An exclusive private club in the Algarve, opening summer 2025
– January 17, 2025
Ernie Els, the former world no.1 in the Official World Golf Ranking, with 79 professional victories to his name, has partnered with Arrow Global to create the first private golf club in the Algarve.
The Els Club Vilamoura is scheduled to open this summer to a select group of founding members, setting a new standard for exclusive and privileged access.
Works have already started last year, on the former site of Vilamoura’s Victoria Course (which hosted the Portugal Masters).
The club brand that bears the name of the “Big Easy” has become synonymous with excellence, guaranteeing golfers from all over the globe its blue and gold seals offering world-class amenities and services.
Ernie shared in a statement to the press last December: “This project is really special. When my children were little, we lived in England and came to this region for the summer holidays. We played golf on the courses in Vilamoura. Therefore, when this opportunity arose through DETAILS, one of Portugal’s main leisure and hospitality operators, it made perfect sense to me. Every time I come here, I feel like I’m coming home.”
With only four exclusive Els Clubs across the world, the Algarve region will offer an exclusive opportunity for golfers to experience.
“We have kept this project a secret because we know how important this property is in the eyes of the golfing public, and we wanted to get the design right. I loved the challenge of creating something exceptional in this part of the world – and I can’t wait for people to see it,” Ernie added, revealing that he is “delighted to finally bring the concept of luxury to Europe.”
Co-CEO of DETAILS, Nuno Sepúlveda, expressed his enthusiasm for the partnership with Ernie Els, emphasising the significance of creating an extraordinary private club that sets new standards in the Algarve, offering members “a level of service and privacy previously unattainable in the Algarve”.
Sepúlveda also highlighted that the Els Club Vilamoura will embody Els’ “passion and demand for excellence in everything [they] do”, delivering an unparalleled level of service and exclusivity to its members.
Article originally published by Alexandra Stilwell on Portugal Resident.
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