Gramacho Golf Course near Carvoeiro

Here is a helpful hole-by-hole guide to this course written by Rob Cheney. Rob is a leading PGA Pro with extensive knowledge of golf in the Algarve and over 15 years of coaching experience.

1. A relatively wide fairway awaits your opening tee shot from the elevated tee position – just avoid getting stuck behind the cork tree in the middle of the fairway. The second shot is a tougher task playing uphill to a small target.
2. The large tree in the fairway is a good line from the tee. The hole then meanders its way to the right and plays slightly uphill. The green is an unusual shape and is well protected by bunkers. Club selection for your approach to the green is vital.
3. Short Par 4 that plays straight away. No real trouble to note from the tee. There is a choice of two greens on this hole, so make sure you have to correct yardage for your second shot.
4. Downhill Par 3 to a large target. The green slopes strongly from back to front.
5. Longer hitters have a distinct advantage on this hole as they can drive their ball to the top of the hill which offers a significantly easier approach. Shorter hitters will find their tee shots getting stuck on the upslope and realise that reaching this hole in regulation is out of the question. Take your 5 and move on.
6. Gentle Par 5 which dog-legs from right to left. Not a long hole and with very little protection near the green it offers a great birdie opportunity.
7. Another downhill Par 3 with a long green. The pin position here can change the distance on this hole by up to 40m, so make sure you choose the correct club.
8. Short Par 4 which has a 90° dog-leg from right to left. After a straightforward tee shot you’ll be left with a short iron/wedge approach to an elevated green which slope severely from back to front. The longest hitters can try and cut the corner and drive the green in one.
9. Another right to left dog-leg where the tee shot plays slightly downhill. Get you ball to the corner and you’ll have a mid-iron approach to a narrow green.
10. Signature Par 3 hole plays downhill with water protecting the left side of the green. If you bail out to the right you’ll be left with a tricky chip/bunker shot back towards the lake!
11. You need a good drive on this hole to reach the fairway and carry the rough. Once you’ve done that, the second shot is one of the easiest on the course.
12. Long Par 5 that plays uphill most of the way. You’ll need 3 well struck shots to have any chance of reaching this hole in regulation. The approach shot can often be semi-blind if you haven’t move your ball far enough up the fairway.
13. Straightforward downhill tee shot followed by an uphill approach to a green that slopes from back to front.
14. Hit your tee shot at the cork tree in the middle of the fairway. The downhill second shot must avoid the multiple bunkers guarding the green.
15. The forth (and final) downhill Par 3 on the course. This is the longest of the Par 3’s and getting your club selection correct here is vital.
16. A long, straight Par 4 with out of bounds along the left side of this hole. The double-green offers a wide range of possible pin positions which can dramatically affect the difficulty of the hole. This hole is worthy of its stroke index 1 title.
17. Short Par 4 which can play VERY differently depending on which green is in play. After a relatively simple tee shot, you will either turn left and hit over the large lake to the green, or continue straight ahead to a much less protected green.
18. Long Par 5 hole to finish. You drive from an elevated tee box down to a fairly wide fairway. From there, the hole goes uphill quite steeply towards the clubhouse to a raised green heavily surrounded by bunkers. A well struck approach shot will leave you a chance for a good score to finish, otherwise you could be spending your time in a bunkery graveyard.