the fairway on the left. The right to left and downhill slope rewards a well-struck draw shot, hit down the right half of the fairway. The second to a green, which falls slightly front to back and left to right, must be flown over bunkers at the front both left and right.
2
A straightforward Par 3 with a long or mid iron, requiring a good strike to fly the trap at the front of the green. Another bunker on the left catches the player who tries to bounce in off the left to right slope near the green.
3
A very well designed driving hole. The fall of the land is left to right and bunkers on the right at 215/240 metres catch the ball hit in the centre of the fairway. Driving too far left makes a very testing second shot across the left to right lie of the land. The perfect tee shot finishes just left and past the bunkers, leaving a straightforward second. The approach is uphill to an elevated green with bunkers on the left and right.
4
Following the same contour lines as QL North 3, this hole has a left to right slope on the tee shot. A ball started a little too far left cratches a fairway bunker. Yet one too far right (while it will lie well) is blocked out by a clump of pines on the right. The second is to green with bunkers left and right and a severe slope from the right side of the green.
5
A slightly uphill tee shot has a very well placed trap at the corner of the left-hand dogleg. Trees on the right catch the player who dislikes the look of the sand on the left. The slightly uphill is a little longer than it looks, bunkers at the front left and right catch those who under club.
6
Great examples of the short, yet testing, Par 4. The drive must be struck between a cluster of fairway bunkers on the left and pines on the right. The fall of the fairway is left to right. Many do not attempt the driver here. The second shot to a green-bunkered front and back, and with another tantalising tier running across it, is a test of length judgement. It is easy to over hit the green. A safe entrance is on offer on the left side, which then leaves a testing putt.
7
One of the best Par 5 holes in the world of golf. The drive across a shallow depression, with the beautiful Loulé hills as a backdrop, is an ever-narrowing gap the further you hit. Bunkers left and right at 220 metres demand accuracy from the see. The second shot, slightly downhill, is again threatened by bunkers left and right at 410 metres. The third shot, slightly uphill, is to a long green, bunkered left and right and with another tier running across the centre of the putting surface. Three good shots are necessary to make an 'easy' Par 5 here.
8
A slightly downhill Par 3, usually against the wind. The green is raised slightly above fairway level and is surrounded by bunkers left, right and at the rear. Less testing than QL North 14, this still demands a well struck accurate shot.
9
A testing Par 4, usually against the wind. The drive from an elevated tee must be placed between fairway bunkers on the left at 200 metres, and trees on the right, positioned on a ridge, which can leave an uphill lie for the second shot. The green has an easy approach, but is bunkered to the back left and has a fall from the back edge. The slight tier across the centre of the green ads zests to the putting.
10
A friendly tee shot with bunkers to the right at 200 metres and a fall slightly away to the left, sets up a test of distance judgement for the second, with a short iron. A large trap at the front of the green, another on the left and a bank on the right, make a high soft approach a must. The green has subtle, interesting contours.
11
Driving through a winding, picturesque avenue of pines towards the Loulé hills, this is fine Par 5, just in range of two long, well placed shots. Bunkers left and right at 210 metres make accuracy a must on the drive. A generous fairway offers plenty of room for the second shot, but clusters of bunkers left and right catch the wayward strike. The green is surrounded by traps in front, left and rears, and has a 2 metres bank to the right. The green has a tier running from 8 o’clock, left to right across the green, necessitating an approach from the correct angle, to get near the flag.
12
A spectacular hole with a three-acre lake around the left-hand side of this 90-degree dogleg. The lake begins at 150 metres out from the tee and extends along the left side of the fairway and along the left edge of the green. A bunker at the right centre, extreme end of the fairway, is the driving line – usually with a fairway wood or long iron. The second shot is intimidated by the water hazard on the left and a large trap, along the right of the green. Aquaphobia often makes the unwary over hit the second, leaving a long putt across a large undulating green.
13
A drive of over 200 metres is needed to see the bottom of the flag on this testing driving hole. A bunker on the right, at 210 metres, makes length and accuracy a must to set up a short iron approach. A trap on the left and banking to the right make this long green no 'give-away' to hit.
14
A great Par 3 hole played from an elevated tee, giving exposure to the wind. This medium length Par 3 features a figure 'eight' – shaped green with a tier across the waist. Bunkers left and right, and banks front and rear, make this very good test wherever the flag is positioned.
15
A 90-degree right dogleg, which does not always require a full drive, shot. A bunker centre left, at the corner of the dogleg, catches the over hit drive. The second uphill to an elevated green with trap on the right is, again, slightly further than the player sees.
16
A slightly downhill Par 3 from an elevated tee. The green is set in a bowl on a bank and once enough length is achieved, many balls will roll into the green from the left, right and rear.
17
A short dogleg left Par 4 which, again, demands a precise tee shot. Many hitting a drive slightly right or too long end up in semi rough. Those going too far left can catch a bunker or roll over the banking left of the fairway into an amphitheatre of pine trees. The second to a green bunkered left and right needs to be well flighted and, woe betide the player who is long or left.
18
Again a demanding drive. This time across a lake which is a 190 metre carry from the championship tee. The fairway, sloping right to left, can lure the player into the left-hand fairway traps at the point of the right-hand dogleg. The second down into a dip and into the steep slope up to the green offers a generous fairway but trees catch those who miss it. The approach up a steep bank, to a sloping double tier green, must be well thought out, as putting down the slope is never easy.
Information:
Founded
1989
Architect
William Mitchell Rocky Roquemore Joseph Lee
Proprietor
Sociedade do Golfe da Quinta do Lago, SA
Director
Iain Mclnally
Professional
Domingos Silva
Rogério Valente
Jason Hoyles
Green Keeper
Paulo Viegas
Main events on this course
Map:
Quinta do Lago North - Quinta do Lago 8135-024 Almancil , Portugal
Directions:
GPS
37º03'09.21"N 8º01'09.57W
National Road number 125, direction to Almancil. In Almancil, follow the signs to Quinta do Lago. Within Quinta do Lago, drive along the main road (Av. André Jordan), until roundabout nr.4; turn right and right again. Free parking, with vigilance service for private cars is available on the surrounding area of the Clubhouse.
