San Lorenzo Golf Club - Deep Dive
My first experience of San Lorenzo was back in the early 2000’s when it featured, and starred, as part of our golfing itinerary that week. From memory I played poorly and my score ultimately reflected this, but walking off the 18th green I realised that this was a special place, and on the few occasions I’ve been lucky enough to play there since, it has only increased my appreciation for this remarkable course.
At the time of writing there is unfortunately still no new clubhouse in the offing to replace the original which burned down in 2023. A shame? Absolutely – few pleasures in life rival a post-round beer with friends while dissecting the last four hours. However, San Lorenzo isn’t about the clubhouse & facilities, it is all about the course itself. A stunning, challenging, risk-reward course that above all else offers enjoyment in abundance.
Surrounded by the lush pines and millionaire villas of Quinta do Lago, and set within the protected Ria Formosa Nature Park & Estuary, this is a course that offers challenge from the outset. My advice on the 1st is to play this par 5 as a genuine 3 ‘shotter’, walk off the 1st with a par and your round will be off to a good start. 2 par 3’s and 2 par 4’s follow prior to a stretch of golf that brings the estuary into play and provides a wow factor which elevates this into the upper echelon of European golf.
The 8th at San Lorenzo
The 6th is a dogleg par 4 from an elevated tee with the estuary as a backdrop, a stunning risk-reward hole that challenges you to take on the dogleg, and you must take it on! Play this too conservatively and you’ll face a long iron into a narrow well bunkered green, take it on and there’s every chance of a short iron or wedge for you second and a good chance of birdie. The 7th then plays with the water on the right to this short, gorgeous par 4, prior to the par 5 8th, tread carefully! The course then winds inland through the umbrella pines of Quinta, challenging and delighting in equal measure. The water returns for a great finishing stretch of 17 & 18, daring you to be brave and once again rewarding to good shots and punishing the bad. The chances are that you’ll walk off the 18th with a feeling of what could have been, but with a smile on your face having relished the challenge of this understated beauty of a course.
San Lorenzo exemplifies a thinker’s course, one which reveals more of its genius the more times you play there. Selecting the right club off the tee is an essential part of scoring well here, and it’s worth noting that driver is often not the best club. This is a thoughtfully & cleverly designed course which is difficult to overpower, stunning outlooks are framed by the umbrella pines and water, risk-reward challenges are in play throughout your round, superbly conditioned rolling fairways & sublime green complexes await, what’s not to love? Well, apparently, the cart paths. It must be said they are in need of attention—bumpy in places and certainly due for investment. For some, this affects their experience, for me, not in the slightest. In fact, if you're playing in cooler conditions, ditch the buggy and take it all in on foot, give yourself the best chance of fully appreciating what lies ahead.
The 5th at San Lorenzo
The Algarve is a mecca for golf breaks, especially from the UK. Since San Lorenzo was first introduced back in the 80’s there has been significant investment in the region, Quinta do Lago Resort is now a truly impressive complex, Monte Rei Golf & Country Club & Terras da Comporta are more recent introductions that are both due to add sister courses soon to further enhance their already world-class offerings. Yet for me, San Lorenzo stills stands shoulder to shoulder with them, and this is all down to the brilliance of course itself. If you haven’t ticked this one off yet, add it to the list, you won’t regret it.
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The 18th at San Lorenzo