Back in July 2020, we interviewed Salvador while he was still the Golf director at the Penina golf course (if you missed that interview, feel free to read it here….). Since then Salvador has moved on to pastures new in the form of the Amendoeira resort, where the fabulous Faldo and O’Connor golf courses are located and the stunning Palmares Ocean Living & Golf. We caught up again with Salvador for a chat last week:
What is your new job now Salvador?
I am now the responsible for Golf Sales of both Amendoeira and Palmares Resorts. Previously I was Golf director at Penina overseeing the whole operation, and in some extent, the commercial area as well. Now my role is purely commercial, representing Amendoeira and Palmares as resorts to our partners, supporters and clients. The aim is to position the products as they want them to be promoted in the desired way. They are two very different products, and it is an exciting role promoting them. They can be promoted jointly and also as separate products.
Apart from the 30km locations, what separates the two golf resorts?
Here at Amendoeira we have 3 great golf courses; the Faldo, the O’Connor and the Academy Pitch n’ Putt which is floodlit. It’s a great facility and fantastic challenge for players of all skill levels to test the short game. It is a fun set up to test better and intermediate players and can be used to promote the game of golf to new audiences. The relaxed atmosphere at the academy takes away pressures of fast play and etiquette. It’s an opportunity to promote golf as a whole to a wider audience.
Amendoeira as a resort has always promoted youth golf and for many years has hosted the World Kids golf championship – it’s the flagship event for this family resort. The 250 houses/apartments are well catered for by the practice facilities and the courses themselves. There is also a great renovated sports bar with football pitch, tennis courts and restaurant. The main clubhouse has also been recently renovated to a very high standard, despite the difficult financial year experienced by everyone due to the virus. The company has heavily invested in the two resorts. Amendoeira attracts top class sports teams to use its facilities in the off season as well. Both resorts are fully prepared for the return of the travelling golfers from all parts of the globe and that will hopefully happen very soon.
What can you say about Palmares?
Palmares is a very special product indeed. The location has always been the attraction and the golf course has seen an upgrade as well. And now we have the long awaited facilities to complement and to deliver a top product. This year we have just finished the stunning clubhouse. The Pritzker-Award winning RCR Architects from Spain were the designers and they put the clubhouse project and vision together. Influences such as the landscape and the Ocean were part of that vision. The plan was to integrate this fabulous new clubhouse with its location and marry the two together in a subtle way. It’s very different to all other clubhouses in the Algarve. So now the service and the F&B have added to this superb product, therefore, the expertise of a Michelin star chef was sought to help run the facilities at the clubhouse and the boutique hotel. Palmares now gives a new customer experience with the great facilities and fine dining with an incredible backdrop views.
When do you see the Golfers returning to the Algarve?
Although still with a certain degree of uncertainty, we envisage that we will have a positive feedback from March | April 2021, as we now have yet a decent spring on the horizon. We recognise that the traveling golfers are itching to get back to the Algarve.
What are the future plans for the two resorts?
With Palmares we want to reposition the product as a top resort in Portugal, now we have the new clubhouse, new fleet of buggies and a whole new customer experience. With Amendoeira we are reminding the visitors about how good a product it is, specially with the recent Clubhouse renovations. It may not have frontline views but it has wonderful facilities and services. Amendoeira is in 28th position in the top 100 European resorts. We have some exciting plans ahead for both resorts in 2021 and further into the future, so watch this space!
