Pinhal Golf Course

Vilamoura is Europe´s premier golfing destination.The five courses at Vilamoura are world renowned for providing quality golf in environmentally friendly surroundings. Darren Clarke described the courses as ´ five jewels in the one crown.´ The courses have recently been acquired Dom Pedro Golf. 

Pinhal Golf Course was opened in 1976 and was the second Vilamoura Course. It was designed by English architect, Frank Pennink (who also designed The Old Course), and was then modified by the famous American architect,Robert Trent Jones in 1985. Many of the holes were made longer to suit the technological advances in the game.

Pinhal is the most challenging of the five courses, many of the holes are long with a variety of dog legs. The course is covered with a variety of pine trees, the front nine playing around the houses that line the fairways; the back nine offering up some more space and views of the sea beyond. There are ponds and streams found on five of the holes but these are supposedly there as decorative features, rather than serious hazards. We proved the theory wrong by losing both our balls in the lake on the 4th.

The Course has an impressive modern clubhouse with a large terrace that overlooks the driving range - perfect for post-match drinks.