David McLay Kidd’s design of the Dunas Course at Terras da Comporta in Portugal has officially opened, with the Scottish-born architect hitting the opening tee shot earlier this month.
Kidd started on the layout in 2010, but years of frustration followed until real estate developer Vanguard Properties took over in 2019. Kidd was then able to finish the course about a 90-minute drive south of capital city Lisbon. The Dunas Course is Kidd’s first layout in mainland Europe after having started his career with the original layout at Bandon Dunes Golf Resort in Oregon and having gone on to build dozens of other highly rated courses in the U.S. and around the world.
“It’s been a real rollercoaster of a journey full of ups and downs, but we’ve finally made it and I couldn’t be more excited,” Kidd said in a media release announcing the opening of the Dunas Course. “I’m very proud of what we’ve created here and I firmly believe that there is no other golf venue like this in this part of Europe. I’ve been asked how I would characterize the course and I would say that’s easy, it’s a links course.
“The thing that is really great for me is that this is open to the public and being able to build something like this that’s unique, so natural and is open to all at a reasonable price, is great. I’m hoping that the course will fill with golfers quickly and be a showcase for links golf in southern Europe.”
On the edge of the Sado Estuary Nature Reserve, the layout is situated near the coast and plays over naturally sandy terrain. It will be one of two courses at the development, with Sergio Garcia named as the lead designer for a second course named Torre slated to open in 2025.
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