Go Rustica Holiday apartment in Portugal

Golf

Carvoeiro is the perfect base for a golfing holiday - offering several courses locally. Furthermore, due to it’s position in the center of the Algarve, you have easy access to all of the Algarve’s courses, including the championship courses at Penina, Vila Sol, Quinta do Lago and the highly acclaimed course of San Lorenzo. A new addition to the Algarve’s ever expanding range of first-class golf facilities is the 9-hole executive course at Balaia village in Albufeira.
For golfers visiting the Algarve independently, rather than on pre-paid golf package holidays, the most economical way to play several courses is to buy an Algarve Golf Passport. It costs 40,000 Escudos (approx £125) and contains 5 vouchers which allow you to play 5 rounds of 18 holes on any of the 11 courses that participate in the scheme. Limitations are that you cannot play the same course twice and you cannot transfer usage to another player. The passport is valid for 30 days from the date it is issued.
You can buy the passport at any of the participating courses:- Pinta, Gramacho, Le Meridian Penina, Alto Golf, Pine Cliffs, Salgados, Pinhal, Laguna, Vila Sol, Parque da Floresta, and Palmares.
You can book your Green Fees from here.

CARVOEIRO
Set in an area of undulating land not far from the popular seaside village of Carvoeiro, Pinta and Gramacho are the work of Ronald Fream – a master of course design who pronounced the land to be ‘God given’ for Golf. Fream envisaged the construction of two courses with the minimum of environmental disruption to the land - which enjoys natural rocky outcrops and is scattered with carob, almond and olive trees that are many centuries old. Pinta has a conventional 18 hole layout and Gramacho is unique in Europe with it’s 18 tees, 18 greens and 9 fairways.

The Pinta Golf Course
You can book your Green Fees from here.
PINTA
This is a challenging course for golfers of all standards. Well positioned bunkers and a couple of ornamental lakes serve to enhance the exiting feature provided by nature. The course is highly maintained all year round. The requirement for drive accuracy is accentuated because all the par 4’s and 5’s are dog-legs to some degree or other.

Pro’s Playing Tips
You are introduced to the course via three par 4’s and there is a magnificent par 5 for the fourth. In order to avoid the area of rough on the right and ‘out of bounds’ on the left, you will need and accurate drive to the marker post. The second shot needs to be carefully thought out because it is over land that slopes steeply away downhill, with a bunker at the foot of the hill that comes into play for a full shot. The fairway is also extremely narrow there. The green is well bunkered and lightening fast. The Pinta Golf Course

You will find the fifth to be a great par 3 - both golf-wise and from an aesthetic point of view. Clubbing is a nightmare due to the fact that the green is below the tee. There is a lake to the right and behind and deep bunkers on the left to contend with, as well as the wind waiting to take the shot off line.

The Pinta Golf Course The par 4 thirteenth (336 meters) plays over a lake which has a long bunker located to the far side of it, which in effect adds a further 25 meters. To the right of the water of this slight dog-leg you will find the ‘safe’ tee shot. A good shot will find the putting surface in spite of the sloping lie for the approach because this is compensated by the well-shaped contoured green and protected by two large bunkers.
The last hole is about 581 meters and a par 5. There’s ‘out of bounds’ to the right and rough on the left as well as a very long three shots to the green. Ironically, if you have thought about the third approach shot you will see that the second shot must ‘flirt’ with the trees and bunkers to your left. You may even need a long iron or wood if the wind is against you. The green after that isn’t exactly easy as a par here really is a good score.

GRAMACHO
The conventional 18-hole layout is the only true golf course for many people. Fream created this unique concept, which has only 9 fairways and offers 18 tees and greens but is cunningly designed so that an 18-hole round produces 18 different golf challenges. The Gramacho Golf Course
You can book your Green Fees from here.

A lot of thought and planning went into creating the green positions and protective bunkering. You also enjoy further options and possibilities by varying the tee boxes and pin positions. This ‘sister’ course to Pinta is also highly maintained all year round.

