Amarante Golf Course

This course is featured in an article on the site of travelgolf.com written by their staffwriter, Carla Harvey, which is reproduced below:

  "Portugal becomes richer in colour contrasts as you drive north, the greens seem almost black and the soil is a deep bronze. When I reached Amarante, the air was clear and crisp. Part of Amarante’s attractiveness is its hilly nature; a buggy is a must if you intend to enjoy the game. As Joao Silva, Managing Secretary at Soc. Golfe De Amarante, S.A. says, “To get good scores on this course, you have to be in good shape. Very seldom is the level of the ball and your feet the same.” ‘ Hmm,’ I thought, remembering a well-told tale from the previous day. One of the city’s leading entrepreneurs had slid gracefully down to the lake on Amarante’s Number 3, on his heels all the way but never sacrificing his innate sense of style. After he had promised the family fortune to his accompanying son, he was hoisted out by that canny family member aided by the trusty iron that had joined him on his slalom. Number 3 also offers a dogleg to the left, your drive is blind so Joao counsels leaving the drive short so that your second shot may reach the green. Another formidable hole is 6, with trees on both sides of the fairway. When the architect ran out of trees, he put in a dogleg to the right and 11 bunkers on the way to and embracing the green – a daunting Par 4. Additional to hills, the course is characterized by small, undulating greens; honed-up putting will help as it is rare to find yourself in a position to make a straightforward putt. Weekend / Holidays during the high season might require booking; normally it isn’t necessary. Many amateur championships are played here and Amarante is host to the Portuguese National Championship with prize money increasing by one million Escudos a year."