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Penha Longa - Hotel & Golf Courses
The Hotel
| A stunning hillside
hideaway, reminiscent of a Moorish palace, halfway between the coast
and the mystical hill town of Sintra. The pink edifice of Penha
Longa towers above the pines and olives like a sentinel gazing out
over its awe-inspiring course.
Totally refurbished to the most exacting standards, the Penha Longa
resort is once again ready to welcome you in stylish luxury. The
spacious bedrooms contain every modern convenience, the hotel has
pools, (indoor & outdoor) a choice of restaurants & bars,
tennis courts and health spa; the grounds, rich in history, even
boast their own monastery!
Once locked in the peaceful embrace of Penha Longa it is sometimes
hard to imagine a world outside. |



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The Courses
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Penha
Longa - Atlantic
Architect: Robert Trent Jones Jr.
18 holes: 6290m: par 72.
Hand a tract of virgin bush (and a large budget)
to Mr. Trent Jones and it is not surprising that he has created
another visual masterpiece. Stunning scenes of neatly groomed fairways,
closely cropped bunkers and distant Greens. An absolute must (as
is a buggy).

Penha Longa - Monastery
Architect: Robert Trent Jones Jr.
9 holes: 2588m: par 35.
Running around the ancient Monastery and several
ruins that remaining by the original inhabitants of the land, the
Monastery course is a not very short shorter course. Ideal for a
"loosener" on arrival or a leisurely after lunch nine. |
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Other courses to play in the area
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Oitavos
Architect: Arthur Hills.
18 holes: 6303m: par 71.
On the sandy soils of the Cascais hinterland,
Oitavos is a smouldering beauty, waiting on the rocky coastline
like a Siren to passing golfers. This links style course is undoubtedly
one of the finest courses in Portugal, if not Europe.
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| Praia d’El
Rey
An hour or so to the North of Estoril, a truly
great course with a back nine that is pure links.
The remotness of the location (although there is now accommodation
on site) adds to its wild natural beauty.
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Quinta da Marinha
Architect: Robert Trent Jones Jr.
18 holes: 5845m: par 71. A
classical Portuguese design with intricately shaped bunkers, towering
pines, glimpses of the Atlantic, some generous water hazards and teasingly
borrowed Greens to boot. A reasonably level course for walkers, although
buggies are in good supply. Lovely old-style Clubhouse with a vast
pool and sunny terrace. |
Estoril
Architect: McKenzie Ross. 18
holes: 5313m: par 69. Estoril is another
member of the Portugese “Old School”. A fine course that
swoops through the pine, mimosa and eucalyptus clad hills just behind
Estoril. Twenty times host to the Portugese Open, the course has seen
its fair share of drama. Although now split into two sections by a
road, Estoril retains its peaceful nature and olde worlde charm. |
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Quinta da Beloura
Architect: Rocky Roquemore. 18
holes: 5774m: par 73. A very approachable
course, where pars fours are always reachable in two and par fives
provide some birdie opportunities. This is a fair course that twists
and turns amongst brightly coloured houses that are never intrusive
in your game. All in all, smiles all round in the Clubhouse –
from both players and staff. |
Belas Clube de
Campo Architect: Rocky Roquemore.
18 holes: 6380m: par 72. The
first five holes run through wild open country, then the course takes
on a more “residential” connotation. Length is not paramount
off the Tee: position vital. Quite a few long walks between Greens
and Tees over hilly terrain, however there are plenty of buggies available. |
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Lisbon Sports Club
Architect: Hawtree & Son.
18 holes: 5233m: par 69.
A step back in time to the first Golf Club to
be created in Portugal. As one might imagine, a course of this vintage
is fairly short by today’s standards, but a great fun course,
where the hills and valleys have dictated the layout of these fairly
tightly knit holes. Please note that buggies are not available. |
Other courses to consider:
Aroeira I &
II: two very respectable pine lined courses
away to the South of Lisbon over the Tagus. Troia:
really want to put your game under the microscope?
Then we suggest the long drive and short ferry across the mouth of
the (appropriately named!) Sado: but don’t say we didn’t
warn you... |
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