Designed by acclaimed British golf architect, Donald Steel, to respect the local topography and protect the fauna and flora, Pestana Vila Sol offers a varied game amidst the beauty of undulating fairways, local vegetation and rich wildlife. This 27-hole golf course is comprised of three 9-hole loops, each presenting varying degrees of difficulty and all beginning and ending at the clubhouse. Holes 1-9 of the Prime loop are the most challenging, the long and narrow fairways surrounded by various lakes requiring exacting tee shots. The Challenge loop (holes 10-18) is characterised by its heavily undulating greens while the Prestige loop (holes 19-27) requires increased accuracy to manoeuvre the narrow fairways and natural features that are ingeniously placed to create obstacles along the way. For beginners or those wishing to improve their technique, a golf academy provides a driving range and a practice course with four putting greens and bunkers. Golfers can also perfect their swing with the academy?s Explanar and analyse their performance using video equipment. Since its inception in 1991, Pestana Vila Sol has hosted the PGA European Tour Portuguese Open in 1992 and 1993 and was awarded a ?Green Flag? by the Green Globe Organisation in 1996 for its commitment towards environmental protection.