Inaugurated by the Portuguese President in 1966, this was the first golf course to be built in the Algarve.

Once a rice-field, the course was rebuilt by Cotton, who used the drainage ditches of the rice-field to define fairways. There are numerous trees planted there, diving fairways and defining greens.

Daily Telegraph Senior’s Match play event (2000/1), the National Finals and the Audi Corp, major International and Charity competitions, such as the Sir Henry Cotton Team Trophy and Sir Henry Cotton Charity Classic (in November and May, respectively), and the Portuguese Algarve Open (1998/99/2000 and 2004).

This course has numerous bunkers. The course features several lakes, wide greens and a vast tee area. The first hole is rather difficult as it is a 411-metre par 4 has a 35-metre deep green. The most memorable is the 13th hole, which was voted one of the best 500 holes in the World.