The jewel in the crown of CampoReal Golf Resort & Spa is Donald Steel's extraordinarily beautiful and uniquely challenging 18-hole, 72 par championship golf course.
You'll go a long way to find a golfing experience as good as this. Etched into the dramatic rolling hills and steep wooded valleys, the course will challenge and delight even the most experienced players. Enjoyable, beautiful and serene, it's a course matched only by the 5-star clubhouse and superb members' facilities.
Donald Steel has created a genuine masterpiece for this resort, with minimal disruption to the existing landscape, flora and fauna. Cutting a swathe through the natural vegetation of the estate studded with cork-oak, olive and fragrant eucalyptus trees, the course smells almost as good as it looks!
Starting and ending with par 5 holes, the course plays over a natural landscape into beautiful valleys. While you enjoy stunning views at the elevated tees, the undulating greens and uphill and downhill drives will be a true test of your judgement and skill. With many changes of level, there are many exciting and challenging shots to play - especially from the back tees where the length is just over 6,100 metres (6,671yards).
Tips given by professional players and based on white tees:
1
A generous opening Par 5 with your opening shot preferably be hit down the left side, in order to negotiate the sloping fairway. A shot pushed to the right will bring the water into play. The player then has the option to either play short of the narrow fairway or try to carry the ball to a generous green.
2
The second hole is a tough hole with a tee shot favoring the left side of the fairway. A safe play with a 3 wood is recommended which will leave middle to long iron into a generous green.
3
A generous driving hole. The ball will tend to fall to the right due to the slope in the fairway. The second shot to a wide green will be with a medium to short iron and so provides the player with a good scoring chance.
4
A medium Par 3 with a difficult green makes this hole a challenge. A play for the center of the green is a player’s best option.
5
A great par 5 with two options from the tee. The big hitter can carry the corner but only a well struck shot will make it. The ideal shot is a 3 wood aimed at the tree at the bottom of the hill. From the center a player will want to favour the left hand side of the fairway with a 5 wood or rescue club the best option. Safely negotiated this will leave the player a nice pitch to a flat green. A player going for the green in 2 must be precise with the choice of club, as through the back of the green offers no chance of birdie or par.
6
The hardest hole on the course with the tee shot needed only to pass the trees on the left. A driver is not needed and 3 wood or 5 wood the best option. For longer hitters a 3 or 4 iron is a good play. The second shot will require a long shot of some 180 m to a large green with a narrow entrance.
7
Hole 7 is one of the best visual holes on the course with a shot to the marker post the best option with a 5 wood or long iron. On reaching the corner a medium to short iron will be needed to a long thin plateau green. Anything left on the approach will find the stream running parallel with the green.
8
A very difficult par 3 which generally plays into the wind. A long green makes the shot easier but danger lurks for any shot drifting to the left. Clubs very from 3 wood to a medium iron depending on the tee and wind.
9
A great par 4 which is drivable for the long hitters. The best play is to hit a long iron or 5 wood over the water to leave a short pitch to a tricky green. Any shot drifting to far right brings into play the streams.
10
Depending on the wind this hole is drivable for the long hitters but anything short of perfect will result in a high score. A stream must be carried in order to reach the green. Depending how far you hit the ball clubs can very from a 5 wood or medium iron to stay short of the ditch. Successfully negotiated this will leave you a short iron to a slopping green.
11
A simple but dangerous par 4 if played incorrectly. A shot up the left hand side is the best option and well struck will leave the player a medium to short iron into a very difficult green. Out of bounds left lurks for any player going for the green.
12
A simple par 4 with a tee shot favoring the left side in order to counter the sloping fairway. A good drive will leave a medium to short iron into a slopping green. Extra attention needs to be taken when choosing your club for your second shot as the hole plays slightly up hill and into a wind.
13
Another great par 3 were club selection can be deceiving. Anything short of a large green will run back down the hill leaving a difficult chip shot for recovery. Deep bunkers will catch any shot drifting to the right.
14
A player must decide weather to carry the stream from the tee a shot of some 150m. Weather a player carry’s or plays short, the second shot to an elevated green must be landed short of the fast slopping green from front to back.
15
A difficult hole which is all about the drive. A drive to the tree is the best line but slightly pulled and a player will bring into play the stream whilst a shot to the right will bring into play out of bounds. The second shot to a tight green will be with a medium to long iron.
16
A short par 3 but very deceiving. A shot must be well struck to a long green, but anything left will leave a player a difficult recovery from rough and trees.
17
An easy par 5 if played correctly. The hole plays downhill all the way and so a 5 wood or 3 wood is the best option. A well struck shot for the longer hitters will have the green in range but anything left or through the back of the green will be out of bounds. From a good drive a medium iron over the corner of the hill is the best option leaving a small pitch to the green.
18
A great hole to finish with and 3 great shots are required to reach this par 5 in regulation. It can be reached in 2 but anything left or through the back of the green will be out of bounds. For the second shot a player must decide either to try and carry the stream at the bottom of the hill or lay up at the top of the fairway leaving a medium iron to a difficult green.
Information:
Founded
2005
Architect
Donald Steell
Proprietor
Turcifez – Investimentos Imoturisticos, SA.
Director
Michael Stagnetto
Professional
Matthew Tipper
Green Keeper
Vera Quintas Rebelo
Main events on this course
Map:
Campo Real - Praça CampoReal, 2 2565-779 Turcifal, Portugal
Directions:
GPS
39º02'06.14"N 9º14'35.59"W
Leave Lisbon heading north and take the A8 in the direction of Torres Vedras and Caldas da Rainha. When you have driven 36 kms you turn off at the Torres Vedras Sul Exit to the right and after about 2 kms you will meet the EM619-1 road. Here you will find a sign indicating the Campo Real Golf Course.
