Palheiro Golf
Porto Santo
Club de Golf Santo Da Serra
Spreading out over the idyllic island of Porto Santo, the layout of the
course was planned in such a way as to blend harmoniously with the
landscape and to respect the island’s ecosystems, taking advantage of
the native plant species and the various lakes already existing there. It
is an extensive and demanding course set in a spectacular landscape,
one that is capable of attracting not only professional players, but
also less experienced golfers, being divided into two different areas.
The southern course comes close to the traditional style of the best
American courses, with a number of lakes and the island’s long beach as
a backdrop. The northern course is a made more difficult by high cliffs
and combines the best features of British links courses with spectacular
scenery, providing an unrepeatable challenge for golfers.
Host venue to the Madeira Open European Tour event each year
since 1993, this picturesque course is a Robert Trent Jones that
opened in 1991. It offers fantastic panoramic views over the ocean
and is one of the most breathtaking mountain courses in Europe.
Because it is built on very irregular terrain at an altitude of 670
metres above sea level and in an area of profuse vegetation, the
fulfilling of this project required a huge effort in every sense.
Nonetheless, Trent Jones succeeded in giving the 27 holes, (the
third nine-hole loop was opened in October 1998) a logical,
interdependent design. One of the most spectacular holes is hole
number 4 (on the Machico course), a par 3, where the drive to the
green is played over a ravine filled with very dense vegetation.
The whole course provides players with most extraordinary views.
Palheiro Golf
Situated close to the famous gardens of Quinta do Palheiro, which
date back to the beginning of the nineteenth century that are famous
for their wide range of exotic flora, the Palheiro course offers fabulous
views over Funchal bay, the sea and the Ilhas Desertas in the distance.
The par-72 course was designed by the architect Cabell Robinson, a
former assistant of Robert Trent Jones, who had already done work in
Portugal and took care to make the most of the hills, mountain peaks
and deep valleys that are a typical feature of the Madeira landscape, in
order to provide golfers with an exciting and competitive round.
It offers fantastic panoramic
views over the ocean and is one of
the most breathtaking mountain
courses in Europe.
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