The first 18-hole course to be built in the Algarve, the Sir Henry Cotton Championship Course has played home to the Portuguese Open on ten occasions... and is regarded by many as the finest course in the Algarve and beyond.

Built and laid out by the three times British Open Champion, Sir Henry Cotton, the course is as challenging as it is satisfying... and as unforgiving as it is beautiful.

Flanked by streams, water hazards and precarious ditches, the course boasts an array of subtle slopes and raised greens... well known for catching out even the most careful of golfers.

Unusual Characteristics of a World Famous Course

The course itself is characterised by an unusual grouping of Par 5s, with four of the five arranged together in pairs in the beginning and end of the back nine - producing a Par 38 as opposed to 35.

As you turn home towards the 18th, the magnificent building of the hotel acts as a backdrop to the green and is framed by an amphitheatre of trees - a superb spectator setting.

Drive short of the drainage ditch, position the second shot to avoid the bunkers guarding the putting surface... and take into account the pin position on one of the three tiers - and you could well finish with a highly commendable par.

Of the Par 3s, the most memorable is the 13th - voted one of the best 500 holes in the world. A lake borders the right-hand side, coming into play off the back tee, whilst the sloping green is guarded to the front and left by a pair of dangerous bunkers... great fun and a great challenge.