Destination Golf Portugal 2020 * | Page 51

Lisbon Sports Club Belas Lisbon Sports Club Belas is a unique golf course. The layout is extraordinary, with several fairways and greens set in deep valleys, and it affords unforgettable panoramic scenery to golfers and visitors. The course was designed by the renowned golf course architect Rocky Roquemore. It has five lakes throughout its winding layout, fed by various small and picturesque waterfalls. The course measures 6,380 off the back tees, providing a tough par-72 layout. It demands both skill and tactical play, and is acknowledged both locally and internationally as one of Portugal’s best constructed layouts. The course also boasts a driving range and two practice putting greens. The clubhouse offers all the services necessary for a championship course. Originally Lisbon Sports Club dates back to 1880, when a group of English residents living in the Lisbon area, founded a Sports Club. By 1890 they had built a small six hole golf course in Alges. Then in 1962 the Club moved to Casal de Carregueira, where it remains today situated about 20 km from Cascais and Lisbon. The Martin Hawtree course was inaugurated with nine holes, five more holes were added a few years later and then finally in 1992 its eighteen holes were completed. A 5,278 metre par-69 layout means it is a playable course for all. The narrow fairways lined with beautiful old trees and abundant vegetation blend in perfectly with the natural surroundings. There is a comfortable Club House with its veranda overlooking the magnificent woodland. Pestana Beloura Belavista The verdant foothills of the Sintra Mountains offer a breathtaking backdrop for the Pestana Beloura Golf Course. Here the famous American golf course architect Rocky Roquemore has conceived a course that will stretch both your imagination and ability yet provide an enjoyable challenge to golfers of all levels. Over 40,000 Eucalyptus, Oak, Pine, Magnolia, Palm and other exotic trees and plants have been planted on this gently undulating Par 73, 18 hole course that measures 5,846 metres from the Men’s Tees and 4,952 from the Ladies Tees. Water comes into play on many of the holes as they meander between the various lakes and streams that border the Fairways. The course is irrigated automatically from its own water supplies, guaranteeing crisp lies and holding greens. Belavista is located within the city of Lisbon, so not quite part of the Oeste region. It was the first Municipal golf course in Portugal and was opened to cater for the business man and social golfers would can only manage 2 hours of golf. This is a short and but difficult course as six artificial lakes come into play. This course is also ideal for a golfer that wants to practise their game before taking on a bigger course, as it has a practise range. It has three par-3’s and six par-4’s. 49