UK-based golf simulation specialist Sports Coach Systems has recently completed simulating two courses for Oceanico Developments in Portugal. The simulations of both 18 hole courses, one designed by Christy O'Connor Jr, and the other by Faldo Design, are an integral part of Oceanico's marketing plan for club membership and real estate sales for the Amendoeira resort on the Algarve. Using the architect's plans and the latest in GPS software, the courses can now be played and if necessary altered or modified before any construction takes place.

Christy O'Connor Jnr found the GPS System very useful as part of his overall design process: "To see the final course in 3D moving images was fantastic, I could play the course and make instant changes, saving time and money'. Oceanico director Simon Burgess said: "The simulations were an integral part of our whole marketing programme.We were also able to bring forward our marketing of the resort and that was down to the quality and flexibility of the simulations." Sports Coach is currently working on simulating many Open and Ryder Cup courses for the clubs, their clients and their international simulator network.

Andy Cole, Sports Coach's chairman, said: "We are constantly developing the software for our GPS system and feel sure that architects and developers will find the system easy to use." Cole says that Sports Coach is in discussions with some major players in the golf course architecture sector.