Preparations for the opening of the much-anticipated Dunas Course at Terras da Comporta next summer are moving into top gear with the new Portuguese golf destination investing €1.5m in the latest state-of-the-art greenkeeping equipment.
Vanguard Properties, the owner of the new layout – acclaimed architect David McLay-Kidd’s first design in mainland Europe – has carried out a major upgrade of its machinery ahead of the course officially opening next July, including spending around €1m with leading sports turf manufacturers John Deere.
As well as upgrading its utility tractor and bunker-raking vehicle, Terras da Comporta has also invested in John Deere’s latest green, fairways and rough mowing hybrid technology to deliver smooth playing surfaces using the best sustainable practices.
Rodrigo Ulrich, director of golf at Terras da Comporta, said: “We wanted a supplier who could cover all our course and greenkeeping requirements and John Deere fitted the bill perfectly. We’re delighted with the outstanding service that we have received and are looking forward to developing the relationship as The Dunas Course project comes to its exciting conclusion.”
Carlos Aragones, John Deere’s turf, golf sales and marketing manager for Europe, CIS, North Africa and the Near & Middle East, said: “John Deere equipment helps to maintain many of the world´s greatest golf courses, and we are honoured to now support The Dunas Course in Portugal.
“We look forward to building a long-lasting partnership with Vanguard Properties, helping them to achieve their excellence goals and boost their customer experience through our common vision for innovation and sustainability. John Deere is fully committed to the manufacture and support of advanced, high-quality equipment and we will be honored to see our solutions at work at Terras da Comporta.”
Situated around an hour from Lisbon in a secluded coastal setting on the edge of the Sado Estuary Nature Reserve, The Dunas Course is one of two 18-hole championship layouts that is planned at Terras da Comporta.
Created over 84 hectares of natural, sandy terrain, the par-71 Dunas Course has been built using the highest sustainable practices and is predicted to quickly become of Europe’s must-play golfing venues when it opens.
Vanguard Properties, the largest real estate developer in Portugal, took ownership of the spectacular Terras da Comporta development in 2019 and the site features two plots: Torre, comprising 365 hectares of land in the Alcácer do Sal municipality, and Dunas, which occupies around 1,011 hectares of land in the Grândola municipality.
Complementing The Dunas Course will be a new clubhouse and golf academy. Away from the fairways, an array of lifestyle activities will be available including horseriding, wellness and sailing, with a wide range of plots for hotels, tourist and residential condominiums also on offer.
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About Vanguard Properties:
Vanguard Properties, the largest real estate developer in Portugal, was founded in 2017 by a European family office headed by Luso-Swiss investor Claude Berda and José Cardoso Botelho, an entrepreneur with vast experience in Portugal’s property sector. As a result of the partnership, the group is financially secure, has an unusually high capacity for investment and a thorough knowledge of the local market and its players. Its real-estate development experience and flexible and rapid decision making process are other factors that make Vanguard Properties one of the most credible and dynamic in the sector.
The group currently has 22 urban and tourist projects in its portfolio spread over upmarket locations in Lisbon, Oeiras, Algarve and Comporta. covering a total above ground Gross Building Area (GBA) of around 1.027.781 sqm, in an investment worth more than €1.215 million.
About Terras da Comporta:
The Terras da Comporta development is the result of Vanguard Properties’ acquisition of assets from the Herdade da Comporta Real Estate Fund in 2019.
It is made up of two plots: Torre, comprising 365 hectares of land in the Alcácer do Sal municipality, and Dunas, which occupies around 1,011 hectares of land in the Grândola municipality. Both enjoy exceptionally tranquil and beautiful locations in dense pine forest. Torre is found near Comporta Village and its iconic rice fields, and Dunas, eight kilometres to the south, is next to Praia do Pego beach.
The Terras da Comporta project is founded on the best environmental, economic and social sustainability practices, assuming a long-term perspective that will undoubtedly contribute to the region’s development. Positioned in the market’s most exclusive segment, where aspects such as quality, comfort and privacy are given top priority, both Torre and Dunas offer a wide range of plots for hotels, tourist and residential condominiums.
There will also be excellent sports facilities including two 18-hole golf courses designed by world-renowned golf architect David McLay-Kidd (Dunas) and two US Masters champions, José María Olazábal and Sergio Garcia (Torre). Having been orginally launched by McLay-Kidd in 2010, the Dunas Course at Terras da Comporta is now nearing completion under the new owners and is set to be officially opened in summer 2023.