The Championship course is the late Sir Henry Cottons masterpiece and the course by which he wished to be remembered. He was the first to foresee the high potential for golf in the Algarve. Unlike the
vast majority of Algarve courses, Penina is a flat, parkland type course, having been built on former rice paddies and scrubland. Most of the drainage ditches in the paddies were retained and partially
modified into tricky water hazards, but the dramatic change of terrain was helped by the planting of 250,000 trees which now line most of the fairways. A few refinements have been made to Cottons original
championship layout and the course has benefited considerably from the improved drainage installed. Subtle landscaping features have also been introduced to enhance the visual aspect of the course,
and some of the water hazards have been extended. It is complemented by two separate 9 - hole courses.
