O’Connor Junior Golf Course

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 very gentle opening Par 5 with a generously wide fairway to aim at from the tee. Your second shot must navigate the river with which crosses the fairway half way along this hole.
2. A good Par 4 where water is certainly in play. Not a long hole, your tee shot can be played with driver or fairway wood to a fairly wide fairway. The green is set in between a double set of lakes making accuracy with the approach shot vital.
3. A pretty Par 3 with a large lake on the right side of the hole. The hole varies in difficulty depending on which tee you play from, but long is certainly better than short.
4. Another inviting tee shot with a wide fairway to hit driver as far down the hole as you can. The second shot plays to a plateau green and usually requires one more club than you think.
5. Long Par 5 playing uphill and often into the prevailing wind. Avoid the bunkers along the fairway and make sure you club up at least two extra clubs for your approach to allow for the elevation and wind.
6. Downhill Par 3 that plays shorter than the yardage. The right side of the green is open and is the safer play here.
7. Slight dog-leg right Par 4 which offers a wide target from the tee with no fairway bunkers to avoid. Favour the left side as much as you can to offer the best angle into the green which has a lake flanking the right side.
8. Another Par 4 similar to the last hole in terms of its shape and challenges. Slight left-to-right shape which favours a tee shot to the left side of the fairway aiming at the lone bunker in the distance. The water hazard once again protects the right side of this hole all the way up to the green.
9. A strong Par 4 to finish the front nine. The fairway is wide but you will make the hole play much shorter the further to the left you can hit it. Bail out to the right and you won’t be able to reach the green in regulation. Water then protects the rest of the hole on the left side, so the safer play is to the right of the green.
10. A 90 degree dogleg from left to right. The drive must reach the corner to allow full view of the green for the second shot. Long hitters will choose to cut some of the corner off to leave a shorter approach.
11. Par 5 hole where you want to favour the right side slightly from the tee. Your second should then favour the left side to give the best angle of approach to the green.
12. Nice Par 4 with water protecting the right side of the fairway and a small bunker to the left. With the drive safely negotiated you must ensure your second shot is long enough to carry the barranca short of the green.
13. The shortest Par 3 on the course with a large green to aim at. However, the large green has three-tiers so check the pin position and choose your club carefully.
14. Strong Par 4 hole which doglegs from left to right around a large water hazard. The closer you keep your drive to the water, the shorter your second shot. Play the safer route to the left and the second shot becomes much more difficult. There is some room to bail out left of the green if you’re unsure about carrying the water.
15. This hole is split into two by the barranca running the length of the hole. The drive is fairly straightforward before you turn left and cross the river to the green which is situated on its own section of land.
16. Par 5 hole which requires a long tee shot to a generous landing area. The second must negotiate the water on the right and bunkers on the left. the ideal line to approach this green from is the left hand side.
17. Final Par 3 hole which again crosses the water which is a feature of so many holes on this course. A fairly long hole which plays slightly uphill with a two-tiered green requiring at least one extra club than you think.
18. This Par 4 finishing hole dog-legs from right to left and plays uphill to the clubhouse. After a drive that finds the fairway, be prepared to add one or two clubs more for your approach shot. Once at the green, turn back and enjoy the stunning vista looking over the entire golf course.