Tróia Golf Course

About 30 miles from Lisbon, accessible via a train and then a ferry to Setúbal, Portugal’s Troia Peninsula is 13 miles long and one of the world’s longest uninterrupted strips of sand. In other words, the ideal site to build a golf course. The setting is tough to beat—with views of the Atlantic Ocean and the mountains across the Sado River, including the par-4 third hole, which Trent Jones dubbed one of his best. He routed the course through a towering pine forest and sandscapes—leaving a very naturalistic feel akin to a nature walk. His typical strategic bunkering and smaller greens are difficult to navigate, but Troia is one of the most enjoyable courses in the region and a regular on top 100 European lists.