Lisbon, Portugal: Preparations for the opening of the Dunas Course at Terras da Comporta are moving into top gear with the new Portuguese golf destination investing €1.5m in the latest state-of-the-art greenkeeping equipment.

Vanguard Properties, the owner of the new layout which is David McLay-Kidd’s first design in mainland Europe, has carried out a major upgrade of its machinery ahead of the course officially opening next July, including spending around €1 million with John Deere.

As well as upgrading its utility tractor and bunker-raking vehicle, Terras da Comporta has also invested in John Deere’s latest green, fairways and rough mowing hybrid technology to deliver smooth playing surfaces using the best sustainable practices.

Rodrigo Ulrich, Director of Golf at Terras da Comporta, said: “We wanted a supplier who could cover all our course and greenkeeping requirements and John Deere fitted the bill perfectly.

“We’re delighted with the outstanding service that we have received and are looking forward to developing the relationship as The Dunas Course project comes to its exciting conclusion.”

Carlos Aragones, John Deere’s Turf, Golf Sales and Marketing Manager for Europe, CIS, North Africa and the Near & Middle East, said: “John Deere equipment helps to maintain many of the world´s greatest golf courses, and we are honoured to now support The Dunas Course in Portugal. 

“We look forward to building a long-lasting partnership with Vanguard Properties, helping them to achieve their excellence goals and boost their customer experience through our common vision for innovation and sustainability.

“John Deere is fully committed to the manufacture and support of advanced, high-quality equipment and we will be honoured to see our solutions at work at Terras da Comporta.”

Situated around an hour from Lisbon in a secluded coastal setting on the edge of the Sado Estuary Nature Reserve, The Dunas Course is one of two 18-hole layouts planned at Terras da Comporta.

Created over 84 hectares of natural, sandy terrain, the par-71 Dunas Course has been built using the highest sustainable practices.

Vanguard Properties, the largest real estate developer in Portugal, took ownership of the Terras da Comporta development in 2019 and the site features two plots: Torre, comprising 365 hectares of land in the Alcácer do Sal municipality, and Dunas, which occupies around 1,011 hectares of land in the Grândola municipality.

Complementing The Dunas Course will be a new clubhouse and golf academy. Away from the fairways, an array of lifestyle activities will be available including horse-riding, wellness and sailing, with a wide range of plots for hotels, tourist and residential condominiums also on offer.

John Deere is an Executive Member of the Asian Golf Industry Federation.