March marks the end of the long winter and the beginning of the EuroDov Tour season.

It’s felt like a lifetime since the last event in September 2023, but the wait is over, and the new season is just around the corner.

As ever the first tee shot will be struck outside of the UK as the season opening tournament, and first Major of the season is hosted on the continent, and for the third time in its history in Cascais, Portugal.

The EuroDov Cup was inaugurated in 2018 at the Open de La Manga, with 6 players making-up the field. The result was a third Major for David McColgan, who subsequently added the Northumberland Open (2021) and the Mere Open (2022) to his EuroDov Cup haul.

The Cup has always been held outside of Scotland with Spain (1), England (2) and Portugal (2) hosting the previous tournaments.

2024 will see Cascais host its third EuroDov Cup with Quinta da Marinha featuring for the third time, Penha Longa the second and Oitavos Dunes making its debut in the event.

Quinta da Marinha Golf Course, is 6419 yards of pure nature and big challenges. The par 71, designed by the legendary Robert Trent Jones, offers fantastic views over the Atlantic Ocean and the Sintra Mountains.

The course features traditional Robert Trent Jones features with elevated Greens & Tees, many bunkers in play and, as expected, some water hazards.

Every hole is different, you will have to use all the clubs in the bag and players will need to use strategy to make a good score.

Oitavos Dunes is a par 71 course that measures just over 6,889 yards and has a lovely mix of woodland and links-type holes that have been expertly laid to make the most of the existing landscape. All the holes flow well and have testing hazards and excellent greens that are always firm and fast and full of slopes and borrows.

The first four holes will demonstrate to the golfer the quality to come without actually being too testing. Having said that they are all tree-lined, have careful bunkering and small, tricky greens that will require controlled tee shots and accurate approaches.

Host to four Portuguese Opens, the old fashioned “out-and-back” routed Oitavos was the first golf course in Europe to receive Audubon Gold Certification.

The Atlântico course at Penha Longa was designed by Robert Trent Jones Jnr and opened in 1992 to such acclaim that it played host to the Portuguese Open in 1994. The course winds its way up and down the hills around the south side of the clubhouse providing some of the most amazing views of the coastal towns of Estoril and Cascais and the blue waters of the Atlantic.

The lush vegetation borders many fairways and where it doesn't, Trent Jones has used the contours wonderfully to create interest, excitement and challenges at every shot.

It is a challenging course on a still day, but when the wind blows across the mountains, the course becomes a real test and even the best struggle. So much so, that winner of the 1999 Estoril Open, Jean-Francois Remesy, was the only player under par, and he only managed to break par by two shots. Unlike many courses in Europe, there isn't a single weak hole on the Atlântico course, and certain holes will stick in your mind, bringing great joy and relief from a par or even bogey. Look out for the par five 6th, where the green is beautifully framed by the lake, with the backdrop of a medieval arched wall and castle tower. The par three 15th requires a 155-metre carry over water and, to make matters worse, it often plays straight into the prevailing wind. The 16th is the hardest hole on the course and requires a long drive across a valley and a solid uphill approach shot to a narrow green.

It is undeniable that the EuroDov Tour’s tournament selection in 2024 is the best we’ve had so far. With the #3 (Oitavos Dunes) and #9 (Penha Longa) best courses in Portugal alongside the #16 best course (Quinta da Marinha).

The field will have a real challenge, on spectacular courses, with the winner not only lifting the season opening Major but also the knowledge of winning over three amazing courses.

Be sure to check out my review of the field and the predictions ahead of the EuroDov Cup which starts on Thursday 21st March.