Quinta do Lago is one of the best known golf courses in the Algarve, it has hosted numerous PGA events including the Portuguese Open seven times. Quinta do Lago has now been divided into two courses, The Quinta Course (formally B & C the Championship Course) and Ria Formosa, the notorious A & D nines.

The Quinta Course is still the most famous. This course, designed by William Mitchell and inaugurated in 1974, became world known after hosting the Portuguese Open on seven occasions. The course allows the player to approach greens in very different ways.

On the Quinta Course, the first hole is a straight short par 4. But this hole does have a slight drawback, it is right outside the club house with every one watching, making it some what more difficult for the handicap golfer. The third hole is a par 4 measuring 387 meters off the white tees, the tee looks down on an undulating fairway which looks very inviting, but watch out water lurks at the front of this green, hidden from the tee by a rise in the fairway.

After a very pleasant first nine winding its way through the pine clad fairways we move onto the second nine. Lets look at the tough par 4 tenth, 410 metres off the white tees. You have to drive long here to get a good second to the green, but watch out for the bunkers on the left. Your second shot here is more crucial, choose your club well, a large dip in the fairway makes it look shorter that it is, choose well it could mean a difficult chip and run onto a large sloping green. It is time for what is regarded as the most memorable hole on the Quinta course, the fifteenth a 200 metre par 3. This green is surrounded by the famous umbrella pine trees, but first you have to get over the large lake, from the white tee a carry of some 180 meters. The easiest part is the walk over the wooden bridge, time to take in nature at its best.

The next is a relatively easy par 4, time to take breath for the 17th. Yet another watery tee shot, a good hit will set you up but watch out for the right side of the fairway, yes trees. If you hit a bad shot try meditating as you walk to your ball between the lake guarding the 15th and the one you have just encountered, it is still a long way to go. After you have negotiated the lake, trees and bunkers you are looking at a narrow green guarded by bunkers left and right, its OK you have nearly finished. But be assured it would have been a most memorable round of golf, I am sure you will wish to come back.