T2 Vale de Pinta Golf

Not sure what the other golfers were on about. This is a fantastic course, with great running greens and really nice staff. I’d come back.

The biggest issue was how play was managed. By the par 3 5th, there were five groups on the hole, and our round took five and a quarter hours. We waited on every shot and didn’t see a single Marshall the whole time. That’s frankly unacceptable for a relatively short, simple course. We played six different courses in the area on this holiday, and Pinta had the most consistent greens and best kept fairways of them all, with some really good holes. But several tee shots are blind, and a few feel downright dangerous. You can think the group ahead has cleared, then tee off and discover they’re still well within range. A few raised viewing areas near the tees would help.

Save your money. For what they charge, this was a forgettable round. The course is poorly maintained: the greens were bumpy and uneven in pace, the tee box grass was long and untidy, and the bunkers were almost unplayable because they lacked sand. The attendant in the shop also seemed completely uninterested in the golfers.

The food’s just average, and the Pestana clubhouse feels a bit naff. The course itself is great. Powerades cost €5.