Vale do Lobo Ocean Course

The Ocean Course is one of two 18-hole championship layouts at the Vale do Lobo resort, alongside the Royal Course. It was created by Sir Henry Cotton, who designed two of the resort's original 9-hole loops, and these were later joined to form the full course you play today. Its undulating fairways run next to a nature reserve before dropping gently towards the Atlantic.

The course

The Ocean plays as a par 73 over 6,122 metres, with three sets of tees on every hole. It rewards golfers who can shape the ball rather than simply hit it straight, and several holes feature blind tee shots, two-tiered greens and well-placed bunkers. The par 5 3rd is rated the hardest hole, with a lake in front of the green that tempts long hitters, while water also comes into play on the 5th and 9th.

The standout stretch comes on the back nine. The par 4 11th climbs to a blind tee shot and then opens up to a heavily bunkered green framed by the sea and the beach. The 14th starts from an elevated tee with a choice between a high approach or a bump-and-run through a basin in front of the green. The par 3 15th runs along the beach, with bunkers short and right and sandy waste and out of bounds to the left. The 17th threads through umbrella pines and cork trees to a large, quick green, and the round finishes on a narrow par 5 that climbs steeply to an elevated two-tiered green.

Practice and coaching

The Golf Academy has two separate areas: an upper area used for beginner instruction and warming up, and a grassed short-game zone with bunkers used both for warm-ups and for lessons with the club professionals. There is also a putting green, and coaching is available from a resident teaching professional.

The Golf Club and facilities

The clubhouse sits in the Parque do Golfe complex at the centre of the resort. Facilities include club, buggy and trolley hire, changing rooms and lockers, and a golf shop run as a branch of Nevada Bob's selling equipment, clothing, shoes and accessories. The same complex houses a fitness centre with a physiotherapist who specialises in golf injuries, the Royal Spa and the resort reception. Spikes Restaurant and Bar, with a terrace over a garden, serves golfers and non-golfers from breakfast into the evening.

Practical points

Tee times can be booked directly with the golf reception by phone or email. A handicap certificate is required, with limits of 28 for men and 36 for ladies, and players are asked to read the club rules before playing. The club also runs annual competitions, including the Foursomes Week pairs event and the Amateur Week, with packages that combine accommodation and golf. The course suits handicapped golfers who enjoy a varied, scenic layout with sea views and some strategic challenge.