New Dye-Designed Portugal Links Opening Soon

West Cliffs in Portugal, which has views of the Atlantic from every hole, has been designed by Dye Designs Group and is scheduled to open in June

New Dye-Designed Portugal Links Opening Soon

West Cliffs in Portugal, which has views of the Atlantic from every hole, has been designed by Dye Designs Group and is scheduled to open in June

New Dye-Designed Portugal Links Opening Soon

Europe’s most eagerly-awaited new golf course design project will officially open in Portugal this summer.

Situated less than an hour north of Lisbon – on Portugal’s magnificent Silver Coast – West Cliffs has been designed by golf course architect Cynthia Dye ASGCA, of the world-renowned golf architecture firm Dye Designs Group, and is set to be unveiled to a worldwide audience in June.

Offering sweeping views of the Atlantic Ocean from each hole, the spectacular par-72 seaside links has been created over 200 hectares of natural landscape, rolling sand dunes and coastal vegetation.

Related: Golf in central Portugal

The first Dye golf course in Portugal – and only the fourth in Europe – West Cliffs is predicted to quickly become one of the most talked-about design projects in the world.

Cynthia Dye, niece of legendary golf designer Pete Dye, said: “With the Atlantic visible from every hole, West Cliffs is the most natural golf course site imaginable.

“One of the most impressive characteristics of the course is just how anchored it is to the native coastal environment.

New Dye-Designed Portugal Links Opening Soon

The nearby Praia D’El Rey, which is managing the West Cliffs development

“The terrain at West Cliffs is amazing. On the vast majority of the holes, it was only necessary to site the green complexes with a bit of shaping and then define the limits of grassing. For the most part, the course was already there waiting for us.

“The most distinguishing architectural feature on the course is the collection of bunkers with irregular perimeters blending into and dictated by the native vegetation. It will be a very dramatic experience for the players.”

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Construction work on West Cliffs began in February last year, with Dye and her team working in close collaboration with the local government to ensure minimum disruption to the environment, and to create a harmonious and sustainable links in an enviable location.

Proposed changes to the rules of golf from 2019:

Fitting seamlessly into its natural surroundings, West Cliffs will measure a testing 7,003 yards in length but, with its modern design and a choice of several sets of tees, it will guarantee accessibility to golfers of all abilities.

Away from the course, the West Cliffs golf academy will provide the ideal atmosphere for players to warm-up, learn and improve, while a stylish and eco-friendly new clubhouse will offer panoramic views of the Atlantic links and provide the perfect environment to relax after 18 holes.

Francisco Cadete, director of golf at West Cliffs, said: “Our vision when we started the West Cliffs project was to build a golf course that fitted perfectly into the natural environment and offers a truly wonderful golfing experience. We believe we have just perfected nature.

Related: Portugal names World's Best Golf Destination

“The beauty and challenge of this remarkable and rare ocean links course grows with each hole that you play. It is thrilling and dramatic but, at the same time, has been designed in such a way that it can be enjoyed by players of all levels.

“Featuring one of the most spectacular golfing locations anywhere in Europe, the course is going to be tremendous fun to play and I can’t wait to see golfers’ reactions when they get here and see what we have created.”

Offering a privileged and exclusive location, the West Cliffs course will sit at the heart of a new resort, which will offer select real estate possibilities and a future five-star hotel, adjoining a 2.5km stretch of golden cliffs and Atlantic coastline.

For further details about West Cliffs, go to www.westcliffs.com

Elliott Heath
News Editor

Elliott Heath is our News Editor and has been with Golf Monthly since early 2016 after graduating with a degree in Sports Journalism. He manages the Golf Monthly news team as well as our large Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages. He covered the 2022 Masters from Augusta National as well as five Open Championships on-site including the 150th at St Andrews. His first Open was in 2017 at Royal Birkdale, when he walked inside the ropes with Jordan Spieth during the Texan's memorable Claret Jug triumph. He has played 35 of our Top 100 golf courses, with his favourites being both Sunningdales, Woodhall Spa, Western Gailes, Old Head and Turnberry. He has been obsessed with the sport since the age of 8 and currently plays off of a six handicap. His golfing highlights are making albatross on the 9th hole on the Hotchkin Course at Woodhall Spa, shooting an under-par round, playing in the Aramco Team Series on the Ladies European Tour and making his one and only hole-in-one at the age of 15 - a long time ago now!


Elliott is currently playing:


Driver: Titleist TSR4

3 wood: Titleist TSi2

Hybrids: Titleist 816 H1

Irons: Mizuno MP5 5-PW

Wedges: Cleveland RTX ZipCore 50, 54, 58

Putter: Odyssey White Hot OG #5

Ball: Srixon Z Star XV