Quinta do Lago, one of Europe’s leading golf and leisure destinations, has lined up a fun-packed summer for kids with a series of thrilling junior camps for all those budding Rory McIlroys and Charley Hulls.
The prestigious resort, which is situated just 15 minutes from Faro airport in the sun-kissed Algarve, has a proud history for its dedication to developing young golfers – having hosted both the Telegraph Vitality Junior Golf Championship and the Paul McGinley Junior Cup for the last five years.
Quinta do Lago’s junior programmes, which are tailor-made for boys and girls in two age sections - from three to five and six to 15 – are designed to be engaging and exciting, ensuring youngsters enjoy playing golf while also improving their skills.
The camps, which take place at the Paul McGinley Academy, run Monday to Friday from June 25 to August 31, with the games-based teaching using the innovative SNAG learning equipment for Tiny Tees – for three to five-year-olds – from 9:30am to 10am costing just €75 per week or €20 per day.
For players who have yet to discover golf, there is a ‘Rookies’ course for youngsters aged six to 15 that teaches the basics, costing €200 per week for one child or €185 each if there is more than one sibling, while one day is just €50.
The programme for the more experienced youngsters, ‘Stars’ – where youngsters aged six to 15 can hone their skills – is the same price as the ‘Rookies’ school, and both run from 10am to 12:30pm. A welcome pack, drink and a snack are also included in the price.
All players taking part in both the ‘Stars’ and ‘Rookies’ programmes will each receive a passport that will allow them to chart their progress during the week with putting, chipping, pitching and long game all covered, while there is also a mini golf session one morning.
Golf lies at the heart of Quinta do Lago, with three highly acclaimed 18-hole Championship courses – the North, South and Laranjal – while also being home to Europe’s only Paul McGinley Golf Academy and the only TaylorMade Performance Center in southern Europe.
There is also a host of first-class indoor and outdoor sporting facilites, 10 bars and restaurants including the award-winning Bovino steakhouse, as well an array of stunning accommodation options.
The latest offering at Quinta do Lago, which is set among 2,000 acres of the picturesque Ria Formosa Natural Park, is the choice of some excellent value stay-and-play packages at the 74-room The Magnolia Hotel, a chic 1950s-inspired motor hotel that adds to the impressive choice of luxury rental villas.
Another fantastic new addition is The Campus, a state-of-the-art sports complex, giving guests access to a world-class base where they can hone their skills on the multiple tennis and padel courts, or the Bike Shed and its array of stunning cycle tracks and scenic road routes.
ENDS
About Quinta do Lago
Since its inception in 1972, Quinta do Lago has been at the forefront of international golf, hosting eight Portuguese Opens as well as numerous other international tournaments. Home to three world-class golf courses, the resort also boasts a wealth of cutting-edge practice facilities.
Quinta do Lago North Course – Opening in October 2014, the totally revamped North Course has been redeveloped by renowned American golf architect Beau Welling in close collaboration with 2014 European Ryder Cup captain Paul McGinley and is set to become one of the new stars of European golf. The new layout has been built to the highest specifications with a €9.6m investment programme and has been redeveloped with the emphasis firmly on precision and strategy. While many modern-day developments tend to focus on length, Welling and McGinley have been keen to design a golfing experience where accuracy and course management are the key factors, and a course that is playable and fun for golfers of all abilities.
Quinta do Lago South Course – A favourite among European Tour professionals, the South Course calls for accurate drives and precise shots, but rewards players for their efforts with the stunning backdrop of the Ria Formosa Natural Park. Regularly included in Golf World magazine’s ‘Top 100 Golf Courses in Europe’, the par-72 layout has received widespread praise for its strategically-placed hazards and varying difficulty across the 18 holes. Having hosted the Portuguese Open on no fewer than eight occasions, the South Course is regarded as one of Portugal’s premier golfing venues.
Laranjal – Designed in the grounds of an orange grove, the par-72 course was named as Portugal’s Best Golf Course 2011 at the Portuguese Travel Awards and poses serious tests for players of all abilities. Opened in 2008, Laranjal offers a pure golfing experience right next to the Quinta do Lago estate and features fairways sown with Bermuda grass, providing a challenging playing environment in a picture-perfect setting.
Paul McGinley Academy – Quinta do Lago is home to the only Paul McGinley Academy in the world, founded in October 2011 by Europe’s 2014 Ryder Cup captain. With a strong involvement from McGinley himself, who is a regular visitor to the resort, the academy aims to cultivate and improve golfers’ play by providing them with the tools and techniques used on the professional Tours. The academy focuses especially on younger players, working in collaboration with local schools and is the perfect way to follow in the footsteps of the pros.
TaylorMade Performance Center – Quinta do Lago’s TaylorMade Performance Centre is the only facility of its kind in Portugal and is located on the resort’s expansive driving range. Opened in May 2013, the centre is operated by trained TaylorMade technicians, offering golfers a custom-fitting experience testing hundreds of club and iron options, ensuring the best combination for every player’s swing. It also has a fully-equipped Tour standard workshop and utilises FlightScope X2 radar technology to measure the entire flight of the ball from impact to landing whilst displaying its 3D trajectory in real time.