Vilamoura Millenium course is particularly open, although some holes (the 3rd to the 7th) wind between pine trees and are similar to the neighbouring fairways of the Old Course and Pinhal. In this more wooded area, the fairways are narrower and require greater accuracy - while the rest of the course has a clear landscape enriched by lakes at the 4th, 17th and 18th holes. The opening of Vilamoura Millenium course made Vilamoura one of the main, if not the main european golf destinations for amatuer and proffesional golfers alike.
Refurbishment to the existing nine holes commenced in May 1999 and included the complete rebuilding of the tees, greens and the old nine holes of the original Laguna course. Four of the Milleniums first nine holes are over rolling parkland, the remainder are set between pine trees - such a distinctive feature of this part of the Algarve. Several new design features were incorporated with a view to simplifying the strategy of the course and in order to make it more golfer-friendly. This applies especially to holes 17 and 18, the only ones on this loop with water hazards. This renovated North course has been joined together with the new 9-hole loop to offer a layout of different character, style and playing quality to the remaining Laguna Course. The two nines of the Millennium Course complement each other perfectly. The clubhouse which has also been extended and renovated accommodates players and visitors to both the Laguna and Millennium courses.
The par-4 first rises from the tee in a dog-leg to the right. Long hitters may be tempted to try to carry the encroaching trees which form a barrier on the right side of the fairway. At 300 meters it is not overly long, but there are awkwardly placed bunkers to catch a good drive or a wayward approach shot.
The par 3's - the third and sixth - are a delight, both visually and to play. The sixth offers more of a test. There is a lake on the left and that makes club selection paramount. When a course is visually appealing as this one, it is hard to determine which hole will linger longest in the mind, but the twisting and turning par-4 seventh is a contender. Shadows of trees, mounds and hollows dissecting the fairway conspire to confuse, but a well struck and very accurate drive will set up a comfortable approach to the green.
The second nine opens with a par 4 of 339 meters. An elevated tee afford views inland to the hills. The rolling fairway makes you want to open the shoulders and look for a relaxed, comfortable shot to the generous green. The eleventh - a par 5 - has fairway bunkers and requires accuracy to score well. The par 4 sixteenth invites a drive to the right side of the fairway where there is a strategically placed bunker. Perhaps the most distinctive change in the back nine - the former North Holes - has been the swapping of the par's on the seventeenth and eighteenth. The seventeenth is now a beautifully designed par 4, with subtle undulations in the fairway making the approach distance difficult to judge. The finishing hole, now extended and rating a par 5, tempts the confident player to try for the green in two, setting up an eagle possibility.
Length: Championship: 6176 metres | Mens: 5820 metres | Ladies: 4767 metres | Par: 72
Slope Rating: 125 | Course Rating: 71.9
Requirements: Handicap Certificate. Max: Men - 24, Ladies - 28
Dress Code: Only soft spikes are allowed. Tailored shorts or trousers, Polo shirts, Golf shoes
Facilities: Club House, pro-shop, restaurant, bar, buggy bar on the course, putting-green, driving range.
Local Rules: to be read in conjunction with the FPG golf rules and any temporary local rules.
Out of Bounds: White stakes
Course Signage:
Players with buggies must follow the paths and course signage at all times, 100 and 150 meters distance posts are in meters measured to the front of the green.
Course layout:
Take a tour around the course