Elite golf tours

Penina has always been regarded as the pioneering force behind golf in the Algarve. The 18-hole par 73 championship course designed by Sir Henry Cotton was the first in the Algarve and over the years has been chosen for innumerable major competitions and tournaments. The Portuguese Open has been held at Penina five times and the World Amateur Team Championship for the Bisenhower Trophy in 1976. A luxury five star hotel owned by Forte Hotels is the main focal point of the estate which in recent years has been upgraded into the complete golf and leisure resort. The estate consists of a rich, tree-lined 18-hole course and two nine-hole courses. The layout is spread over beautifully lanscaped and wooded terrain with waterways and lakes forming a predominant feature of the design. The par 4 2nd is an outstanding example. There is an out-of-bounds ditch the entire length of the fairway and a water hazard in front of the green. Few players reach the green in two shot. Another challenging hole is the par 5 5th where a long left hand dogleg requires a good drive and then some careful play to overcome the stream that runs through the centre of the fairway up to the green. It is said that one in every five golfers falls foul of the infamous short par 3 13th which winds dogleg around the lake to a tightly guarded green. A dredging operation here in 1986 produced an amazing 20.000 lost balls. To avoid this watery grave a carry of some 190 metres is required. Meticulous play is also called for to achieve a par 3 at the 16th with the final approach to the green once more made difficult by a waterway. The final hole uphill to the hotel with a backdrop of the Monchique Mountains provides a memorable finish.