Destination Golf Portugal 2020 * | Page 42

Monte Rei Monte Rei Vale de Lobo - Royal Course The Monte Rei golf course is set in the picturesque foothills of the Eastern Algarve, with sweeping views of the Serra do Caldeirão mountains to the north and the Atlantic Ocean to the south. The Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Course opened for play in June 2007. This par 72 Championship golf course measuring 6567 metres from the Tournament tees offers a truly unique design; with water coming into play on eleven of the eighteen holes. The golf course’s presentation is highly individual, each hole a design gem blending effortlessly into this natural canvas, from its ingeniously shaped and sculptured bunkers, to the impressive presentation and attention to detail making every hole as remarkable as the next. The Royal Golf Course has rolling fairways set amidst pine trees and beautiful lakes surrounded by wild flowers. Its features include the almost island green of the 9th and the famous 16th, with cliff-top carryover – one of the most celebrated golfing images in the world, which has become the veritable symbol of golf in the Algarve. But there are many other challenges along its length, in particular numerous narrow fairways, bordered by age-old pine forest, which make the Royal a real test of a golfer’s accuracy and concentration. This course was designed by top American golf architect Rocky Roquemore, based on original drawings made by Sir Henry Cotton. Vale de Lobo - Ocean Course Colina Verde The Ocean Golf Course features undulating fairways which run alongside nature reserve, before leading gently down to the shores of the Atlantic. Its emblematic holes are two challenging and spectacular Par 4s, the 11th and the 14th – which treat golfers to some of the most spectacular views in the Algarve – and the Par 3 15th, which runs alongside the beach. Playing to your handicap on The Ocean course is a difficult task, due to the challenging design and distracting beauty that it provides. The 9-hole Executive par 3 golf course is suitable for players of all levels. Straight forward enough to be enjoyable for beginners, but also testing enough for the experienced player wishing to sharpen their iron play and short game. With average playing time of one and a half hours, there is plenty of time if you so wish to take in one of the 18-hole championship courses in the locality the same day. 40