Through a long standing relationship with the Quinta do Lago group, BWD was asked to be a critical part of an overall resort capital improvement initiative. This included a total reconstruction of the aging North Course, which was originally built in 1974.
Following collaborating with ownership to define goals and objectives, BWD designed a project with Paul McGinley to update course infrastructure, enhance playability, and implement sustainable water and turf management solutions for the resort.
With playablity, closure time, and sustainability all as key factors in the redesign, BWD undertook extensive research on the golf course performance, both agronomically and strategically, in order to produce a best plan of action moving into conceptual planning and detailed construction drawings. The result was a playable, yet strategic golf course that features a variety of shot values and has taken into consideration the North Course’s positioning along the Ria Formosa Natural Reserve, a UNESCO recognized natural park, to address and improve the course’s environmental footprint.
The redesign only spanned 10 months and its aggressive time line was made possible by BWD’s responsive design, the assembling of an elite construction team, and allocation of full-time, on-site representatives to oversee construction and design implementation. The North Course redesign was the first project of this caliber to be built within such a short time frame in the history of European golf course construction.
Highly technical in perspective with significant site and environmental constraints and opportunities, the North Course remains a significant success. Beau Welling Design continues to work in collaboration with the Quinta do Lago Resort.
Designed in collaboration with 2014 European Ryder Cup Captain Paul McGinley
PROJECT LOCATION
Algarve, Portugal
SERVICES PROVIDED
Course Redesign
CLIENT
Quinta do Lago
Redesign Results
- “Europe’s Best New Golf Course” by the 2014 World Golf Awards
- Rounds Increased by 15.3%.
- Prior to the renovation, the North Course recorded 21,500 rounds annually. Post redesign, the North Course will now near 25,000.
- High Season Rates Increased by 25.2%.
- Low Season Rates Increased by 26.1%.
- New Mid-Season rate introduced.
- Redesign worked within existing routing.
- Sustainability addressed by reducing irrigated turf, increasing water reuse and recovery, and introducing native areas for the course situated along the Ria Formosa Natural Park.