Celebrate 50 years of golf in the Algarve

The Algarve is marking 50 years of golf in the region and to celebrate, you could have the chance to win 50 green fees for 2017!

From June, all of the Algarve’s top courses will feature specially-commissioned commemorative golden tee markers to celebrate the 50th anniversary since the opening of the sun-drenched region’s first course – Penina – in 1966.

And each visiting golfer will be invited to play their part in marking the milestone by playing from the new golden tees, before getting the chance to register their details on a dedicated website for an opportunity to win 50 green fees.

That will see one lucky winner chosen at random to enjoy free golf as 50 golden green fees will be given away as a fabulous prize to be used on the fantastic courses throughout 2017.

President of the Algarve Tourism Association, Carlos Luis, said: “We are honoured to be able to mark the 50th anniversary of golf in the Algarve and hope golfers will be part of the celebrations with us.

“It’s just another perfect reason for golfers to visit us in 2016 as the Algarve golf industry continues to provide the very best in hospitality, accommodation and golf venues with great value and diversity.”

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Keith Pelley, chief executive of the European Tour, added: “The Algarve continues to be a terrific backdrop for tournament golf, having hosted 35 tournaments on the European Tour and Senior Tour, as well as the Senior Tour Qualifying School since 2001.

“We are proud to have been able to showcase this wonderful region to a worldwide audience and I’m sure it will be another golden year for golf on the Algarve with the 50th anniversary celebrations planned, including the tenth edition of the Portugal Masters at Oceânico Victoria Golf Course in Vilamoura.”

It’s been an amazing period of development for the Algarve since the birth of the game in the region just one month before Bobby Moore led England to their famous World Cup victory at Wembley half a century ago.

Since Henry Cotton paved the way with his debut design and those first shots were struck at Penina, the quality and diversity of the courses on the Algarve have become the envy of the rest of the world.

Record green fee levels were reported with 1.2m rounds played in 2015, with early indications suggesting that 2016 is set to continue on a similar path.

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