European Ryder Cup captain Paul McGinley will bring a busy few months to a memorable end in October when he officially opens his latest golf course design project – the eagerly-awaited redeveloped North Course at Portugal's prestigious Quinta do Lago resort.

McGinley will be on hand to perform the official opening ceremony of the €9.6m new layout on Tuesday, October 7, just a week after leading the European team in the Ryder Cup.

The popular Irishman has redesigned the layout in close collaboration with renowned American architect Beau Welling. The course redevelopment is part of a €29m investment programme that has been undertaken by Quinta do Lago since 2009, with a further €21m planned to be spent on improving its facilities in the next three years.

A frequent visitor to Quinta do Lago for more than 20 years, the North Course is the latest major project that McGinley has been involved in at Europe's leading family destination after opening his Paul McGinley Golf Academy in 2011 and launching a new state-of-the-art TaylorMade Fitting Center last year.

McGinley said: “This has been a very exciting project to be involved in and Beau and I are very proud of what we have created.

“I've been coming to Quinta do Lago with my family for many years now and it keeps getting better and better. The new design will test golfers in many different ways and I believe this is a great addition to Europe's leading destination.”

One of the most talked about development projects in Europe in 2014, Quinta do Lago's revamped North Course has been built to the highest specifications with a major investment programme and is in line to become the new number one course at the prestigious family resort.

The layout has been revamped 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.

Among the changes introduced on the par-72, 6,776-yard course, which has been closed since last December, all greens, tees, bunkers, irrigation, drainage systems and cart paths have been rebuilt using the latest state-of-the-art technology, with four sets of tees introduced on each hole to accommodate players of all levels.

With the existing turf on all tees, fairways and greens having been stripped back, the final figures for completing such an ambitious project make impressive reading. A staggering total of 379,800 tonnes of earth has been moved on site, and an additional 93.5km of new piping being fitted on the new layout.

A low-cut Bermuda grass approach has been introduced around greens to create a myriad of recovery shot options for increased satisfaction on all levels of play. The aesthetics of the golf course have also significantly improved through the introduction of a cool season rough grass and the select planting of native grasses and specimen trees to help the environment.

The renovation has also allowed Quinta do Lago to further reduce the impact on the environment by using recycled water and solar energy to maintain the course. The reduction of grassed areas will lessen the impact on the environment and the new design will include the creation of some new animal and plant habitats.

Welling, who has worked on more than 90 projects worldwide, said: “We have kept the routing of the North Course intact, but we have totally reworked the golf experience within the existing corridors. Specifically, we have worked very hard to make the experience be more playable for higher handicappers while at the same time created precise target areas for the better player looking to score.

“Paul has been great to work with. He is very passionate about golf in general, but he has a particular and keen interest in Quinta do Lago.

“We quickly realised we were very much "aligned" in terms of what we wanted to see happen with the improvements to the North Course, so collaboration has been easy. We both put a big premium on playability, but also in asking golfers to use their creativity when approaching a shot. The North Course is going to require strategic thinking and have a lot of shot values, no doubt a big imprint of Paul's influence.”

Set amongst 2,000 acres of the picturesque Ria Formosa Natural Park, Quinta do Lago is one of the most highly regarded golf and residential developments in the Algarve since opening in 1972. Located just 15 minutes from Faro airport, the resort offers residents and guests an unparalleled location benefiting from a year-round temperate climate, a variety of lifestyle pursuits and a strong sense of community.

Since its inception, Quinta do Lago has been at the forefront of European golf with three 18-hole championship courses – Quinta do Lago North and South courses and Laranjal – matched by outstanding practice facilities at the Paul McGinley Academy and the new TaylorMade Fitting Center, which gives golfers the chance to enjoy the ultimate club-fitting experience by providing them with the tools and techniques used by professionals on tour.

Away from the fairways, the resort's extensive leisure facilities guarantee there is plenty to keep everyone occupied, with events, tennis, cycling and watersports just some of the activities available.

Quinta do Lago's stunning location by the beach offers the perfect place to relax and unwind while the resort's wide array of restaurants, both formal and informal, take advantage of the fresh Mediterranean produce that the resort has become famous for.

For further information on Quinta do Lago and its facilities, phone + 351 289 390 700 or visit www.quintadolago.com. 

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Information for journalists

Issued by The Azalea Group.

For more information on Quinta do Lago or images contact Daniel Chidley on 01730 711920, or email daniel@theazaleagroup.com 

Quinta do Lago ( www.quintadolago.com )

Set amongst 2,000 acres of the picturesque Ria Formosa Natural Park, Quinta do Lago is one of the most highly regarded golf and residential developments in Europe since opening in 1972. Located just 15 minutes from Faro airport, the resort offers residents and guests an unparalleled location benefiting from a year-round temperate climate, a variety of lifestyle pursuits and a strong sense of community.

Since its inception, Quinta do Lago has been at the forefront of European golf with three 18-hole championship courses matched by outstanding practice facilities. Away from the fairways, the resort's extensive leisure facilities guarantee there is plenty to keep everyone occupied, with events, tennis, cycling and watersports just some of the activities available.

The resort's stunning location by the beach offers the perfect place to relax and unwind while its wide array of restaurants, both formal and informal, take advantage of the fresh Mediterranean produce that the resort has become famous for.

Quinta do Lago has enjoyed the honour of hosting eight Portuguese Opens as well as numerous other international golf tournaments, and its world-class golf facilities include:

• Quinta do Lago North Course – Opening in October 2014, the totally revamped North Course has been redeveloped by renowned American golf architect Beau Well 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.

• 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 hosted the Portuguese Open on no fewer than eight occasions.

• 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 the 2014 European Ryder Cup captain. With a strong involvement from McGinley himself, the academy aims to cultivate and improve golfers' play by providing them with the tools and techniques used by professionals on tour.

• TaylorMade Fitting Center – Quinta do Lago's TaylorMade Fitting 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.