Hanging a round with sports stars
JOHN THOMPSON
vintage cabin-style cottages.
Our ground-floor apartments, just a short walk from reception, were compact but perfectly adequate and came complete with seriously comfortable beds, a balcony, free superfast wi-fi plus a flatscreen TV carrying international channels including Sky Sports. There’s a gym, spa, Jacuzzi, steam room and sauna, plus a tennis court and complimentary bike hire.
And after the golfing endeavours of the day, that pool and its sunbeds were just too welcoming. Add a ‘dive in’ movie one night (yes, they project films onto a large poolside wall at the Magnolia) and you soon see why a stay here can be as relaxing as it is physically exhilarating.
It’s hassle-free, too. Quinta do
Lago lays on free transfers from the Magnolia Hotel to all guests travelling to its resort facilities.
What’s more, you travel in VIP style. It’s especially helpful for those visiting Quinta’s three truly exceptional golf courses: The North Course, The South Course and Laranjal.
We played Laranjal, lined with orange trees, first, then the North Course, gorgeously framed with pine trees lined up either side of its perfectly manicured fairways and greens. Laranjal, opened in 2009, was named Portugal’s best golf course in 2011.
With its expansive white sand bunkers and blue water lake hazards, it’s easy to see why.
Both top-class courses offer the tourist golfer a chance to score well but they are also testing tracks which will punish mistakes and provide a challenge at any level .
Whether you’re swinging well or badly, both are simply a scenic joy to walk and play.
A short drive away is the Paul McGinley Golf Academy, where you can take a lesson or practice on the finest driving range I’ve ever seen. Spend time too at the superb Taylor Made Performance Centre, being custom fitted by expert technicians with a new club or two to suit your needs.
And when you’re all done? Faro Airport is just a few minutes drive away to get you home quickly and conveniently.
Sport and holidays, eh. Who knew?