The resort has laid claim to having the most successful junior golf coaching programme in the country, with boys and girls of all ages and abilities enjoying victories on the national stage.


Overseen by head professional and academy manager, Jose Ferreira, and his team of coaches, Quinta do Lago’s junior team features more than 25 children in each development category – elite, competition and beginner – and age group, and each has enjoyed its recent share of the limelight.


Three-time Portuguese champion Calvin Holmes – who romped to an eight-shot win in this month’s Paul McGinley Junior Cup boys’ event – began the winning streak by claiming an acclaimed hat-trick of national titles at under-10, under-12 and under-14 levels.


Sara Gouveia and Rodrigo Santos built on Holmes’ success in 2017, winning the Portuguese under-18 girls and under-10 boys’ titles respectively, and 2019 is on course to be Quinta do Lago’s best year yet with its group of talented youngsters.


Two-time World Kids Golf champion Filipa Capelo, the 2018 Scottish Girls’ Under-16 Open champion, tops the Drive Tour national rankings after three victories this season, Swede Maia Samuelsson is also rated first in the Portuguese Under-18 Girls’ Order of Merit standings, while Gouveia – winner of this year’s Paul McGinley Junior Cup girls’ event – is third in this year’s BPI National Rankings.


Santos and his Quinta do Lago teammate, under-14 ace Tiago Abrantes, are both ranked second in the Algarve region in their respective age groups after a run of impressive results this season while Maria Afonso and Amélia Gabin are first and second in the girls’ under-10 Drive Challenge Regional Tour rankings. In addition, Tiago Sousa and Arthur Fisher both lie second in the standings in their age categories in the same competition.


Ferreira said: “I started creating holiday camps with several levels of development, enabling players of different ages and abilities to have fun and enjoy the game, and we’re now enjoying the rewards. We’re in the middle of a great run and it’s amazing to think that our team includes four national champions from the past three years.”