The PGAs of Europe’s Annual Congress, International Team Championship (ITC) and Awards Dinner will be staged in Portugal’s Algarve for the third successive year on 20-23 November 2012 as delegates are invited to sample once again the pleasures of one of Europe’s most attractive golfing destinations supported by Associaçäo Turismo do Algarve and the Ryder Cup European Development Trust.
Glenmuir has also announced their continuing support of the event in the on-going collaboration that reflects the Scottish company’s perennial involvement in golf at all levels resulting in another highly successful week of events being guaranteed as theAlgarveshowcases itself with all it has to offer.
And though, the plans are virtually for ‘more of the same’ following a hugely successful event in 2011, there will be differences in terms of a change of both the accommodation for the Congress and venue for the Championship.
This year the action moves a little way along the golden golfing coast from Vilamoura toLagos, another equally attractive tourist location where all the events will take place. Congress and Dinner will be at Hotel Vila Galé Lagos, where delegates will reside for the duration, while the ITC will take place at the nearby Onyria Palmares Beach & Golf Resort, after two years at Vale do Lobo.
“The 2011 edition of our Annual Congress and International Team Championship received rave reviews from all involved and it is fair to say that the fantastic partnership support that we receive from Glenmuir and the Associaçäo Turismo do Algarve has elevated our event to new heights” said Ian Randell, Chief Executive of the PGAs of Europe. “Their on-going commitment coupled with the spectacular new venues fill us with confidence that the delegates and competitors can look forward to another fantastic experience in 2012”.
Situated on theLagosseafront, along the sandy MeiaPraiaBeach and a mere five minutes from Lagos Marina, the Vila Galé Lagos Hotel is a luxury resort, occupying an 85-thousand square meter area. The building faces the ocean and allows for an optimized view from the hotel’s rooms. It is ideally placed for the Congress and its delegates.
The beaches aroundLagosare some of the most beautiful of theAlgarve. This former fishing village has a long history and is nowadays a lively town
Onyria Palmares, inaugurated in June 2011, was re-designed by Robert Trent Jones junior who gave such an insightful talk two years ago at the congress about his design work in the region over the years. The superb golf course, one that is bound to become a ‘must play’ destination as awareness increases, was selected as 26th in this year’s Golf World top 100 European courses.
Located in theBayofLagoswith enchanting land and seascapes, Onyria Palmares has all the features of a links course with some parkland holes attached and attracts rave reviews from all of those who play it…despite its challenging degree of difficulty.
Surrounded by a natural amphitheatre it comprises three nine-hole loops. The first 18 holes opened in 2010 with the other nine following last year and the design work has been described as one of ‘genius’ that combines spectacle with playing subtlety and is said to have already ‘matured nicely’.
The PGAs of Europe www.pgae.com
Image:PGAE Congress returns to theAlgarvefor the third successive year