Vale Do Lobo Ocean Golf Course

Tips given by professional players and based on white tees:

One of the hardest par 4 opening holes in Portugal. Stoke index 1 and it plays it! Slight dog leg left, downhill from the tee. Your tee shot must be on the left hand side of the fairway, anywhere on the right will leave a very difficult second shot to this green. This hole plays much longer than it looks so best to play one more club than you think for the second shot. The green is wide but not very deep, with a green side bunker ready to catch any miss hit shots.

A fairly short par 4, OB all the way down the right. The green is tucked away to the right. There are two wonderful pine trees on each side of the fairway, your tee shot of best hit over the right side of the left hand tree. This puts you in a great position to fly your short second shot to the green. The green is large so don’t be short, as the ball will finish up in the little gully at the front of the green. This will leave you a very delicate pitch up to the green.

Elevated tee shot, looking down this hole, you will see the ocean, cork trees, and a very old well. The views are some of the best on this opening first nine. This hole looks easy, but it´s far from it. The tee shot must be played just short of the two bunkers on the right hand side of the fairway, the approach shot is a short iron to a well bunked green with a water hazard at the back. Play with caution and you might walk away with a birdie!

This tee points you in the directions of the inland hillside, once again beautiful views, this time of the Algarvian countryside. The hole is a soft dog leg right, with a lovely old cork tree on the dog leg. Your tee shot should be just over the right side of this tree. The second shot up to the green plays longer than it looks. A very well guarded green has bunkers at the front and back. This green is not that deep, so your second shot has to be on the button.

A fascinating par 3. Pretty flat layout, with a beautiful lake running along side it on the right hand side. On the left there is OB. Bunkers all around the green. Mid to long iron shot is need to execute this hard hole, the best aiming point is between the two bunkers at the back of the green. This will leave you an uphill putt, on this large green. Walk away with a 3 and you will be happy.

This is one of the prettiest par 5s on the course. What it lacks in length it makes up for in difficulty. Water and very well bunkered. A driver is the best option off the tee, aiming just left of the water well in the middle of the fairway. The lake runs all the way down the right side of this hole, with the green hidden behind the reeds. If you are a longish hitter this is makeable with two good hits. If you are a normal person, play up to the corner, and leave yourself a short pitch for your third shot and you should make a par.

A short par 3: elevated tee shot leads you down to a long but narrow green, bunkers on both sides of the green make the tee shot a little more difficult. The line on the tee is to hit your ball on the right half of the green as the ball always runs down to the left.

Uphill double dog leg par 5. If you are walking this hole, you will need a rest at the end of it! Your drive should be on the left side of the fairway, to open up the hole for your second shot, anything on the right will be blocked out, and leave you a very hard shot to get back into position. The second shot from the left hand side will give you a chance to place your second shot just at the bottom of the up slope to the green. The green is very large and always needs a firm approach shot. Everyone leaves their shot too short, aim for the top of the flag stick and hit it!

A slight down hill tee shot is needed here on this long flowing dog leg left. A 3 wood might be the best club to play, as there is a cascading river running across the fairway and a lake on the right hand side.The line off the tee is just over the edge of the OB on the left hand side. The second shot is one of the hardest shots on the course: cascading river on the left and a large bunker for the loose shot on the right, this is one of the biggest greens on the whole course and is two tiered. Not many players hit the ball over the back of the green here, it is very deceptive.

This beautiful down hill par 5 is full of fun and games. OB on both sides of the fairway. Its elevated tee gives you a sense of greatness. Your drive should be aimed at the left half of the fairway as the ball nearly always rolls off to the right. At the bottom of the hill, you will have to make a choice of lying up short of the two water hazards crossing the fairway, or putting all your eggs in one basket and going for the big carry over them. The green has a bunker on the right to catch that weak third shot or aggressive second shot from the big hitters. The green is no picnic; take your time to read it well.

This hole offers another one of those magical moments at Vale do Lobo where you are reminded there is something more to life than golf. The wellstruck tee-shot flies over the ridge that runs across the fairway, kicks off the downslope and carries on further than you had dreamed. Then when you walk over the ridge, the ocean stands before you in all its glory. Majestic. The pros will pretend not to notice, concentrating on getting their drives well down the fairway and getting their tough approach shot onto the green. A beautiful golf hole but also a tough one.

Yet another straight hole with a blind tee shot. If you get your drive over the hill, it makes a birdie possible; however you are not able to get it over, your next shot will be blind and a bit hit and miss. The green is sloping away from the players and also slopes to the left, so your second shot should land a good few metres right of the flag, to let the ball trundle down to the hole.

Uphill shortish par 3. Two tier green, bunkers at the front. If the flag is cut on the front, this hole is pretty straight-forward, however cut on the top tier and things become more difficult. Read this green very carefully, a 2 putt here is bonus.

A spectacular view guides you down this hole, Elevated tee, pointing you down to the ocean, it is a pretty straight hole, and the drive must be on the right hand side of the fairway, the second shot is deceptive as there is a hollow before the green which makes things look closer than they really are. You will have to fly the ball all the way to the hole on this one, or rely on lady luck!

Looking from the tee on this breathtaking par 3, you have the spectacular blue ocean 50m from you; the hole runs parallel to the beach. With no wind from the sea this hole is not easy; when the wind is blowing it can be a nightmare. OB on the left side, sandy waste area to carry before you reachm the green grass and a well bunkered green.The green is big so you have a big landing area, if you choose to go for it. Get a 3 here and jump for joy!

The second par 5 and reachable in two shots, but it will not be easy. The best line off the tee is to clear the bunker on the right and benefit from the right to left downslope. With a good drive, the second shot is tough as it is a narrow approach to the green that will have to be negotiated with a long iron. Those who reach the green in two will have hit a pair of very decent golf shots and will deserve the birdie, or even the eagle, that comes their way.

A medium-length par 3, with a big deep bunker at the front and righthand side of the green. A solid tee shot to the heart of the green, and you should make a par if you read the line and give your putt the correct speed. This green is very tricky.

The round starts with a tough par 4 and ends with an equally tough par 5. Forget the 407 metres on the tee-box, this hole plays much longer than that. It is uphill all the way, especially on the approach shot. A good drive will still need to be followed by something like a 5-iron and anything off-line is likely to be punishing. The player who hits this green from anywhere in the five-inch rough will merit special applause from those who are on the green.