A spectacular archipelago which is the outermost region of the European Union, Madeira an island with which it is difficult not to fall in love. This year's rescheduled Madeira Islands Open - Portugal - BPI has enjoyed some beautiful sunshine, showing the island in all its splendour. Here are seven things which make is so breath-taking...
The altitude
Clube de Golfe do Santo da Serra sits 700 metres up beside the village on Santo António da Serra and the course enjoys some of the most stunning views down on the holiday resort island, including the famous picture-postcard views of...
La Punta de San Lorenzo
An incredible and unique peninsula that joins with the island of Farol and the islet of Cevada, this is a gerographical wonder to behold. Formed from volcanic hills and limestone-sand formations and flanked on both sides by steep cliffs, the views of this protected landscape from the golf club are worth the entry fee alone.
The sunrise
The aforementioned features of this beautiful island both combine to provide some incredible sunrises. The Getty photographers whom attend the Madeira Islands Open - Portugal - BPI set their alarms at ungodly hours every morning of every year to get up to the course in time, and you can see why.
The range with a view
Surely the bigger-hitting players on tour stare down at the views of La Punta de San Lorenzo from the range and imagine themselves hammering a drive to the end of the rocks and bouncing one into the Atlantic Ocean. Or is it just us...?
The clouds
Madeira has its own unique and unpredictable ecoclimate, with clouds regularly moving in and out through the valleys and cutting around the mountain-top where the course lies. While this has often played havoc with the tournament, when they sail past and move on without leaving fog, they certainly provide a most surreal experience of playing or watching golf among the clouds.
The mountains
The island of Madeira sits at the top of a massive shield volcano that rises about 6 km (20,000 ft) from the floor of the Atlantic Ocean. After extensive erosion, the island has been cut into a spectacular range of peaks, which can be seen to the north and east of the golf course. More beauty abounds.
The greens
This rescheduled edition of the 2015 Madeira Islands Open - Portugal - BPI has yielded unanimous praise for the greens from the players present. Sam Walker of England, who has played the event on 13 occasions prior to this year, said: "The course is much better now and the greens are fantastic." Scott Henry of Scotland said: "It’s probably the best I’ve seen the greens here. They’re running nicely and they’re receptive too."
