PORTUGAL

Where to play (1)

- North of Tagus (Lisbon Coast)
On the northern bank of the Tagus river, there are a dozen courses some of them being famous like Estoril or Penha Longa, ranked in the best in Europe, while new courses such as Aroeira, Troia or the last one, the Western farmost Otaivos pretend to the first places.

- at Belas
Lisbon Sports Club is historically the eldest club created around 1880 by English residents but it was only in 1964 that it settled in Belas at 20 km from Lisbon. It is a very short course of 4618 meters with only 3 par-5 but 6 par-3 the first hole being one of the most tricky of those six. Belas Clube de Campo, located just in front of the Lisbon Sports Club, is a new style course designed by William Rocky Roquemore.
Open in 1997, the Belas Resort course has been designed uneven lands of the plateau with wonderful views to the Palàcio da Pena on the Sintra hills. This championship par-72 is a challenging one with narrow fairways and little rapid greens. The course is part of a 462 ha residential complex and two holes can be highlighted for their beauty and difficulty : the #2 called "Augusta" (in honour of the well known 13th where the green is sloping to the water) and the #18 named the Grand Hole for its length but the #17 is an interesting par-3, moreover when windy, due to his elevated tee boxes and its sort of island green… The clubhouse deserves a visit for its modern, but elegant coloured decoration. Through the bow window, magnificent view over the verdant landscape with the Pena Palace at the horizon.

- at Cascais
Otaivos Golfe at Quinta da Marinha, open in 2001, is already considered as one of the best courses in Europe. Located at the farmost Western end of Europe’s continent near the Cabo da Roca, it is the first “Audubon International Gold Signature” in Europe which means that it enhances the environment and develops the flora and fauna of this exceptional preserved area. They are a lot of species of birds nestling in the rock and moors where broom, cyst, kermes, origan, thyme and other herbs give off their wild fragrances in the Atlantic winds. The designer Arthur Hills said “our goal was to create one of the finest golf experiences in Europe”. It is! Similar to Scotland ‘s links, it has nine hole out and nine in. So that the 9th has the Westernmost far green on the European continent nearby the Cabo da Roca. Sea and Sintra mountain can be seen from every hole and it is as windy as it can be on a links facing the Atlantic ocean but, this one is yearlong playable due to the local moderate climate. Arnold Palmer who played it recently said “it has been an exceptional golf experience for me and I wish every golfer will enjoy it as I did”.
Quinta da Marinha is also the name of another golf course designed by Robert Trent Jones in 1984 on the same ancient estate near the hotel which is linked to. It has 5 par-5 and 6 par-3 but the signature is the 13th sloping down to the green with a fantastic view to the Atlantic ocean. Some of the residents of the private estate are Portuguese “people” so that the access to the course for non members is mainly limited to hotel customers.

The Lisbon Sport Golf Club is the oldest in Portugal

Belas holes 17 & 18


Otaivos 13th

and 7th.

Quinta da Marinha 18th and hotel

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