One of Portugal’s most highly rated golf clubs has joined some of the world’s top venues in the World of Leading Golf (WLG), an organisation committed to preserving the very highest standards in the game.
Set among extensive pine forests and undulating dunes on Portugal’s Silver Coast, with spectacular views over the Atlantic and the Berlengas Islands beyond, Praia d’el Rey is one of the most spectacular courses in Europe and is rated as the continent’s 29th best layout, according to the benchmark Golf World ranking.
The magazine described the Cabell B Robinson-designed course as “wild and wonderful … an assault to the senses”. The course – with its two contrasting nines – celebrates its 20th anniversary next year. The 6,492m, par-72 course is a mixture of seaside links and parkland holes, the deep bunkers, sloping greens and sandy dunes contrasting sharply with the lush fairways, for a complete golfing challenge.
The resort also features a number of private residences, a five-star Marriott hotel, UEFA-standard football pitches and seven tennis courts.
Praia d’el Rey’s golf director, Francisco Cadete, explained: “It’s a great honour for Praia d’el Rey to be linked with WLG. The quality of the golf and services that WLG partners have, will take Praia d’el Rey to a new level.”
Claus Feldt, WLG’s chief executive, welcomed the association’s newest recruit and added: “For the travelling golfer, Praia d’el Rey is a byword for quality both on and off the course. That chimes perfectly with the ethos of WLG, which accepts only the highest quality resorts into its fold. Praia d’el Rey is the third resort to join WLG from Portugal, a country which is one of the leaders in European tourism and which has some of the continent’s best golf courses. And Praia d’el Rey is up there with the best.”
WLG and its member clubs are passionately committed to preserve golf culture, but not only by heeding to such things as rules, dress code and etiquette – they commit to the very highest of quality standards concerning the design and caretaking of golf courses and services, as well as the levels of ambiance and gastronomy.
World of Leading Golf www.world-of-leading-golf.com
Praia d’el Rey www.praia-del-rey.com