Tee Times

Vila Sol – Saturday 15th October ’11 Weekly Competition. Portugal Masters Week.

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Lots of inspiration abound this week as The Masters set up camp for the fifth time at the Oceanico Victoria golf course. This is Portugal’s premier golfing event and many make their way to Vilamoura to come and watch some of the best names in the business apply their trade. Consequently our 20 places at Vila Sol soon filled up and due to the demand we booked an additional slot at Pinherios Altos to take an additional 10 players.

Vila Sol host to two Portuguese Opens when it first opened was operating at maximum itself. A betterball pairs stableford format was chosen so as to keep the game moving so as and to ensure the last group had enough daylight – which it did with time to spare.

October has been hot for this time of year yet the course looked and played well. The Prime & Challenge nine holes (1-18) are some of the best in the Algarve and it is always a delight to play especially when the Society had secured a preferential rate of just 57.50€ probably another reason it was a popular event!

Thanks once again to Dell for putting on an exceptional spread of food on in the bar– well it was his birthday weekend!

1st: Wyn Hughes (h/c: 19) & Clive Davies Carlos Ferreira (h/c 13): 43pts

2nd: John Gibson (h/c: 13) & Shane Hall (h/c 8): 36pts

Nearest The Pin: Clive Davies

Vale do Lobo Ocean – Saturday 8th October ’11- Weekly Competition

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When we last played Vale Do Lobo Ocean in May the Society said it would return back later in the year. October is ‘high season’ and with the closure of the Oceanico Victoria course for the forthcoming Portuguese Masters it is getting busier on resort.

Situated on the very edge of the coastline with fairways running down to the beach it really is a spectacular course. Remodelling a few years ago has seen the course improve and special note must be made of the 9th hole. Crafted from nothing this new hole is a fabulous addition with its cascading water on the right ready to trap any stray ball to a narrowing double tier green.

Perfect weather greeted the ensemble of 24 players made up of many new players and some faces the Society have not seen for awhile. Pace of play was slow but what better place to enjoy the scenery than the spectacular Ocean course. Individual stableford was the format of play with a Nearest the Pin and a 2’s competition this week though only one was achieved on the day.

1st: Carlos Ferreira (h/c 12): 32pts

2nd: Bob Hill (h/c 18): 28pts

3rd: Shane Hall (h/c 8): 26pts

Nearest The Pin: Carlos Ferreira

2’s club: Carlos Ferreira

Salgados – Saturday 1st October. Weekly Competition.

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Salgados is not your typical Algarvian golf course. It is something different blending links style golf on a flat terrain with adundant lakes cross crossed by hazardous ditches. In fact there are very few holes where water does not feature. Added palm trees now line most fairways giving the course that extra definition that it lacked when it first opened. Its wetland setting is picture postcard material with resting migratory birds and shimmering blue waters against protective golden sand dunes.

Blustery conditions greeted us on arrival and continued for most of the day. Salgados’ exposed position and lack of shelter and ever looming expanses of water makes it one of the toughest courses to play when the wind blows and today was a severe test of ball control and flight. It was wisely decided to play a team format of three players with 2 stableford scores to count on each hole apart from the Par 3’s where all scores counted. At least this way if you were having a bad day you can leave it to your playing partners.. hopefully.

After a wind swept game we returned back to Parkies Bar for some well deserved refreshments and nibbles. Thanks once again to Dell.

Next week we return back to Vale do Lobo Ocean

Winners: Doug Mallett, Annie Hallewell & Simon Turner – 89pts

Nearest The Pin (12th ) – Carlos Ferreira