Discover the Azores where nature and culture live in harmony.

Furnas Golf Course on the Azores has all the playing characteristics of a Scottish course, and is said to be the most British of all Portuguese golf courses.

Practically every fairway is undulating, requiring all types of shots, and the smallish plateaux greens are excellent, wickedly contoured and full of borrows.

It is said you will need a sharp short game to score well at Furnas, designed around a volcanic crater on the eastern side of São Miguel, the main island of the Azores.

No wonder it was voted, by www.top100golfcourses.co.uk as their second best in Portugal, and their 22nd top course in Europe.

According to a report on the website: ‘Playing this course is worth the trip into the middle of the Atlantic in its own right.

‘Furnas is set in a most gorgeous spot and although it started out as a nine-hole course don’t be fooled into thinking those nine holes were laid out in a rudimentary fashion.

‘They were not. These nine McKenzie Ross holes rank amongst the earliest golf holes created in Portugal, but they also represent the best nine-hole collection in all Iberia.’

Furnas, which hosts the Verdegolf International in April and the televised EuroPro ProAm tournament in October, is situated in one of the most beautiful parts of São Miguel Island, popularly known as the ‘Green Island’ of the Azores.

It is close to the grottos, or Furnas, and overlooks the Furnas Lake, one of the largest and most attractive lakes on the island, famous for its caldeiras, or hot springs.

This glorious vista also takes in the stunning Furnas valley, which is famous for its tropical vegetation, hot springs and mineral water: all place names clearly demonstrating the volcanic origins of these islands, which offer the ideal climate for playing golf all the year round.

Located 30 miles south of its sister course Batalha, Furnas can be found nestling in this beautiful setting among the mountains of Achada das Furnas, the course itself boasting beautiful lakes and fairways surrounded by large trees.

Set amid stands of stately and majestic Japanese Cryptomerias, tall evergreen Furnas yielding a valuable soft wood and quite gentle in nature, this Furnas course is without doubt a genuine test of golfing skills.

Roughly 40 minutes from the capital, Ponta Delgada, Furnas is, according to one writer, ‘absolutely the most beautiful and best maintained course on the Azores, a pleasure to play and a challenge for most players.’

Most greens are slightly elevated from the fairway and the bunkers do not have sand traps as European and American golfers might know them, but instead a very rough kind of gravel with many pebbles.

The breathtaking landscape of the Azores is the perfect setting for an unforgettable round of golf on what is the oldest course in the archipelago.

The famous Scottish architect McKenzie Ross, who is probably best known for his work in restoring the world famous Ailsa and Arran courses at Turnberry in Scotland, designed the original 9-hole Achada das Fumas golf course at Furnas in 1936, work being completed in 1939.

In 1986 it was further increased to 18 holes by another Scott, Bob Cameron renowned for his work with the natural landscape, extending the course to a 6,232 metre par 72.

Cameron and Powell Associates maintained the unique style and characteristics, of fairways flanked by trees on either side with fiendishly undulating greens to such an extent it is impossible to distinguish the new from the old.

Said Cameron: ‘When we were planning and designing the new nine holes we were extremely careful to try and avoid the mistakes—made on so many extended courses—of imposing alien design characteristics onto a naturally beautiful and classical golf course.’

Said the top100 website: ‘Bob Cameron and Chris Powell did a remarkable job and when kindly old nature takes its course and the two nines zip together superbly.’

According to one veteran player: ‘I was delighted to see that they managed to maintain the character given to the course by Mackenzie Ross, so much so that it is impossible to say nowadays which of the two nines was designed first!’’

The facilities at Furnas also include two practice putting greens providing an area of 950sqm, and a practice tee and chipping area for 20 players.

The handicap requirements for Furnas are 28 for men and 36 for ladies, but whatever your standard Furnas will always present the golfer with the challenge of equalling or surpassing the course record of 66, a wonderful round played in 1997 by former Portuguese No.1 António Sobrinho, nine times winner of the Portuguese PGA Order of Merit.

Batalha Golf Course is the newest golf course on the beautiful islands of the Azores, having been opened in 1986. But, such is the beauty and challenge of Batalha, the course has already hosted, in 2006, two PGA EuroPro events…the first time the tour has moved outside Continental Europe.

