When Robert Trent Jones, Jr. set out to design the course at this Portugal golf hotel, he had the breathtaking scenery of Sintra to inspire him. His 27-hole course takes players through the surrounding hills and the resort itself, offering three circuits filled with bold drives, courageous approaches and artful greens. The golf course is among the top 30 in Europe.
The 6,786 yard Atlantic course features many dramatic holes that are cut through the resort’s amazing sloping landscape. The course is divided into two distinct sections, with six holes running through a valley and the remainder straddling the hillside. Penha Longa was the host for the Portuguese Open twice in the mid-1990s, and the Estoril Open in 1999.
The Atlantic Course may be the star attraction at Penha Longa, but its sister, the 9-hole Monastery Course is well worth a game. The layout is less undulating than the Atlantic, and is certainly not as challenging, but the views of the Sintra mountains are awe-inspiring, and are worth the trip alone.
