Els Club Vilamoura will be the first of its kind in Europe
The grand opening of the first Els Club in Europe is almost here. Set to open in mid-July, the four-time major champion Ernie Els – the mastermind behind the brand – believes “destiny” played a part in bringing his prestigious golfing concept to Europe.
Ernie Els at the new Els Club Vilamoura
Els is leading the project alongside DETAILS, the sports and hospitality platform overseeing Vilamoura’s golf assets under the ownership of Arrow Global. He shared: “It has been exciting for us to bring our design philosophy to Portugal, and it’s exactly how we envisaged it. It looks incredible.”
Designed closely with leading architect and senior design associate Greg Letsche, the new Els Club Vilamoura is a meticulously updated version of the former Victoria Course, once renowned on the DP World Tour. Speaking about the transformation, Els said: “People might recognise the setting here, but they won’t recognise this golf course. It’s completely new. Greg and I decided very early on in the process that we were going to reverse the back nine routings and create some new holes… The feedback we’ve had has been overwhelmingly positive.”
The Algarve’s first private-members club is set to open in July – Photo: Jacob Sjoman
To support a course of this calibre, a new elite practice area has also been created, where golfers can prepare for the challenge ahead – including what Els has described as one of the standout holes, the par-5 11th, which measures 560 yards from the tips.
“It looks incredible and strategically I’d say it’s got that perfect balance of risk-reward, with water down the left on your tee shot and a stream nestled against the right-hand side of the green complex. Wind also comes into play here. It’s a great hole.”
“There are a lot of memorable holes that are going to make golfers want to come back again and again.”
Els also spoke about the importance of balance in a course: “You want golfers of all standards to enjoy a golf course. I like to give golfers the opportunity to put the ball in play, so the fairways are generous.
Ernie Els
“The second shots, I like to start playing with you a bit, greens at angles and so forth. I like a certain style of bunker, so you’ll see that at Vilamoura. Golf course design is like your signature; it’s a personal thing.”
With 35 years of experience on various kinds of golf courses and landscapes, Els said: “You develop almost a sixth sense for the little details, the shot values and design touches, which come together in your own designs.”
At a venue with a long history of hosting Portugal Masters events and former champions such as Shane Lowry (2012) and Lee Westwood (2009), Els made sure to prioritise the qualities that make a championship golf course: “Most of the courses in our Ernie Els Design portfolio have hosted events; whether that’s on the PGA Tour, Asian Tour, DP World Tour, or Latin American Tour. We’re proud of that. We are confident The Els Club Vilamoura will follow suit.
“But this is also a golf course for its members and we’ve done everything possible to make sure it’s an incredible experience for them, too.”
With a strong connection to Vilamoura and the world of luxury lifestyle that it offers, Els’ involvement in this project goes beyond golf. “The whole family loves it here. When the kids were small, we would often come down to this area for summer holidays. We’d play some golf in the area, often at Vilamoura… The location is unbelievable, the people are great, very friendly, the food is great, the weather is great. I feel like I’m coming home! Anyone who visits here is going to experience world-class amenities literally every step of the way.”
The new Els Club Vilamoura will join the international portfolio of Els Club venues across the globe, already located in South Africa, Dubai, and Malaysia.
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