Quinta do Lago — North Course

Almancil, Algarve · Designed by William Mitchell (1974); redesigned by Beau Welling (2014) · Est. 1974

9.1/10Edge Score

€€€€Green fee

72Par

6,700Yards

18Holes

Why this Edge Score: Quinta do Lago's second championship course was rebuilt by Beau Welling in 2014, with input from Paul McGinley, over William Mitchell's original routing. Immaculate through pine and lakeland, it is a polished complement to its celebrated South-course neighbour.

The North Course is the second of Quinta do Lago's two championship 18s and, since a full redesign by Beau Welling completed in 2014, one of the most admired modern courses in the Algarve. Originally a William Mitchell layout, it was rebuilt to contemporary championship standards with new bunkering, water features and superb paspalum greens.

At par 72 over around 6,400 metres, it winds through the same beautiful umbrella-pine and lakeland country as its famous sister the South Course, but plays a little more open and strategic, with risk-and-reward driving lines and a memorable run of water holes. The conditioning is immaculate, as everything at Quinta do Lago is.

Together with the South, Pinheiros Altos and Laranjal courses nearby, it makes Quinta do Lago one of the most complete and upmarket golf destinations in Europe. It shares the estate’s celebrated Campus practice facility and the restaurants around the Quinta do Lago lake, making a day here as much an occasion as a round.

Holes worth knowing

1The water holes — Welling's redesign brought risk-and-reward lakeland golf, and the run of holes over water is the course's calling card.
2The pine doglegs — through the same umbrella-pine country as the South, but a touch more open, rewarding a bold driving line.

Highlights

Quinta do Lago's second championship course
Full Beau Welling redesign (2014)
Portuguese Open host
Immaculate paspalum greens through pine and lakes

Good to know

→The North was rebuilt from the ground up by Beau Welling in 2014 to championship standard — modern, strategic and immaculately conditioned.
→It is one of four courses at Quinta do Lago (with the South, Laranjal and neighbouring Pinheiros Altos) — a peerless multi-round base.
→The resort's Campus practice facility is among the best in Europe, and the restaurants around the Quinta do Lago lake are excellent.
→It overlooks the Ria Formosa Natural Park — bring binoculars for the flamingos and wading birds on the lagoons.
→Almancil village nearby has some of the Algarve's finest dining; Faro Airport is 20 minutes.