Palmares Golf - Lagos/Praia

Overview: Palmares Golf is a coastal 27-hole complex above Lagos Bay and the Alvor Estuary in Portugal's western Algarve. The directory label identifies the Lagos/Praia combination, while the full facility is made up of three linked nines. Lagos blends parkland, lakes and rolling ground before the layout moves toward the coast; Praia is the most links-like loop, with dunes, ocean breeze and broad views. Alvor, the third nine, adds a more parkland character with tree-lined fairways and hillside scenery.

History: The Palmares property was originally established in the 1970s and later transformed through a full redesign by Robert Trent Jones Jr. The redesign used the natural amphitheatre above the bay rather than imposing one uniform style, allowing the three nines to occupy different parts of the landscape. That combination of parkland and seaside golf is now central to the identity of the resort and its Lagos/Praia routing.

Did You Know? The three loops are numbered Alvor 1 to 9, Lagos 10 to 18 and Praia 19 to 27. The operator says that 90 percent of the tee boxes have ocean views, a useful clue to the way the course is experienced even when a hole is inland. Playing different combinations can therefore change the balance between lakes, parkland, dunes and exposed coastal wind.