Lagos Golf

Espiche – Wednesday 25th April – Pairs Betterball

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The newest course to open in the Algarve, Espiche has been 17 years in the making and opened with a soft launch 15th February ’12. It is located on the north side of Lagos, beyond Boavista and through the town of its own name.

Espiche Golf is a monitored course on an environmental programme linked to the University of the Algarve and various departments within the Algarve’s Commission for Regional Development (CCDRA). The land on which it is built is classified as an Ecological Reserve and made of a geological structure of a karst rock (lime stone) which has a water lens aquifer below it.

Designed by South African golf course architect Peter Sauerman Espiche has been laid down on a hilly terrain thick with natural indigenous undergrowth. The fairways make full use of the natural undulating slopes and hollows and are flanked on occasions on both sides by rough – once in then a shot out is unlikely.

The front nine is more sheltered from the elements with the back nine the harder to play as it climbs to the crest of the hill and into the wind. Wild countryside views all around add to the beauty of the course with natural stone walls cleverly placed within view and in play. Calcada buggy paths take the strain off the course weaving their way from green to tee.
Buggies and electric trolleys are limited so best reserve at time of reservation. There are ample pull trolleys.

The Society assembled at Parkies Cafe for breakfast and set off in good time for a tee off time of 11:30. If you were to take the old EN125 road or the toll road A22 motorway it is going to take the best part of an hour to reach to reach Espiche from Vilamoura. Toll for a small car is around €11.00 return.

Reports had been received that the greens were in poor shape but all 15 players insisted on trying this latest addition to the Algarve. A pairs betterball was chosen as the format of the day – probably a good decision as no one really knew where we were going and the course looked quite challenging!

Facilities are basic with the clubhouse scheduled to be built later in the year so we gathered in Espiche town for post game refreshments and nibbles. Everyone enjoyed the course commenting on its layout and views – many would return again once the greens were sorted. Eight of the group then headed off to Guia for a piri-piri chicken dinner.

1st: David Bowles & Carlos Ferreira: 38pts

2nd: Roland Russell & Bob Walker: 35pts

Nearest The Pin (7th): Bob Walker

Palmares Experience – Friday 25th November’11

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This was another visit to Palmares this year for the complete 27 holes for a return match between the Society and Rod Yates’ Lagos team. Strong turnout with x32 players enabled us to fix eight football matches with the chance to win one point for your team on each of the nine holes – full handicap stableford. This way your pairing were virtually always in the game.

Early start this time at 09.00 so as to ensure we all got round. Thanks again to Rod for arranging the ‘picnic’ of food which was enjoyed out on the course.

We couldn’t have asked for better weather for the time of year – blue skies and sunny with no wind made for truly magnificent playing conditions. We were all clear by 4.30pm to re-assemble at a local beach bar on Meia Praia for the some well deserved liquid refreshment. A delightful meal of piri-piri chicken, grilled fish & salad rounded the day of perfectly. Shame the result was not better for us!

Tee 1
ADY & ANNIE -3 v ALAN & KEN -0
SHANE & CLIVE -2½ v BILLY & ROB -½
TOM & JIM -0 v ROD & PAT -3
TOMMY & DELL -1 v KARL & ROGER -2

Tee10
JIM & MARK -2 v IAN & MICK -1
SIMON & RUSS -2 v JOHN & MORMAN -1
PETER & PETER -0 v KEITH & ANDY -3
JIM & SINCLAIR -0 v MIGUEL & TOM -3

Results: Win to Lagos
Vilamoura 10½ Lagos 13½

Nearest The Pin: Tommy Jensen, Andy Nicholls & Jim Drover

Onyria Palmares Experience – Monday 4th July 2011

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After an 18 month closure Onyria Palmares officially reopened in June 2011. Designer Robert Trent Jones Jr has totally remodelled the course creating a mixture of parkland with links and an additional 9 holes.

It is now a three nine hole loop – Alvor, Lagos and Paria. The ‘Alvor’ takes the player on a parkland journey with the holes sloping upward and then dropping into a valley – it incorporates the signature hole 4th. ‘Lagos’ starts to blend parkland and heathland together accompanied with views over Meia Praia beach to the Atlantic Ocean and Lagos town – truly spectacular!

It is only till you come to the ‘Praia’ loop that you start to recall the old Palmares layout in the dunes. The two short Par 4’s over the railway line are now a 514mts Par 5 and the long Par 5 running parallel to the coast is still there but sculptured to form a massive 548mts Par 5 followed now by a 198mts Par 3 before traversing over the railway line. Once again, it is these holes that experience the full force of the wind rushing off land to the ocean. It plays harder than before, whatever few trees and shelter that were there have gone.

A match was accepted by the Society to take on some players from Lagos; a few of whom were familiar and had played in our Society events before. Each side arrived with 6 players and we were booked to play at 09.30am for the full 27 holes. After a few introductions and a coffee we partnered up and ventured into the unknown. Format was aggregate betterball stableford matchplay. After the’ Alvor’ and ‘Lagos’ 18 holes opponents were switched. Sadly, the Society was squarely beaten 5.5pts to 3.5pts, if only team Ferreira & Hall had won one its games!

Our thanks go to Rod Yates of ‘Algarve Golf Club Hire’ for raising a team and for afterwards for taking us down to a stunning beach bar on Meia Praia for post drink refreshments.

It truly is an experience to play here with such a variety of holes complimented with arguably the best scenery and views of any golf course in Portugal. Let us hope the planned villa construction will not spoil its magnificence. Play it while you can.