The Gramacho Golf Course Pro’s Playing Tips
The course is more than sufficiently long at 5,919 meters overall and has a par of 72. You really need to play consistently well from the opening shot right up to the final putt in order to produce a good score. Many golfers come away from Gramacho feeling they have played a fine course that is something out of the ordinary.

The opening hole is a downhill drive to a reasonably generous fairway but with a tree-covered outcrop of rock in the middle (so it may be wise to leave the driver in the bag) emphasizes what to expect at Gramacho. You need to think about what you are going to have to play from the landing area in order to subsequently make the green. There’s absolutely no problem if you think you can make the perfect shot – sound familiar?

Club selection is paramount from an uphill lie and approach to a green located well above you. However, you will be repeating this process a second time around on this type of layout with the added pressure of trying to emulate the successful approach shot you may have been fortunate enough to make during the first attempt.
The second is a challenging hole - a par of around 490 metres. You are tempted to aim a little too far left or flirt with danger on the right ‘out of bounds’ area because of some strategically placed lone pines. The second shot places the ball on a generous fairway for the approach shot to the green where you will find bunkers galore! Anything poorly struck or offline will be certain to find them - which in fact applies to all the holes at Gramacho.
The Gramalay Golf Course
Fream has produced a fine challenge for those who do not believe anything other than a ‘full size’ course is worth playing by using his vast experience in creating a masterpiece of golf course design.

VALE DO MILHO
Vale de Milho is an excellent course for beginners, which at the same time gives more experienced golfers a chance to concentrate on their game. Dave Thomas designed the course with the aim of providing a golf facility that did not necessarily require the use of woods. The Vale de Milho Golf Course

Pro’s Playing Tips
Holes range in length from 60 to 164 meters, with attractive water hazards throughout to require players to think carefully about what club to use. Playing out of the sand and putting are suitably emphasized due to the fact that bunkers and greens are virtually the same as on an 18-hole layout. The second hole is a perfect example of the philosophy of the course. There is a large lake to the right with a waterfall coming from the left. This is not much of a problem if you think you can deal with this, however it may be daunting for many golfers who may choose to ‘lay up’ and look only for a bogey or a good chip and putt to make the par.

The fourth is tricky because you play from an elevated tee to a green which is much lower down. Club selection changes from second to second in the mind’s eye due to the visual impairment.
The ninth at 134 meters on the approach to the clubhouse has a fairway that kicks off right and is also relatively narrow. Approach shots and putting can become a very self-conscious activity here with the terrace of the very-active clubhouse extending out above you, together with the green being very well protected by bunkers.
The Vale de Milho Golf Course

For more information on Golf in the Algarve & for details on other courses visit :-

You can also pick up your FREE copy of the 'Algarve Golf Guide' at most Golf Clubs or try the Tourist Information centre in Carvoeiro by the beach front. Published by Vista Ibérica Publicações, LDA. Tel: +351 282 340 660/ fax: +351 282 343 088/ e-mail: vistaiberica@vistaiberica.com
You can book your Green Fees from here.

