Launched in 2023, The Dunas Course at Terras da Comporta has quickly become of the most talked-about new golf courses in world golf. With the luxury development one hour south of Lisbon set to unveil a second 18-hole championship layout – The Torre Course – this summer, we caught up with golf general manager Rodrigo Ulrich to discuss the first few years at Terras da Comporta, the Torre Course and the plans for the future.
GBN: It’s been two years now since you launched The Dunas Course. What are your reflections on what has happened since the course opened?
Rodrigo Ulrich: We have come a long way in a relatively short space of time, and a lot of that is down to the customer experience that we offer to all our golfers. When we opened, it was our aim to set a new level for the standards of service that golfers receive, and we saw it as a huge opportunity for golf in Portugal. Therefore, we decided, even before the course was ready, to only hire staff – except for management – with zero golf experience.
I reached out to my golf contacts all over the world for guidance in order to set the correct standard operating procedures, as it was essential for there to be no separation between golf operations and maintenance and to have everyone focused on the client.
Now we have a consolidated team that is really focused on client exceeding clients’ expectations and that really celebrates the amazing feedback we have been having. A key driving force for us is that yesterday’s feedback doesn’t mean a thing the next day because they are new clientele with new expectations demanding our full attention. The team has worked incredibly hard to achieve everything that we have accomplished so far and that gives me an enormous sense of pride.
Members of the golf industry and those that have played the course seem to be in agreement that it is a layout that deserves the accolades it has already received. What makes it so good?
David McLay Kidd has designed an amazing golf course and he deserves huge credit for what he has created. This was his first golf course design project in mainland Europe and he has certainly not disappointed with what he has come up. It was an incredible piece of land that he was given and he has taken full advantage of the terrain to create a course that you want to play again and again, and a collection of holes that can be played in so many different ways.
What are the key things that people can expect when they play golf at Terras da Comporta?
We’re privileged to have an amazing course and it’s our job to provide an even better service, from the moment that a person arrives to the point that they leave. Providing a great golf course and outstanding customer service all equate to a great day’s golf, and this all starts with the incredible atmosphere and closeness that we have in our team. We do not sell golf rounds, we believe in providing an experience where golf is one of the components, and our clients really feel that when they visit.
What’s it been like working with David McLay-Kidd, one of the foremost architects in world golf course design and what are the key things that you’ve learned from him?
There are too many things to mention everything, but I can give you an example of a few. I’ve been lucky enough to visit some of his courses in the US, including Bandon Dunes and Gamble Sands, over the last few years and that experience has been priceless. Knowing that he always has time for me to pass on his vast golf course knowledge is just unbelievable and I have a debt of gratitude that I will never be able to repay.
Can you explain a little bit about the challenges and difficulties that you have faced since you opened The Dunas Course and how you have overcome them?
Operating a links-style golf course in the warmest part of Portugal which features fescue grass playing surfaces is almost unheard of and it has had its challenges. We have overcome them, though, by having a motivated greenkeeping team who are determined to present a course in outstanding condition, and by Terras da Comporta’s owners, Vanguard Properties, who have allowed us to consult with the very best in the agronomy industry so that the team can be educated in the latest and best greenkeeping practices.
Sustainability is a main topic of concern in any new golf course that opens nowadays. How have you addressed that at Terras da Comporta and how have the golf courses been received by the local population?
It has been our aim from the start to create the most sustainable resort in Europe. Irrigating a golf course is a big issue in Portugal and we take water usage very seriously, to the extent that we have a dedicated team of engineers that monitor the humidity levels around the estate so that we only irrigate when it is absolutely needed. This is all based on having access to state-of-the-art science and technology and we are lucky that our management encourages us to invest in the latest green technology, even if it is very expensive.
Having launched The Dunas Course, you’re opening your second championship layout in the next few weeks. What are the main characteristics of The Torre Course and how will it complement the golf experience that you already offer?
The Torre Course is completely different in nature to The Dunas Course and has been created so that Terras da Comporta can provide two outstanding but very different golf experiences that complement each other. Sergio Garcia has done an incredible job with the design but, unlike Dunas, it is a Bermuda grass golf course with very small greens. Having been built to USGA specifications, these will lend themselves very well to the course hosting a professional tournament in the future if that is a route that we decide to go down.
I believe it’s Sergio Garcia’s first golf course design project where he has had overall control. What has it been like working with him and how involved has he been in the project?
Sergio has been a pleasure to work with and the communication between him and his team has been unbelievable. He has been super focused and professional throughout, and he has tried to visit the site as much as he can throughout the whole design process. There is a lot of Sergio Garcia in the layout and people who are familiar with Valderrama will see a lot of similarities between there and Torre, as that is his favourite course in the world and he used it as inspiration for what he has created here.
How will The Torre Course help to raise the profile of Terras da Comporta as a golf destination?
With the opening of The Torre Course, we will now be able to offer golfers two world-class 18-hole experiences, each one very different and complemented by first-class practice facilities and the same levels of service. As well as being able stage high-profile tournaments, Torre will also boast outstanding practice amenities which will make it an ideal venue for teaching groups, while the venue is also set to feature a Sergio Garcia Golf Academy – the first one of its kind in Portugal.
In addition to golf, a lot of other amenities are planned for the future at Terras da Comporta, including real estate, sports facilities, retail outlets, a school and hospital and a number of luxury hotels. Can you give us an update on these and when they’re likely to open?
I can’t tell you any more at this stage, but what I can say is that we will have big news before September!
For more details, visit www.comporta.com