Quinta do Lago is a golf resort in Almancil, in the Algarve region of southern Portugal. Quinta do Lago comprises one of the three corners of the Golden Triangle of the Algarve's most affluent communities.

Quinta do Lago


An aerial view of the resort
Club information
Quinta do Lago is located in Portugal
Quinta do Lago
Location in Portugal
Coordinates37°02′42″N 8°01′08″W / 37.045°N 8.019°W / 37.045; -8.019
LocationAlgarve, Portugal
Established1974; 50 years ago
TypePrivate
Total holes54
Events hostedPortuguese Open
Websitewww.quintadolago.com
North Course
Designed byRocky Roquemore
William Mitchell
Joseph Lee
Par72
Length6,126 metres
South Course
Designed byWilliam Mitchell
Par72
Length6,488 metres
Laranjal
Designed bySantana da Silva
Par72
Length6,480 metres

The community hosted the Portuguese Open, part of the PGA European Tour, in 1976, 1984–1986, 1988, 1989, 1990, and most recently in 2001.

History

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Quinta do Lago was founded in 1971 by Polish-Brazilian property developer André Jordan, three years after the end of Salazar's rule.

The original 550-hectare site, "Quinta dos Ramalhos" (Ramalhos Estate), contained the ruins of an old farmhouse (today "Casa Velha", having been rebuilt as a restaurant in 1972), a stone pine forest adjacent to both the Ria Formosa and the growing resort of Vale do Lobo which had been founded eight years earlier. Jordan's company, Planal, acquired the property on 20 December 1971. The Pinto de Magalhães family previously owned the large beach-lined estate for over 300 years. Within three years, a bridge to the beach had been built to the beach, the lake was created over the salty sands, and 27 holes of golf designed by architect William F. Mitchell had been completed.

Following the 1974 Carnation revolution, Andre Jordan returned to Brazil, leaving the Portuguese state to manage. In 1974, revolutionary leader Otelo Saraiva de Carvalho presided over the golf courses' inauguration; in 1976, the Portuguese Open was held in Quinta do Lago for the first time.

In 1981, Portuguese politics stabilised, and Quinta do Lago management was returned to Planal, and Jordan returned to Portugal.[1] The Portuguese Open was again held in Quinta do Lago in 1984–86. In 1986, the Four Seasons Country Club opened in the heart of Quinta, followed by the Four Seasons Fairways; neither resort is related to the Canadian Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts group.

In 1987, Jordan sold the resort (i.e. Planal, the holding company) to a consortium of British shareholders headed by Roger Abraham, a former banker at Chase Manhattan Bank, and food entrepreneur David Thompson. By 1989, Abraham had withdrawn, and Thompson headed the resort alone. The Portuguese Open was held in the resort again in 1988-90 and 2001.

In 1998, Planal was acquired by Irish billionaire Denis O'Brien.

Golf courses

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North Course

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Quinta do Lago North Course (meters)
Tee Rating/Slope 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Out 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 In Total
Black M: 72.8 / 133 342 196 523 370 312 334 501 165 369 3112 345 473 372 405 155 376 140 317 445 3028 6140
Gold M: 70.1 / 128 W: 76.1 / 136 321 166 500 349 290 300 482 139 320 2867 325 437 340 380 131 350 113 287 410 2773 5640
Silver M: 66.0 / 119 W: 71.1 / 125 286 132 450 314 265 275 371 112 280 2485 230 381 306 343 122 321 80 258 347 2388 4873
Green M: 64.6 / 116 W: 69.2 / 122 269 123 450 298 242 215 328 92 280 2297 230 381 280 306 88 290 80 258 347 2260 4557
Par 4 3 5 4 4 4 5 3 4 36 4 5 4 4 3 4 3 4 5 36 72
SI 15 11 9 1 5 13 7 17 3 12 10 4 6 16 2 18 14 8

South Course

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Quinta do Lago South Course (meters)
Tee Rating/Slope 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Out 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 In Total
Black M: 73.6 / 138 368 500 387 171 500 348 175 363 355 3167 406 184 460 325 383 196 372 510 413 3249 6416
Gold M: 71.0 / 133 W: 77.5 / 139 332 480 360 138 480 315 155 340 320 2920 375 151 425 285 350 160 322 490 370 2928 5848
Silver M: 67.3 / 125 W: 72.9 / 129 307 415 285 113 435 290 127 307 285 2564 328 112 380 255 318 125 270 402 338 2528 5092
Green M: 66.6 / 124 W: 72.0 / 128 307 415 285 105 435 249 127 307 285 2515 328 112 380 255 276 125 259 354 338 2427 4942
Par 4 5 4 3 5 4 3 4 4 36 4 3 5 4 4 3 4 5 4 36 72
SI 13 7 5 17 1 9 15 3 11 6 16 12 18 2 8 14 4 10

Laranjal Course

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Quinta do Lago Laranjal Course (meters)
Tee Rating/Slope 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Out 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 In Total
Black M: 74.3 / 136 325 210 400 355 402 198 520 210 555 3175 395 335 195 455 390 520 231 333 448 3302 6477
Gold M: 71.1 / 130 W: 77.3 / 142 300 170 375 325 376 174 471 162 492 2845 362 288 152 440 358 478 205 281 425 2989 5834
Silver M: 67.1 / 122 W: 72.4 / 132 247 115 305 285 342 133 424 128 445 2424 325 245 111 393 295 428 147 235 374 2553 4977
Green M: 65.8 / 119 W: 70.8 / 128 210 115 296 285 322 108 404 128 406 2274 300 245 111 370 268 428 117 235 351 2425 4699
Red 210 104 201 201 225 108 301 83 320 1753 222 200 111 282 206 326 117 235 292 1991 3744
Par 4 3 4 4 4 3 5 3 5 35 4 4 3 5 4 5 3 4 5 37 72
SI 15 11 5 9 3 17 1 13 7 6 18 10 16 4 8 2 14 12
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See also

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References

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  1. ^ "'I've lived through half a dozen coups and putsches so I wasn't". Independent.co.uk. 3 August 1996.
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