You can book your Green Fees from here.	PINTA This is a challenging course for golfers of all standards. Well positioned bunkers and a couple of ornamental lakes serve to enhance the exiting feature provided by nature. The course is highly maintained all year round. The requirement for drive accuracy is accentuated because all the par 4’s and 5’s are dog-legs to some degree or other.
Pro’s Playing Tips You are introduced to the course via three par 4’s and there is a magnificent par 5 for the fourth. In order to avoid the area of rough on the right and ‘out of bounds’ on the left, you will need and accurate drive to the marker post. The second shot needs to be carefully thought out because it is over land that slopes steeply away downhill, with a bunker at the foot of the hill that comes into play for a full shot. The fairway is also extremely narrow there. The green is well bunkered and lightening fast.
You will find the fifth to be a great par 3 - both golf-wise and from an aesthetic point of view. Clubbing is a nightmare due to the fact that the green is below the tee. There is a lake to the right and behind and deep bunkers on the left to contend with, as well as the wind waiting to take the shot off line.
	The par 4 thirteenth (336 meters) plays over a lake which has a long bunker located to the far side of it, which in effect adds a further 25 meters. To the right of the water of this slight dog-leg you will find the ‘safe’ tee shot. A good shot will find the putting surface in spite of the sloping lie for the approach because this is compensated by the well-shaped contoured green and protected by two large bunkers. The last hole is about 581 meters and a par 5. There’s ‘out of bounds’ to the right and rough on the left as well as a very long three shots to the green. Ironically, if you have thought about the third approach shot you will see that the second shot must ‘flirt’ with the trees and bunkers to your left. You may even need a long iron or wood if the wind is against you. The green after that isn’t exactly easy as a par here really is a good score.
GRAMACHO The conventional 18-hole layout is the only true golf course for many people. Fream created this unique concept, which has only 9 fairways and offers 18 tees and greens but is cunningly designed so that an 18-hole round produces 18 different golf challenges.	You can book your Green Fees from here.
A lot of thought and planning went into creating the green positions and protective bunkering. You also enjoy further options and possibilities by varying the tee boxes and pin positions. This ‘sister’ course to Pinta is also highly maintained all year round.
	*Pro’s Playing Tips* The course is more than sufficiently long at 5,919 meters overall and has a par of 72. You really need to play consistently well from the opening shot right up to the final putt in order to produce a good score. Many golfers come away from Gramacho feeling they have played a fine course that is something out of the ordinary.
The opening hole is a downhill drive to a reasonably generous fairway but with a tree-covered outcrop of rock in the middle (so it may be wise to leave the driver in the bag) emphasizes what to expect at Gramacho. You need to think about what you are going to have to play from the landing area in order to subsequently make the green. There’s absolutely no problem if you think you can make the perfect shot – sound familiar?
Club selection is paramount from an uphill lie and approach to a green located well above you. However, you will be repeating this process a second time around on this type of layout with the added pressure of trying to emulate the successful approach shot you may have been fortunate enough to make during the first attempt. The second is a challenging hole - a par of around 490 metres. You are tempted to aim a little too far left or flirt with danger on the right ‘out of bounds’ area because of some strategically placed lone pines. The second shot places the ball on a generous fairway for the approach shot to the green where you will find bunkers galore! Anything poorly struck or offline will be certain to find them - which in fact applies to all the holes at Gramacho.
Fream has produced a fine challenge for those who do not believe anything other than a ‘full size’ course is worth playing by using his vast experience in creating a masterpiece of golf course design.
VALE DO MILHO Vale de Milho is an excellent course for beginners, which at the same time gives more experienced golfers a chance to concentrate on their game. Dave Thomas designed the course with the aim of providing a golf facility that did not necessarily require the use of woods.
	*Pro’s Playing Tips* Holes range in length from 60 to 164 meters, with attractive water hazards throughout to require players to think carefully about what club to use. Playing out of the sand and putting are suitably emphasized due to the fact that bunkers and greens are virtually the same as on an 18-hole layout. The second hole is a perfect example of the philosophy of the course. There is a large lake to the right with a waterfall coming from the left. This is not much of a problem if you think you can deal with this, however it may be daunting for many golfers who may choose to ‘lay up’ and look only for a bogey or a good chip and putt to make the par.
The fourth is tricky because you play from an elevated tee to a green which is much lower down. Club selection changes from second to second in the mind’s eye due to the visual impairment. The ninth at 134 meters on the approach to the clubhouse has a fairway that kicks off right and is also relatively narrow. Approach shots and putting can become a very self-conscious activity here with the terrace of the very-active clubhouse extending out above you, together with the green being very well protected by bunkers.
For more information on Golf in the Algarve & for details on other courses visit :- You can also pick up your FREE copy of the 'Algarve Golf Guide' at most Golf Clubs or try the Tourist Information centre in Carvoeiro by the beach front. Published by Vista Ibérica Publicações, LDA. Tel: +351 282 340 660/ fax: +351 282 343 088/ e-mail: vistaiberica@vistaiberica.com You can book your Green Fees from here.