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Golf Palmares
The
course is a showpiece for the imagination of Frank Pennink, one of the most
prolific golf course designers in Portugal.
At Palmares, which is close to the beautiful and historic western Algarve
town of Lagos, Pennink has created a course of undeniable beauty and quality.
The reputation of the course - a Par 71 - derives from its skilful use of
two different kinds of landscape, as well as its excellent level of
maintenance.
So, after starting out on a difficult dogleg Par 4 from a high tee, the
golfer soon gets into the links which run behind the beach of Meia Praia, a
great expanse of white sand and high dunes. At hole number six the course
turns back inland in the direction of the clubhouse. From here on, the
player faces just the opposite challenge, with holes designed along curvy
valleys bordered by pine trees, and affording beautiful views over Lagos Bay
and the Monchique mountains. It is a perfect mixture of links and inland
golf. From the veranda of the clubhouse, set between holes 9 and 10, the
view covers 25 km of Atlantic ocean coast.
Directions
Coming from Faro on the A22, turn to Odiáxere / Mexilhoeira ( 10 Km before
Lagos), turn to Odiáxere, and left on the Meia Praia and Golf Course Signs.
Nearest Accommodation:
Hotel Tivoli Lagos,
Porto Dona Maria,
Hotel Marina São Roque. Accommodation Algarve
Nearest Golf Courses:
Penina,
Morgado do Reguengo, Alto Golf
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Pro's Playing Tips
The first hole, a par 4, must be one of the most stunning in the Algarve.
The tee is high up, looking directly out to sea. The fairway drops away
steeply to a green which is tucked away out of sight. It's a slight dog-leg
to the right, a stroke index 4, so you have some sort of an idea of
difficulty. A good drive and thoughtful approach, and there is the chance of
an early par. The next five holes run along at sea level, parallel to the
beach. It is usually the par-5 fifth which upsets the score. You have the
back of the dunes running the entire length to the right side, and pretty
much sandy waste on the left. The fairway is generous enough, but somehow
the sand acts as a magnet for the second and third shots. The green is
concave and if you fire in and run past the flag, somehow the ball never
seems to run back.The tenth is a 165-meter par 3 from an elevated tee to
an elevated green, across the valley. It's never the same shot; there is
always the wind making it look further than it looks. You have a couple of
par 4's then... the twelfth - 400 meters, and the sixteenth that is 418
meters. From the back tee all you can see is the rising ground, A good drive
and you should get to the top where you can see the green. But it's not all
straightforward, because the fairway then drops away to your left. If you
are too far right, you will end up in the figs and olives. The seventeenth,
although only 458 meters and a par 5 is a dog-leg left, pretty well all
downhill. There is a great temptation to fire the second over the fairly
open area of scrub on your left, looking for a certain birdie. Don't. |

Course Data
Architect: Frank Pennink
Opened: 1975
Holes: 18
Par: 71
Length: 5.961 meters
Pro's: Luís Espadinha & José Dias
Requirements: A Handicap Certificate
Facilities: Driving Range, Putting and
Chipping Green, Trolleys, Buggies, Club Hire, Pro-shop, Restaurant, Bar,
Snack bar. |
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Score Card
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|
Hole |
C |
M |
L |
Par |
Stroke |
|
1 |
418 |
403 |
360 |
4 |
4 |
|
2 |
321 |
297 |
242 |
4 |
13 |
|
3 |
287 |
279 |
270 |
4 |
7 |
|
4 |
142 |
133 |
121 |
3 |
15 |
|
5 |
550 |
515 |
457 |
5 |
1 |
|
6 |
344 |
294 |
245 |
4 |
9 |
|
7 |
462 |
450 |
403 |
5 |
11 |
|
8 |
142 |
131 |
119 |
3 |
17 |
|
9 |
317 |
303 |
281 |
4 |
6 |
|
out |
2983 |
2805 |
2498 |
36 |
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|
Hole |
C |
M |
L |
Par |
Stroke |
|
10 |
165 |
156 |
142 |
3 |
14 |
|
11 |
271 |
260 |
252 |
4 |
18 |
|
12 |
400 |
372 |
324 |
4 |
3 |
|
13 |
386 |
364 |
314 |
4 |
8 |
|
14 |
347 |
340 |
324 |
4 |
5 |
|
15 |
212 |
192 |
178 |
3 |
12 |
|
16 |
418 |
370 |
310 |
4 |
2 |
|
17 |
458 |
447 |
384 |
5 |
16 |
|
18 |
321 |
308 |
294 |
4 |
10 |
|
in |
2978 |
2809 |
2522 |
35 |
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|
|
C |
M |
L |
Par |
|
Total |
5961 |
5614 |
5020 |
71 |
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