The
Championship course is the late Sir Henry Cottons masterpiece and
the course by which he wished to be remembered. He was the first
to foresee the high potential for golf in the Algarve. Unlike the
vast majority of Algarve courses, Penina is a flat, parkland type
course, having been built on former rice paddies and scrubland.
Most of the drainage ditches in the paddies were retained and partially
modified into tricky water hazards, but the dramatic change of terrain
was helped by the planting of 250,000 trees which now line most
of the fairways. A few refinements have been made to Cottons original
championship layout and the course has benefited considerably from
the improved drainage installed. Subtle landscaping features have
also been introduced to enhance the visual aspect of the course,
and some of the water hazards have been extended. It is complemented
by two separate 9 - hole courses.