In today’s modern world, Rodrigo Ulrich is something of a rare breed.

While many of us will have had lofty ambitions at an early age of becoming anything from a professional sportsperson or a famous actor or actress to an astronaut, singer or even, (heaven forbid), a leading politician, there are very few people that go on to have a professional career in the job that they dreamed of.

But that is exactly what has happened to Ulrich, golf general manager at Terras da Comporta in Portugal, and it is a situation that is not lost on the Portuguese.

“It sounds strange, but I am very lucky and always wanted to work in golf,” said Ulrich. “From a very young age, the sport fascinated me, not just the game itself but everything that surrounds it: the people, the environment, the constant pursuit of excellence. It is so much more than just hitting the ball.”

Having launched his career in the golf industry at the start of the century, Ulrich spent the best part of two decades working in a number of key positions at golf resorts across Portugal before landing the role that he holds today.

Now responsible for the day-to-day running of one of Europe’s most talked-about new golf destinations – Terras da Comporta officially inaugurated its second 18-hole championship layout, The Torre Course, in October – Ulrich is hugely proud of what he has achieved, and the many years of hard work that he has put in along the way.

Just as importantly, though, he remains very humble at his achievements and proud that he is the person to have been chosen to lead such an exciting project.

“I think the biggest break that I’ve had in the game which helped me to where I am today was to manage clubs that were in serious financial difficulties and successfully turn them around.

“To achieve this, I had to do everything, from mowing the fairways for two years (the shareholder used to joke about my “not-so-straight lines”) to raking bunkers and clearing bushes, while also serving as the company’s director. Those years taught me humility, resilience, teamwork and the importance of leading by example.

“It’s an honour and a true privilege for me to work with such an extraordinary team and for such a visionary company. I genuinely love coming to work every day. There’s an incredible sense of purpose and passion that drives everything we do at Terras da Comporta. We want to create so much more than just a golf game and are focused in providing a golf experience that is as unforgettable as possible.”

Terras da Comporta is made up of two large developments: 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. Both enjoy tranquil and beautiful locations in dense pine forest, with Torre lying near Comporta Village and its iconic rice fields while Dunas, eight kilometres to the south, sits next to Praia do Pego beach.

Vanguard Properties, the estate’s owners, could not have selected a finer setting for their first foray into the world of golf.

Occupying a secluded spot on the edge of the Sado Estuary Nature Reserve, the estate is around a one-hour drive south of Lisbon in the highly sought-after region of Alentejo and is a glorious mixture of sprawling sand dunes and towering pine trees.

Ulrich, 52, took up his position at Terras da Comporta in 2022 after leaving his position as executive director at Palheiro Golf, and he hasn’t looked back since.

Having launched The Dunas Course – renowned architect David McLay-Kidd’s first golf course design project in mainland Europe – to widespread acclaim two-and-a-half years ago, Ulrich and his team officially unveiled The Torre Course at the start of this autumn.

The work of Sergio Garcia, also the Spanish legend’s first golf course project where he was given overall control, bears all the hallmarks of the 2017 Masters champion and his favourite course Valderrama.

In contrast to The Dunas Course, the par-72 course measures 6,575 metres from the tips and features generous fairways, small greens and places the emphasis on precision and course strategy.

These maybe early days for the course but it is already being tipped to follow its older sibling as one of the ‘must-play’ new venues in world golf and recently claimed the coveted honour of ‘World’s Best New Course’.

Ulrich said: “The Torre Course is completely different in nature to The Dunas Course and has been created so that we can provide two outstanding but very different golf experiences that complement each other.

“The feedback that we have received since we first opened the course for play this summer has been amazing, and Sergio Garcia has really outdone himself.

“Torre is a course that rewards precision, it has smaller greens and requires players to think their way around. The more you play it, the more you want to play it again. Our goal is for Torre to set a new benchmark for golf academies in Portugal, with some unique features, such as a nine-hole pitch-and putt course on the driving range combined with a real championship golf course.”

Both The Torre Course and The Dunas Course have been built using the highest sustainable practices by Vanguard and, as Portugal’s largest real estate developer, Ulrich is well aware of the responsibility the company has when it comes to protecting and conserving the environment.

Among the array of measures taken to minimise the environmental impact of the courses and safeguard the natural environment, both courses are maintained using a fleet of the latest hybrid and electric greenkeeping equipment while a carefully selected choice of native plants have been planted to nurture the surrounding wildlife.

In addition, a state-of-the-art computerised watering system supplied by treated domestic and/or industrial wastewater has been implemented which, monitored by a dedicated team of engineers, measures humidity levels around the estate to ensure irrigation only takes place when absolutely necessary.

Terras da Comporta’s commitment to the environment extends beyond its golf courses to the other projects that will, in time, be launched in line with its commitment to create the most sustainable golf resort in Europe.

As well as golf, the development will eventually boast a wide range of lifestyle and sporting facilities including tennis, padel, pickleball and horse riding, in addition to real estate, retail outlets, a school and hospital and a number of luxury hotels.

“It has been our aim from the start to create the most sustainable resort in Europe and sustainability sits at the heart of Vanguard’s DNA,” added Ulrich.

“Our golf courses are designed and operated with a deep respect for the environment. Sustainability guides every decision, from the selection of hybrid and electric maintenance equipment to our ongoing collaboration with GEO for course certification.

“For us, sustainability is not a marketing tool, it is a core principle that defines how we build, maintain and experience the game of golf.

“We’ll be announcing the hotel projects very soon, and construction of the first homes is already beginning. The clubhouse is scheduled to be ready within the next two years. What I can say with absolute certainty is that we will keep pushing, raising standards, growing the destination, and always striving to make Terras da Comporta one of the most special places in Europe.”

“If what lies ahead in the future is anything like what has been built so far, then we are all in for a real treat.”