In May the EuroPro Tour staged the €100,000 VerdeGolf Azores Championship at Batalha, which also hosts the annual Azores Open.

And the Tour returned to the islands in October for its gripping season’s finale, the 2006 Tour Championship.

This stunning course, over 7,000 yards in length, consists of 27 holes set on an historic site, the last nine being added in 2002.

When Batalha opened its new 9 holes to the public in 2003, it completed a project which has made it one of the largest golf courses in Portugal.

Cleverly designed by Cameron Powell, Batalha is situated along the northern coast of São Miguel, overlooking the picturesque coastline between the capital of the island, Ponta Delgada and Ribeira Grande.

Designer Bob Cameron presents those 27 holes in three loops of nine with multiple tee boxes in such a way that any combination of A, B or C—that is A + B, B + C or C + A—to make 18 holes will give a par of 72, with long fairways and excellent greens.

All this offers a challenging and exciting round for golfers of all levels.

The respective lengths of those combinations are:
A+B(length): White 6435; Yellow 6120; red 5366
B+C(length): White 6309; Yellow 5988; red 5295
C+A(length): White 6488; Yellow 6196; red 5437
The required handicaps are Men - 28; Ladies – 36.

Built on volcanic rock, the layout was designed in harmony with the natural landscape and has spectacular views of the Atlantic Ocean and the villages below.

Batalha is a mixture of links and woodland offering breathtaking views over the sea—particularly on the back nine---and the extraordinary landscape, all of which highlight the blue of the Atlantic Ocean and the contrasting beautiful green pastures.

The setting, nested on the skirt of the surrounding hills, is spectacular with sweeping views of the course’s excellent large flowing greens, sinuously contoured bunkers and long, wide and generous fairways.

Golfers will see whales, dolphins and porpoises frolicking in the sea alongside the course, as the islands are warmed by the Gulf Stream which creates a year-round temperature climate ideal for sporting activities like golf, sailing, wind-surfing, scuba-diving and deep-sea fishing.

Batalha provides a championship layout that is in a hilly mountain location, yet is only 15 minutes from the airport.

The building of the course on volcanic rock created many difficulties for designer Cameron in contouring the natural landscape to harmonize with the magnificent setting at the foot of the surrounding hills.

He overcame those difficulties and the result is a spectacular contrast between the green playing areas and the dry woods standing on rocky soil to the side of these, plus panoramic across the course.

The holes are long and wide with large undulating greens, flanked by tall trees.

To the North, the course faces seawards, whilst in the East it looks towards the hills, with higher mountains to the South.

It takes full advantage of an Azorean landscape composed of contrasts, such as the powerful mountains divided by deep valleys and winding ravines which convey scenery of rare and unforgettable beauty.

The site is historic because the name Batalha is derived from the battle waged on the site between liberal and absolutist troops in the 19th century fighting for political control of the main Azorean island of Sao Miguel.

The large clubhouse, standing at a covered 3,000sqm with classic island architecture and modern facilities offers a complete range of support services and has elevated views across the course and ocean.

There can be very few such places anywhere to enjoy a drink, snack or meal either before, after, or dare we say it, instead of a round of golf.

The clubhouse also has a meeting room for 300 people, a Pro-shop and TV/Video room for those ‘19th hole’ debriefings!

And, outside, Batalha provides a driving range for up to 80 players, plus two vast putting greens and a chipping area.

The course records, should you wish to challenge them, stand at 66 (White A/B) shot by Britain’s Darren Parker in 2001, and 67 (Yellow A/B) by American P J Cowan in 2002.

Junior golf is also alive and well in the Azores as Disrego and the Rui Indio Golf Academy recently hosted 29 juniors competing in their third event of the season at Batalha.

There were five divisions ranging from an 18-hole stableford event for the teenagers to a nine-hole putting competition for the youngsters. The competitions were followed by a slideshow commemorating the past four years of the event as well as a luncheon and award ceremony.

Overall, whether you enjoy your sport over 18 holes, or your social life at the 19th Batalha is most certainly a wonderful location for the golfer, as the archipelago grows in stature as a world-class golfing destination.