The Pinheiros Altos Golf Course is located in one of the crown jewels of the Algarve, Quinta do Lago, close to Faro and the airport. The Pinheiros Altos Golf Course also borders the Rio Formosa Natural Park, which provides a haven for rare nesting and migrating birds.
The Pinheiros Altos Golf Course is known for providing an exciting challenge due to its well-placed hazards, offering an original design and layout. The golf course is made up of a combination of three nine holes, named after the trees of Portugal: Olives, Pines and Corks.
The original 18-hole course of Pinheiros Altos, designed by architect Ronald Fream, provides a nice contrast between the nines. Jorge Santana da Silva, a disciple of Robert Trent Jones, was selected to design the third loop of nine holes. All three loops start and end conveniently near the clubhouse area.
The Pines (red course) is named after the abundance of pine trees which characterise the golf course. The Pines' signature hole is the 9th, a beautiful Par 3 over a valley to a split-level green.
The Corks (yellow course) is the longest of the three nine holes and is generally considered the most demanding. Like the Pines, it offers a mixture of the original front nine and new holes with spectacular views over the valley to the hills beyond. The 1st tee shot when playing this golf course is one of the most demanding in the Algarve, but the view makes up for it.
The Olives (Blue course) was the original back 9, and is unchanged since the island green 8th hole was constructed in 1995. This has become the signature hole of Pinheiros Altos and is a must play when visiting the Algarve.