Vale Do Lobo … Portugal’s Pioneer Golfing Pleasure.

There’s an old saying that very much applies when it comes to golf – Take time to smell the roses. 

I had first visited Vale do Lobo on the sun-splashed Algarve in 2003 when the course hosted it’s second straight Portuguese Open title and won by Sweden’s Freddie Jacobsson  with a tournament course record 64 that included outward and inward nines of 32 but then on a composite of a mixture of Ocean and Royal holes.

It was then a dozen years before I returned to Vale do Lobo and that was in February last year when I travelled with my Crail Golfing Society colleagues on a trip to the Algarve, and with Vale do Lobo one of some six courses we played that week.

Welcome to Vale do Lobo - Golf on the Algarve at its best.

Welcome to Vale do Lobo – Golf on the Algarve at its best.

However that visit to the Algarve was all about being a member of a team and playing the course in a team environment, and not wanting to lose a match for the sake of the team.

Of course, I delighted in reporting on the day-to-day on-course action and posting photographs of Vale do Lobo’s wonderful Ocean Course and in particular  it’s picture postcard hole – the par three, 15th – that runs adjacent to the golden sands of the Mediterranean shoreline.

However what I did not do was to take time to smell the roses.

Vale do Lobo's Ocean Course and looking into the first hole. (Photo - www.golfbytourmiss.com)

Vale do Lobo’s Ocean Course and looking into the first hole. (Photo – www.golfbytourmiss.com)

However with grateful thanks to Vale do Lobo I was afforded the opportunity to again play the course ahead of this week’s Portugal Masters at nearby Vilamoura.

It was a wonderful afternoon under a near cloudless sky and with the course looking resplendent at every turn. So much so I must have been one of the last off the golf course mere moments after the sun had dipped into the Mediterranean.

On this occasion, Vale do Lobo’s Ocean Course was more than just one picture postcard hole but a whole album full of 18 postcards from the downhill par four opening hole till some three-and-a-half hours later when I found my way  up the steep adjoining final fairway.

Irish-born Eamon Bolger a member of the Island Club in Dublin and also Vale do Lobo.

Irish-born Eamon Bolger a member of the Island Club in Dublin and also Vale do Lobo.

I sat back enjoying a cold beer in the great ambiance of the clubhouse admiring the dozens and dozens of photographs I had taken and some I now used in this feature article.

The round began meeting Irishman Eamon Bolger, a member of the famed Island Club in Dublin and also proudly a member of Vale do Lobo.  Eamon informed me he hadn’t played golf for some time and naturally was a little shy in allowing me to join him fearing he may embarrass himself.

Aerial shot of the 14th and 15th holes on the Ocean Course at Vale do Lobo.

Aerial shot of the 14th and 15th holes on the Ocean Course at Vale do Lobo.

Well it wasn’t long before I was the one being left red-faced as Eamon, who indicated he plays off an 18-handicap, was finding the fairways and greens with great regularity.  There was one hole, the wonderful par four ninth hole, where you hit the ball downhill seeking to land short of a stream that divides the hole in half and prior to playing your second shot to an uphill two-tier green.

There is out-of-bounds staring at you left off the tee and water if you stray too far right. Then in playing your second shot to an uphill green staring at you is a wonderful staircase-like water feature running all the way down the left side of the hole.

Eamon 'gets' me by a few yards down the 9th on the Ocean Course at Vale do Lobo.

Eamon ‘gets’ me by a few yards down the 9th on the Ocean Course at Vale do Lobo.

Eamon had won the eighth hole and stepped-up to the ninth hitting a wonderful struck rescue club that avoided the trees and out-of-bounds left before coming to rest in position A and just yards short of the stream.

I felt a little pressure as I stepped up with my driver in hand but then hitting what was also a decent shot slap bang down the middle of the fairway and managing to draw level with Eamon’s shot.  I made a bit of a mess of my 5-iron second shot but with Eamon sticking with his rescue club and superbly finding the green in regulation. However on closer inspection Eamon’s ball had come to rest right on the edge of the top tier and leaving him with a wretched downhill putt that gave him no chance whatsoever in stopping ball close to the flag.

Vale do Lobo and it's 'starcase-like' water feature at the 9th hole. (Photo - www.golfbytourmiss.com)

Vale do Lobo and it’s ‘starcase-like’ water feature at the 9th hole. (Photo – www.golfbytourmiss.com)

We walked off with very contrasting bogeys but then went back to the spot where Eamon had first putted striving to get the ball close to the flag but after some four attempts not one of us could get the ball within tap-in distance.

As Eamon was late for a dinner engagement we shook hands promising to catch-up at the Portugal Masters while I made my way to the 10th tee.

His company must have inspired me as I then proceeded to par the 10th and 11th holes and along with managing a great par save at 14 from well left of the green.  The remainder of the nine consisted of five bogeys for what was a pretty decent back nine of 21 Stableford points.

An splendid aerial view of some of the back nine holes on the Ocean Course

An splendid aerial view of some of the back nine holes on the Ocean Course

Sitting here now writing this story I can still very much smell the Vale do Lobo roses and will for at least another 12 months when hopefully I may have the opportunity to again tee up on Sir Henry Cotton’s proud designed Portugal golfing pleasure.

So again, a special thank you to Vale do Lobo and to club member Eamon Bolger in allowing me to spend time in his company.

A LITTLE HISTORY OF VALE DO LOBO

Sir Henry Cotton, winner of the 1934, 1937 and 1948 Open Championship, who designed Vale do Lobo.

