There’s a part of Portugal I’d never seen before, and it felt a world away from the bustling fairways of the Algarve. To get to the new Terras da Comporta resort and the much-anticipated Torre course, Sergio Garcia’s first major design project, you journey approximately an hour and a half south of Lisbon on Portugal's Alentejo coast.
Once you leave the motorway, you feel like you’re in the middle of nowhere, heading down a straight, flat road in the middle of the countryside. As you get closer, endless rice fields stretch as far as the eye can see. I had no idea Portugal was so famous for them, but it was a surprise that set the tone for this evolving golf destination.
We were part of a media group, and were among the first to play the new Torre course ahead of its official opening. Afterwards, we got to chat with designer Sergio Garcia via video link, sharing our thoughts with him and hearing his perspective on his first solo design.
It's no secret that Garcia’s favourite golf course is Valderrama, and he's taken some of its best elements into his design at Torre. While it doesn't have Valderrama’s famously dense trees, the course features small greens, challenging bunkering, dog-leg holes and blind tee shots that add to the variety of the layout.
The first hole is very reminiscent of Valderrama, a downhill par-4 featuring a couple of tall pine trees that you have to negotiate on the approach to the green. At this point, it’s worth mentioning that there are six tees to choose from, allowing you to make this course as much of a risk-and-reward challenge as you like.
There are plenty of natural undulations and sandy waste areas, but what really struck me was the sheer beauty and expanse of the land, which is just incredible. It's certainly not a boring course, thanks to the mix of holes. And the best part is that it's playable for all abilities, which is exactly what Garcia wanted to create. It’s a thoroughly fair and enjoyable test, so there's no fear of coming off the 18th feeling demoralised, you'll want to have another go!
The par-3s at Torre are a highlight, and I'd describe them as some of the most fun and varied holes on the course. It's a deliberate design choice by Garcia to force you to think strategically about your shot and club selection.
Take the 5th hole, for example. It's the shortest of the four par 3s, but its challenge is far from straightforward. The green features a deep swale running through the middle and protected by bunkers, demands a precise shot to avoid a tricky up-and-down.
In complete contrast, the downhill par-3 13th hole, which Garcia highlights as one of his favourite holes, features one of the largest greens on the course. But from the elevated tee, all I could see was a putting surface completely surrounded by bunkers. This leaves absolutely no room for error, and a slightly wayward shot will almost certainly result in you finding the sand, just like I did.
A buggy is a good idea on this course, especially for the climb between the 11th green and 12th tee. This stretch rewards you with a stunning view before you have to think your way around the 12th hole with its narrow fairway and small green with surrounding bunkers.
The round finishes on a high note, as the par-5 18th features a sweeping left-to-right fairway off an elevated tee. I had no option but to take the safer route, but more daring big hitters can take a chance over the sandy waste area to set up a potential eagle.
While a new clubhouse is in the works, a must-visit whether you play Torre or its sister course, Dunas, is the beachside setting of Comporta Cafe. The food and ambiance are fantastic, and it's the perfect way to cap off a great day of golf.
For our stay, we were based at Quinta da Comporta, one of the area’s luxurious boutique hotels. Located on the edge of the Sado Estuary Nature Reserve, it’s a perfect wellness retreat where a rustic aesthetic meets a refined lifestyle. This feeling is everywhere, from the simplistic yet luxuriously decorated bedrooms to the first-class high-beamed restaurant using fresh ingredients from the hotel’s garden.
There was not time to experience the Oryza Spa or the infinity pool, which looks out over the rice fields, but I particularly liked the look of these. It's the kind of place where you feel immediately relaxed and at ease. I'd say it's most suited for couples looking for a tranquil escape rather than large groups of golfers.
As Garcia said about his golf course, “Our goal was to make a golf course that was beautiful, challenging, but at the same time the kind of course that when you finish playing, you can’t wait to come back and play it again.” He’s achieved that and this fast growing destination is doing that too.
