Golf in the Algarve has hit new heights as its 50th birthday celebrations gather pace. The party is in full swing at Europe’s number one golf destination, which boasts 43 outstanding golf courses and 130 golden beaches dotted along 200km of stunning coastline.
But it’s not just the party balloons which have taken to the Algarve’s sunny skies, as specially-commissioned drone cameras have been used for the first time to capture some of the world-famous courses from on high.
Filmed using state-of-the-art technology, the new footage will provide some spectacular bird’s eye views of all courses in the region, offering dramatic visuals of some of the finest holes in golf.
The new aerial photography is in keeping with the Algarve’s sky-high visitor numbers, which topped 1.2m in 2015 and is well on course to beat that figure in its golden year after a soaring first half of 2016.
It’s just another part of the festivities taking place throughout the region to mark the 50th anniversary milestone, which dates back to the opening of its first course.
Staff from the golf industry, who play such a vital role in the continued success of the Algarve, gathered at a commemorative event recently, at which many of the unsung heroes – including golf directors, greenkeepers and reception staff – joined together to celebrate the success of golf in the Algarve.
To mark the special year, a brand new website www.visitgolfalgarve50years.com has been launched. It features a potted history of the Algarve with a walk down Memory Lane from its birth as a golf region back in 1966, all the way through the subsequent remarkable growth to the golfer’s paradise it is today. Featuring some fabulous images from down the years, it is also brimming with information on each of the courses.
The website is also the place to enter the Golden Tees Challenge with an opportunity to win 50 green fees at any of the Algarve courses throughout 2017. Golfers can play from the new golden tees until the end of 2016 and can simply sign up for the chance to win free rounds of golf on the outstanding courses as the Algarve gives away a generous birthday gift.
Maria Manuel Delgado e Silva, ATA golf product manager, said: “We love a party in the Algarve, and to celebrate our special 50th birthday with so many friends and colleagues from our golf industry was a truly memorable experience, and we thank them all personally for their contribution in making the Algarve Europe’s leading golf destination.
“Our new drone photography and videos will provide golf lovers with a whole new perspective on our wonderful courses and their stunning surroundings and, we hope, lead to more golfers than ever choosing the Algarve for their next golf holiday.”
The golden celebrations will continue throughout 2016 and the top players from throughout European golf will add even more glamour to the party guest list when they are welcomed in October for the 10th edition of the Portugal Masters.