Cynthia Dye’s latest course, West Cliffs in Portugal, has opened to much fanfare. The new course is less than one hour north of Lisbon on the Silver Coast and is the first Dye design in Portugal and only the fourth in Europe.
“West Cliffs is one of the very best European openings in recent years, if not the best,” said Andy Newmarch, editor of the Top 100 Golf Courses website. “It’s exciting and dramatic, with quality holes from start to finish, and is simply exhilarating to play. There is no doubt in my mind that it is set to become a big hitter on the European golf scene over the coming years.”
The par-72 clifftopcourse sits on 200 hectares of natural landscape, rolling sand dunes and coastal vegetation, and offers views of the Atlantic Ocean from each hole. Construction began in February 2016, with Dye and her team working in close collaboration with the local government to ensure minimum disruption to the environment.
“This has been an incredible project to be involved in, right from the moment when I first visited the site and saw what was possible 14 years ago,” Dye said. “With its amazing location and terrain, West Cliffs is the most fantastic natural golf course site imaginable. The course was really already there for us, and it was our job to shape the holes to create an incredible dramatic experience for everyone that plays it.”
The course includes a golf academy and an eco-friendly clubhouse with panoramic views of the course and the Atlantic Ocean. West Cliffs is being managed by Praia D’El Rey one of Europe’s leading resorts.