The pride of Portugal
Vilamoura offers the perfect combination of luxury, quality and beauty; a must-visit destination for anyone looking for an unforgettable golf holiday in Portugal
Known for its luxurious Marina, beautiful beaches, and championship golf courses, Vilamoura attracts visitors from around the world seeking to enjoy its Mediterranean climate, gastronomy, night life, cultural and sport.
The nearby Dom Pedro Hotels & Golf Collection presents one of the most complete golf resorts in Europe. With five courses, three hotels and many restaurants within less than two miles, Dom Pedro offers an amazing experience as the hot spot on the Portugal golf circuit.
Complimentary golf shuttles between courses and hotels are included and the Dom Pedro Experience package is a renowned product that allows golfers to fully personalise their trip within the various choices for accommodation, courses and restaurants.
WHERE TO PLAY VICTORIA GOLF COURSE
At the time of creation, Dom Pedro Victoria was hailed as the most ambitious golf project Portugal had ever seen.
Designed by Arnold Palmer, there is no doubt that it has lived up to that lofty billing. One of the most challenging courses in Europe, it has hosted many big events, and was the home of the DP World Tour’s Portugal Masters from 2007-2022, with a World Cup there in 2005.
The par-72 Championship layout (7,273 yards from the Palmer tees) incorporates the preservation of natural wetlands on-site, as well as the typical vegetation of carob, olive and almond trees. A significant proportion of Dom Pedro Victoria’s acreage is occupied by water, forming hazards to be avoided but which also have a strategic purpose in providing reservoirs for irrigation.
A number of teeing options on each hole (often as many as six), accompanied by wide but undulating fairways, provide a very fair test of golf, though water and cleverly positioned bunkers pose a constant threat.
THE OLD COURSE
In the heart of Vilamoura lies the ‘Grande Dame’ of Algarve golf, Dom Pedro Old Course. As one of the first layouts in the region, the Frank Pennink design is well regarded. Though it is just a 20-minute drive from Faro Airport, the course sits among impressive pine trees and gently undulating terrain.
A recent modernisation programme preserved the challenge of this magnificent layout for future generations and raised the quality of Dom Pedro Old Course to new heights. An attractive new clubhouse and adjacent putting green were the finishing touches to this renovation.
LAGUNA COURSE
Dom Pedro Laguna Golf Course in Vilamoura has earned a reputation as somewhat unique within the Vilamoura portfolio. While its many water hazards and few trees set it apart, it finds its individuality in the number of holes which convey characteristics of a traditional links layout. American architect Joseph Lee was given the responsibility for setting out the holes over low-lying coastal terrain, so was able to establish 18 holes which offer a wide variety of playing conditions.
The course has been continually improved since the first ball was struck in 1990, though it retains all of the appeal of a modern test of golf, with strategic bunkers and a number of water hazards demanding accuracy.
MILLENNIUM COURSE
Dom Pedro Millennium Golf Course was pivotal in cementing the status of this region as one of Europe’s most popular and best-loved for golf.
Opened in 2000, with nine brand new holes and a refurbished inward half which had previously formed part of the original 27-hole Dom Pedro Laguna Golf Course, this is a more open course than its neighbours, though holes 3-7 wind between
pine trees. For many, this stretch bears a resemblance to fairways of Dom Pedro Old and Dom Pedro Pinhal, where landing areas grow narrower and require greater accuracy. A number of lakes, particularly and interestingly on 17 and 18, enrich the remaining holes.
‘DOM PEDRO VICTORIA WAS HAILED AS THE MOST AMBITIOUS GOLF PROJECT PORTUGAL HAD EVER SEEN’
PINHAL COURSE
Dom Pedro Pinhal opened for play in 1976 and owes its personality to both the original designer, Frank Pennink, who also turned his hand to Dom Pedro Old Course nearby, and Robert Trent Jones Snr, who made a number of significant refinements in 1985.
Traversing undulating parkland, many fairways are lined by pine trees. However, perhaps an even more significant challenge is presented by the umbrella and Atlantic pines which present themselves on fairways and at times on the approach into greens. Length has recently been added on a number of holes, which ensure the test originally envisioned by Pennink is maintained. At a substantial 6,353 metres from the white tee markers, and with a par of 72, Dom Pedro Pinhal is no pushover, though golfers will be pleased to learn that the ponds and stream which come into play on five holes should not, for the most part, present a serious threat.