Quinta do Lago South: A Portuguese Open Classic beside Ria Formosa
Designed by William Mitchell in 1974, the South Course is the original championship signature of Quinta do Lago. Its umbrella pines, lakes and wildflowers sit beside the Ria Formosa Natural Park, while a celebrated tournament record gives the course its competitive identity.
Quinta do Lago South is one of the courses that established the Algarve as a serious championship destination. William Mitchell’s design introduced a different standard of greens, tees and bunkering to the region when it opened in 1974. Today the 18-hole, par-72 layout measures around 6,500 metres and sits among umbrella pines, lakes and wildflowers, with the Ria Formosa Natural Park providing the wider landscape.
Pine corridors and lakes beside a protected lagoon landscape
The South Course is the best-known of Quinta do Lago’s championship layouts. Its fairways wind through umbrella pines and open parkland, with lakes and natural vegetation providing both visual calm and strategic boundaries. The course overlooks the Ria Formosa, a protected coastal lagoon system that gives this part of the Algarve a character quite different from the resort developments inland.
Mitchell’s design was notable for the quality of its greens, tees and bunkers, which helped establish a more modern championship standard in the Algarve. The course is not defined by one spectacular landform; instead it uses the rhythm of tree-lined fairways, doglegs and water to create a sequence of different decisions.
A draw on the front nine, a fade around the back-nine lake
Accurate tee shots are essential because doglegs and strategically placed hazards influence the best line into many greens. The front nine moves through parkland and tends to reward a right-to-left ball flight for a right-handed player. The back nine loops around the lake and more often favours a left-to-right shape, making it important to adapt the tee shot to the changing direction of the holes.
The fifteenth is one of the course’s signature challenges: a long par three that asks the player to carry water and find a green surrounded by trees. The eighth and eighteenth also provide demanding tests for lower-handicap players. The course can welcome a range of abilities, but its strongest holes reward commitment to a clear target and precise control of the approach.
Eight Portuguese Opens and a record-setting week in 1989
The South Course has hosted the Portuguese Open eight times. Its most famous edition came in 1989, when Colin Montgomerie secured his first professional title. He finished 24 under par, 11 strokes ahead of the field, and produced a final round of 63 that became part of the course’s tournament lore.
That history gives the South Course an identity beyond its resort setting. It has tested leading European Tour players while remaining a course that visiting golfers can enjoy by choosing a tee position suited to their game. The combination of tournament heritage, water-framed holes and the Ria Formosa landscape makes it a natural centrepiece of a golf stay in the Algarve.