Sir Henry Cotton, winner of the 1934, 1937 and 1948 Open Championship, who designed Vale do Lobo.

It was in 1965 under Sir Henry Cotton’s guidance that construction of then named ‘Yellow’ and ‘Orange’ named 9-holes began before being opened for play three years later.

At this time, golf was very new to the Algarve but with Vale do Lobo at the forefront of developing the entire culture of golf in the region by way of training caddies, forming new tournaments and encouraging overseas players.

The combination of the quality of the courses, the climate along with the amazing scenery soon made Vale do Lobo a favourite.

A third nine  holes was opened in 1972 a year after the Algarve Open had been staged before the Portuguese Open was held at Vale do Lobo in 1976 while the Portuguese Ladies Open was held in 1985 and 1987.

It was in 1996 when the back nine on the now Ocean Course was open to play followed a year later with the opening of it’s stunning sister – the Royal Course.

The final stage of Vale do Lobo’s present make-up materialised in 1999 with the Euro 1.5m renovation of the front nine holes of the Ocean Course.

The club reports supermodel Claudia Schiffer caused a stir when she appeared at the 2000 Millennium Skins Game which welcomed Colin Montgomerie, Laura Davies, Michael Campbell and Sweden’s Jarmo Sandelin who proudly represented the club while competing on Tour.

More recently Vale do Lobo played host to the 2002 and 2003 Portuguese Open with Swedish golfers winning both after Carl Petersson won the rain-shortened 2002 title.

Monty and Claudia Schiffer with Laura Davies in the background at Vale do Lobo during a Skins match in 2000.

Monty and Claudia Schiffer with Laura Davies in the background at Vale do Lobo during a Skins match in 2000.

VALE DO LOBO – THE OCEAN COURSE 

The Ocean course gets it’s name as a number of holes, and in particular the par 4, 14th and the par 3, 15th, run along or down to the mighty Mediterranean Sea.

The course measures 6137 metres off the white or back tees, 5638 yards off the yellow tees and 5024 from the red or ladies tees.

However the Ocean Course is not your usual four par fives and four par threes layout.

Vale do Lobo - 12th green against setting sun. (Photo - www.golfbytourmiss.com)

Vale do Lobo – 12th green against setting sun. (Photo – www.golfbytourmiss.com)

In fact, the course boasts six par fives – the No. 1 index 3rd hole, the 6th, 8th, downhill 10th, uphill 16th and the uphill 18th.  The longest of the par fives (off the back tees) is the 3rd measuring 497-metres while the shortest is the very short 385-yard eighth but then you have to play the eighth, a Z-shaped uphill test where the key is the placement of your second shot.

There is five par threes including the 5th and 7th holes on the front nine and then the 13th, 15th and 17th on the inward half with the both the 13th and 17th the equal shortest at 144-metres and the 5th at 198-metres just nudging out the ‘picture postcard’ 15th by three metres.

The sun setting over the par four 16th hole on the Ocean Course at Vale do Lobo. (Photo - www.golfbytourmiss.com)

The sun setting over the par four 16th hole on the Ocean Course at Vale do Lobo and close to the end of a wonderful afternoon’s golf. (Photo – www.golfbytourmiss.com)

Of the par fours, the downhill to the shoreline 14th is the shortest while the opening hole, where you stand on probably the highest point of the course staring down at a fairway well below, is the longest at 429 metres that strangely makes the hole 116-metres longer than the shortest par five.

Vale do Lobo’s Ocean Course plays to a par 73.

CONRAD ALGARVE HOTEL – YOUR 5 STAR ALGARVE BASE

www.golfbytourmiss.com highly recommends the Conrad Algarve Hotel as your 5-star base during your Algarve golfing adventure.

The Conrad Algarve is a uniquely styled contemporary luxury hotel, from the guest rooms to the private balconies, from the majestic spa to the five individual restaurants and bars, offering a sophisticated range of fine Portuguese and international cuisine.

conrad3_1

The stunning Conrad Algarve Hotel

With an impressive setting in the exclusive, yet naturally beautiful Quinta do Lago, the Conrad Algarve is located next to the Atlantic Ocean.

Reaching golden, unspoilt Algarve beaches is simple with the dedicated shuttle bus. Many internationally famous golf courses, including Quinta do Lago Sul and Laranjal are on your doorstep, as is the natural park of Ria Formosa.

What a wonderful relaxation setting after a round of golf.

Conrad Algarve – What a wonderful relaxation setting after a round of golf.

With contemporary design and technology flowing through the luxurious accommodation in harmony with beautiful natural surroundings, you will find everything that you require for a great holiday in the Algarve.

And after a day’s golf you will return to find spacious guest rooms and a variety of leisure activities for yourself and your family to enjoy including being rejuvenated in Health Club & Spa, relax in the outdoor swimming pools, while your children enjoy their very own kid’s club.

Conrad Algarve prides itself on personalized service, which is as focused as each detail of our hotel’s design to suit and satisfy your every need.

An aerial view of one of the wonders of the Algarve - the Conrad Algarve.

An aerial view of one of the wonders of the Algarve – the Conrad Algarve.

* Booking contact details:-

*Website – http://www.conradalgarve.com/en/home.html

Address – Estrada da Quinta do Lago, 8135-106 Almancil, Portugal.  Tel: +351-289-350700. Fax: +351-289-350705

* Sales – conradalgarve.sales@conradhotels.com

* Property Management – Joachim Hartl,  joachim.hartl@conradhotels.com



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