Located just an hour north of Lisbon on the magnificent Silver Coast, West Cliffs Golf Links (pictured) has been confirmed as ‘World’s Best New Golf Course’ at the 2017 World Golf Awards. The Cynthia Dye-designed course, which could eventually aim for recognition as the number one course in Portugal, overcame serious competition to land the award at a ceremony hosted by Spain’s La Manga Club.
The Cynthia Dye-designed West Cliffs opened in June this year but has already claimed notable honours, including Golf Environment Organisation (GEO) Certified® Development status. It was also the highest new entry, at number 25, in a 2017 ranking list of the ‘Top 100 Courses in Continental Europe’.
Accepting the resort’s latest accolade, Francisco Cadete, director of golf at West Cliffs, conveyed both the pleasure and pride felt by everyone at West Cliffs: “To win such a coveted global award in our first six months is an amazing achievement and one that makes everyone at the resort very proud. The course has lived up to everything it promised to be when Cynthia was designing it and more – and is something truly special. We’ve received some incredible feedback from golfers all over the world since opening and believe the course will get even better in the years to come.”
Considered the most prestigious awards programme in golf tourism, the 2017 World Golf Awards attracted a record number of votes from golf tourism professionals worldwide as well as golf consumers in more than 100 countries. The event featured leading global golf industry figures from over 40 countries including legendary commentator, ‘the Voice of Golf’ Peter Alliss, and record 18-time Major winner Jack Nicklaus, who received his ‘Golf Course Designer of the Year 2017’ award via video message.
Chris Frost, managing director of World Golf Awards, also paid tribute to the Portuguese resort: “I would like to congratulate West Cliffs on this remarkable achievement. Golf tourism’s highest accolade is truly deserved and rewards West Cliffs’ commitment to excellence and determination to achieve market leader status.”
Managed by Praia D’El Rey Marriott Golf & Beach Resort – one of Europe’s leading resorts – West Cliffs is a spectacular par-72 clifftop links located in 200 hectares of natural landscape, rolling dunes and coastal vegetation and enjoys sweeping views of the Atlantic Ocean from each hole. A golf academy and eco-friendly clubhouse complement the truly magnificent course.
For further details on West Cliffs Golf Links, visit www.westcliffs.com