Going for Golf

Vidago Palace

If you’re looking for something a little bit different on your next golfing holiday, then a place in the hills of Portugal called Vidago Palace Hotel may just be the place for you.

The vast old pink hotel was originally built as the Belle Époque Palace for King Manuel II; but as luck would have it for today’s travelling golfer, he was dethroned in 1910 and forced to flee to England the day before he was set to move in. What he left behind was a gem of a building and gardens that were crying out to be turned into a golf course. That’s just what happened in 1936 when architect Mackenzie Ross got the nod to design nine challenging holes for the Palace Hotel in the Vidago valley.

Until last summer, the hotel had kept the original nine-hole layout, but four years ago the hotel was closed to undergo head-to-toe renovation. It was then decided the quaint nine-hole course should be upgraded to a monstrous 18-hole delight that would take over much of the valley. Specialist Mackenzie Ross architects’ Cameron and Powell took on the job and have done remarkably well... including the 109 bunkers they’ve viciously peppered around the course. What they’ve created is a 6,875-yard, par-72 pleasure. The relatively flat front nine contrasts an extremely hilly back nine, with many elevated tees – built using local stone – and raised greens. The new designers have kept the layout of the first three holes the same – long, narrow and straight – barring the odd bit of foliage here and there. The remaining six of the outward nine are long toughies, which will prove tricky for the less precise driver.

The new part of the course begins at the fifth hole, but it’s the mountainous backdrop behind the seventh green which will take your breath away. And get ready to come crashing back to reality when you see the equally mountainous bunkers protecting it.

The backdrop to the seventh gives you a glimpse of what to expect on the back nine. I suggest to any golfing purists out there who don’t believe in buggies, that you should bring rambling gear for the 14th. That’s how steep the incline is from tee to green! The hole is a slightly dog-legged, 334-yard par-four that is given a stroke index of only 17, but you can very easily find yourself in trouble with the extremely tall trees if you don’t find the fairway with your tee shot. To be on the safe side, clubbing up once or even twice is suggested – overshooting the green will not be an issue.

The course saves its best for the final slog with two stunning par-fives at 15 and 17. The 15th provides a forgiving fairway from the tee, but for the average hitter it then requires trusting the accuracy of the course guide as the hills on the fairway are so big that two blind shots in a row are required to reach the green. The 17th has been named the Eagles Nest. And for good reason too, as you’re pretty much at the top of the Vidago when you tee off. The stunning views do their best to put you off, but again, the fairway is relatively forgiving, so get your drive roughly on target and let gravity do the work.

For those partial to a cold beer after they finish swinging, fear not. The hotel has what can only be described as a Bavarian-style dining room/beer hall with a terrace to match. Trees offer plenty of shade for the hot summer months and the views of the palace and Vidago valley are more than enough to take your mind off one or two bad shots. If beer is not your thing and you like winding down in another way, then the hotel’s fantastic spa will be right up your street. It has a sauna, steam room, ice shower, indoor/outdoor pools, 20 treatment rooms and water-based massages a plenty. Combining the two may not be advisable...

Staying in the five-star old palace itself is as recommended as the golf course itself. On offer are 70 attractive rooms, an excellent restaurant with a wine list almost as long as the course, wine tasting and a feeling that poor King Manuel II missed out on something rather good.