Ria Formosa Golf Course

Hole 1
The Tee Shot requires precision, long hitters can attempt to carry the trees on the corner of the dogleg, but for others down the right half of the fairways are ideal. The second must be flown over bunkers at the front left and right. Anything slightly long will kick down a slope off the green. The green slopes predominately from front to back and left to right.

Hole 2
The Tee shot introduces this excellent par 3 by peering downhill into a prevailing wind. A well-struck shot is required to fly the trap at the front right of the green. Another bunker on the left catches the player who tries to bounce in off the left to right slope near the green. The green itself is a fairly large bowl shaped surface.

Hole 3
This excellent hole brings a challenge to every player, the perfect tee shot finishes just left and past the bunkers, leaving a straightforward second. It is difficult to hit this elevated green in two but a well placed second shot avoiding the trees on the left leaves a short pitch to a green protected front left and right by bunkers. Finally the fairly large green comes with a severe slope from back left to front right.

Hole 4
This hole also has a left to right slope at the landing area. The ideal line is the left centre of the fairway. The second is to a long green with bunkers left and right of it. The shot plays slightly longer than it looks. The main slopes are form the centre to the front and from the right edge to the middle.

Hole 5
A slightly uphill tee shot with a very well placed trap at the corner of the right to left dogleg. Trees on the right catch the player who dislikes the look of the sand on the left. The uphill second is much longer than it looks, bunker at the front left and right catch those who under club. A very long green predominantly sloping from back to front and right to left.

Hole 6
A great example of a short, yet testing, par 4. The drive must be struck between a cluster of fairway bunkers on the left and pines on the right. The fall of the fairways is left to right, many do not use the driver here. The second shot needs to be carefully judged to avoid the bunkers at the front and back of the green. A safe entrance is on offer on the left side, which then leaves a testing putt. A gently undulating green with a few significant slopes.

Hole 7
The drive across a shallow depression, with the beautiful Loule hills as a backdrop, is an ever-narrowing gap the further you hit. Bunkers left and right at driving distance place the premium on accuracy. Bunkers left and right, slightly downhill, again threaten the second shot. This will leave a third shot, uphill, to a long well protected green. Three accurate shots are necessary to reach this green. The green is generally hilly from back to front.

Hole 8
A downhill par 3, against the prevailing wind. The green is raised slightly above the level of the fairway and is surrounded by bunkers. A small and relatively flat green.

Hole 9
A testing par 4, usually against the wind, the drive must be elevated to reach the fairway and avoid the bunkers on the left, and trees on the right. The second shot usually from an uphill lie is to a green protected by a bunker back left. Anything short should bounce onto the green. A tier runs the centre of the green that slopes from back to front.

Hole 10
A friendly tee shot with bunkers to the right at driving distance and a right to left slope on the fairway. The ideal line is right centre. A deep bunker at the front of the green, another on the left and a bank on the right, make a high soft approach a must. The main slope is from back to front with a small tier in the centre of the green.

Hole 11
Driving through a winding, picturesque avenue of pines this is a fine par 5, just in range of two long, well placed shots. Bunkers left and right make accuracy a must on the drive. A generous fairway offers plenty of room for the second shot, but clusters of bunkers left and right catch the wayward strike. A pitch onto the green has to be precise to avoid the bunkers front left and rear. The green is relatively flat with a tier running across at an angle.

Hole 12
A spectacular hole with a three-acre lake around the left hand side of this 90-degree dogleg. The line is just inside the bunker on the right edge of the fairway. The second shot is intimidated by the water hazard on the left and la large trap, along the right of the green. Aqua phobia often makes the unwary over hit the second. Slopes from the back to the edge of the lake.

Hole 13
A driver of over 200 metres is needed to see the bottom of the flag on this testing driving hole. A fairway bunker encroaches on the right a driving distance. The second shot is usually longer than it looks and a trap on the left and banking to the right make it one of the harder greens to hit. A long flat green, which falls away at the very front.

Hole 14
Played from an elevated tee, the hole is exposed to the right prevailing right to left wind. Bunkers left and right, and banks front and rear, make this a very good test wherever the flag is positioned. Kidney shaped with a slight tier across the centre it predominately slopes from back to front.

Hole 15
A 90-degree left to right dogleg, which does not always require a driver from the tee. A bunker centre left, at the corner of the dogleg, catches the over hit drive. The second uphill to an elevated green with a trap on the right is, again slightly further than the players sees. A large green sloping from right to left.

Hole 16
This slightly downhill par 3 is played into the prevailing wind. The green is set into a bank and many balls will roll onto the green from left, right and rear. Take plenty of club. Slopes predominately front to back.

Hole 17
A dogleg left that again demands a precise tee shot. Many hitting a drive slightly right end up in semi rough. Those going too far left can catch a bunker or roll over the bank left of the fairway into an amphitheatre of pine trees. The second to a green-bunkered left and right needs to be well elevated and, woe betide the player who is long or left. Fairly large green, the principal slope is from back to front.

Hole 18
Again a demanding drive, this time across a lake, which is a 180-metre carry from the championship tee. The fairway, sloping right to left, can lure the player into the left-hand fairway traps at the point of the right hand dogleg. Only the very long will be able to carry onto the green in two. Most will be left with a pitch up a steep bank to a double tiered green. The large green slopes severely from back to front down a tier.

Certainly the stand out holes that you will remember playing for a very long time are the long 10th and the picturesque 12th.

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