Santo Estêvão
Aroeira I Aroeira II
Aoeira I is located 20 minutes from Lisbon, to the south of the
River Tagus, Aroeira offers golfers the perfect combination of a
championship course set amidst exuberant natural surroundings.
Frank Pennink designed this course in a pinewood dotted with
wild flowers, which is a nature reserve inhabited by many different
species of birds. Because of its densely wooded nature, the British
press have christened this course the “Lisbon Wentworth”, due
to its similarity with the famous golf course near London. In 1996
and 1997, Aroeira hosted the Portuguese Open on the European
Tour. Make sure not to leave the area before taking some time to
contemplate the vast expanse of sand, sea and sky close to the
course at Costa de Caparica, a beach that lies at the foot of a
fossile reef (a protected natural area). A new course in the Lisbon area, this course has a fairly different
concept of golf from Aroeira I, consisting of large fast greens.
Despite the inviting nature of its greens, the course becomes
increasingly difficult as you work your way around the front nine.
Unlike its older sister course, the new course has bunkers on the
fairways, some of them in the Scottish style of pot bunkers. But
the sand traps are not the only obstacle that have to be taken into
account as the course also have five large lakes, water is a fairly
constant hazard, particularly at the last nine holes.
Santo Estêvão Ribagolfe II
The newest course in the Costa Azul region, Santo Estêvão
opened in 2004 and is set in the fertile rolling landscape of
the Northern Alentejo region. Designed by Donald Steel, the
course plays up to more than 7,000 yards, with well-designed,
strategically-placed bunkers and greens offering a layout that will
challenge golfers of all abilities and the gently undulating land
makes for an easy, pleasant walk. A shorter test than its sibling but still measuring more than 6,800
yards, Ribagolfe II is a great compliment to Ribagolfe I. Blessed with
the same indigenous cork oak canvass, the course designers have
crafted a more forgiving but equally appealing golf course with
wider fairways and landing areas. The huge, moderately contoured
greens, however, provide a stiff test if you’re to score well.