Le Méridien Penina Golf & Resort

4 Night's Bed and Breakfast
4 Rounds of golf on the The Championship Course
£329 pp sharing
Valid to 1/03/2009-10/07/2009 subject to availability

The Championship Course is the masterpiece of Sir Henry Cotton and that by which he wished to be remembered. 'The Penina' as it is reverentially known, was originally laid out on land used from growing rice. Eucalyptus trees are now here in abundance. The course has been carefully upgraded over recent years. If recognition were needed, the decision to hold the Portuguese Open here in 1998 and again in 1999, must surely be enough recognition.

With the opening hole, it's straight to work. It is a testing par 4 dog-leg to the left. The second - stroke index 1 - is 401 metres and there's an 'out of bounds' water hazard running all the way down the left. If you don't get a good, long drive away, you'll be stymied for the approach. The green is domed, undulating, and there's a water hazard in front of it.

There is only one par 5 on the first nine and you really need to have a plan of action here. It seems only 'moderately' long at 431 metres, but a channel which crosses the fairway can come into play from the tee. It's a dog-leg left, but the lake in front of the green - again domed - is a watery home to many a ball confidently struck with the thoughts of a birdie or better. The 'safe route' to the green is across the channel, right, and then over the water at its narrower point. The ninth is a tricky dog-leg left. You really need a drive of some 200 metres or so to have any chance of reaching the green in regulation.

The back nine, by contrast, has four par 5's: ten, eleven, seventeen and eighteen.The twelfth is a fair test, too. It is 389 metres, absolutely straight down a tree -lined fairway. The green is protected by a small lake and if you're not committed to the shot, you may well be in trouble. Of the two par 3's on this nine, the thirteenth has water on the right all the way. It's 197 metres and you'll need a long iron, or possibly a wood. The two par 5 finishing holes are actually not too long and you have a good chance of a birdie at either. <