Penina Sir Henry Cotton Championship Course

Speaking championships, this flagship course at Penina Hotel & Golf Resort has hosted the Portugal Open no less than ten times (1998, 1999, 2000, 2004, and 2006.) since its inception. Other  prestigious events include the Daily Telegraph Seniors’ Match Play event in 2001, the National Finals of the Audi Corp, and major international charity competitions like the Sir Henry Cotton Charity Classic.

The Sir Henry Cotton Championship course measures 6372 yards off the yellow tees and 5621 off the reds. Men require a handicap of 28 to play here, while ladies require a handicap of 36 and it is a par-73 course.

One notable quirk worthy of mention at the Championship is the layout of the par-5 holes. Unusually, there is only one par-5 hole on the front 9, bringing par to 35. The back nine features four par-5 holes, bringing the total to 38. Lower handicappers with distance off the tee must be patient for those birdie opportunities.

Golfers should eliminate any notion that they’ll be in for an easy round here. Water and trees are all expertly placed, presenting golfers with superb risk-reward opportunities at many of the holes. The greens are supremely fast and well-maintained, as one would expect for a championship course. You’re doing well here if you play close to your handicap.

The opening hole at Penina is a challenging dogleg left that leads to a well-protected, narrow green. The following hole, SI 1, is a 438-yard par four with a domed and undulating green that is tucked to the left and guarded by a stream at the front.

The 5th, a shorter par five that plays 493 yards from the back tees, is another hole on the front nine that stands out. The 7th and the 9th, also present their own unique challenges for golfers to navigate.

Sir Henry Cotton Championship Course Signature Hole

There are plenty of holes to choose from here, but the 13th Par-3 gets our vote as the signature hole at the Sir Henry Championship course. This tricky slope back towards the water measures 202 yards off the whites, 180 yards off the yellows, and 161 yards off the reds. Club selection will be crucial here if you don’t want your ball to join the 20,000 others that have landed in the lake beyond over the years.

If you decide to play the Sir Henry Cotton Championship Course and decide to stay at the Penina resort, there are two other golf courses that you can play here. The Penina Resort Course, which offers rounds of both 9 and 18 holes, and the Penina Academy Course, This executive 9-hole course, tailored to the intermediate golfer, winds through the fairways of the Championship Course and is great for a warm-up round before attempting the real deal.