Designed
by Sir Nick Faldo with
strategic play in mind this 6,604
meter par–72 championship Algarve golf course demands careful
positioning to score
well.
"The
land at Amendoeira is dramatic and the project has the
potential to be a real talking point in the Algarve. With so many
courses in the region, that’s no mean feat," pointed out Nick
Faldo,
during his visit in 2007.
In
a modern twist of a traditional recipe, cacti and wild herbs replace
the role of Sunningdale’s heather, spartan Holm oaks and ancient
olive
trees take the place of a lush English woodland, and desert scrub
bunkers of crushed limestone replace Berkshire’s sandy tracts in
a golf
course that revels in the classic principles of strategic play.
Nick
said: "This was a very exciting project, which gave me a great
opportunity to exploit my passion for design the same way I exploited
my passion for playing. You have incredible views, beautiful undulating
land and any time you have natural terrain like this, it is great fun
to work with."
"The
real skill is that when you stand on the tee, the golf hole
tells you what to do and if you do what it tells you there is reward
but if you don’t you’re penalized. The back nine quite
hilly, which is
fantastic because we’ve got some great views to complement the
course."
"I
like my courses to be challenging to whoever plays them. There
might be easy holes in some places, but they are a challenge because
you have to think about them, and that is what I am after. The best
compliment you can get in the design business is when players come off
the course and say ’wow, that was a challenge,’ and
that’s just what I
planned at Amendoeira Golf Resort."
|