Destination Golf Portugal 2020 * | Page 50

Oitavos Dunes Montado Oitavos Dunes Host to many professional tournament from the European Challenge Tour, Montado has received praise from the best players in Europe. Set in flat terrain, the Montado has been built to the south of Setúbal in a landscape planted with old cork-oaks, young olive-trees, chestnuts and pines, whilst all around it wind a series of creeks and natural lakes. A feature hole at Montado is the scenic thirteenth, a par 4 that affords a fine view of Palmela castle and provides an excellent opportunity for a birdie. Surrounded by the famous muscatel vineyards that were first planted here more than a century ago, the Montado course has already hosted international tournaments, such as the Axa Challenge Tour and the Grand Final of the European Challenge Tour (1997). Oitavos Dunes lies within the Sintra-Cascais Natural Park, only 30 minutes from Lisbon Airport. It is set among pine woods and reforested dunes, in an area of great natural beauty. Being a seaside golf course, the ocean view is present all the time, although some of the more fantastic scenery comes from the Sintra mountains and Cabo da Roca - the Europe’s most western point seen from the holes 9, 10, 11 and 14. The layout has been carefully crafted by the renowned Arthur Hills. The design was to create a 6,303 metre pat-71 course, while maintaining and preserving the unique caracteristics of the land. Oitavos Dunes was the 1st Golf Course in Europe and the 2nd in the Word to be recognized as a Certified Signature Sanctuary - Gold. It is already set as one of the best golf courses in Europe and regularly features in world rankings. A feature hole at Montado is the scenic thirteenth, a par 4 that affords a fine view of Palmela castle and provides an excellent opportunity for a birdie. 48 Ribagolfe I Once described as the ‘Valderrama of Portugal’, Ribagolfe I provides a superb test of golf in a unique and natural setting 40 minutes from Lisbon, with the experience akin to millionaire’s golf with not a house to be seen and each hole sheltered from the view of the others. Set in a beautiful cork oak forest and boasting superb oversized greens, Ribagolfe measures 7,370 yards from the back tees and has hosted the first stage of the European Tour Qualifying School since 2009.