Oceânico Group is widely recognised as one of the market leaders in Europe in providing for championship-standard golf on some of the continent’s finest courses and in five-star surroundings.

Golfers in their thousands have flocked in recent years to the famous championship courses in Vilamoura owned by the group, who also specialise in developing luxury golf, beach and leisure resorts in the Algarve and on the Silver Coast.

And things have just got even better for people looking to head to any of Oceânico’s venues thanks to a fantastic new deal secured by National County Card (NCC), an innovative new concept which was launched last month to members of private golf clubs.

Under the terms of the new arrangement, NCC card holders can play any of Oceânico's renowned courses - Oceânico Victoria, The Oceânico Old Course, Oceânico Pinhal, Oceânico Millennium and Oceânico Laguna - with attractive green fee discounts available.

The level of discount will vary by course and by the time of year, depending on whether you play in the low, medium and high season.

But with discounts available on anything from a round of nine holes or 18 holes up to five and seven-day packages, golfers will be guaranteed an unforgettable experience at the best rates possible.

Rob Sutton, joint managing director of Get Noticed Ltd who created NCC, said: “Having a group of Oceânico’s quality and standing join the scheme is fantastic news.

“Oceânico has firmly established itself as a major player in the golf tourism industry in Europe and we’re hoping that our new partnership will be a long and successful one.

“It’s our aim to offer private golf club members the chance to play some of the best golf courses in the world at a discounted rate as reward for their continual investment in the game.

“This new agreement fits into that category perfectly. We now have more than 1,000 courses worldwide signed up to NCC and more and more are joining us every day.”

Oceânico Victoria will welcome the European Tour’s best players later this year when the Portugal Masters is staged on the Arnold Palmer-designed course for the second successive year from October 16-19.

And exciting times lie ahead for the group over the coming months with the opening of the Oceânico Faldo and Oceânico O’Connor Junior courses at Amendoeira Golf Resort, a ¬500 million (euro) golf resort in the district of Silves, in October.

Nikki Chamberlain, marketing manager of Oceânico Group, said: “We are delighted to be part of such an innovative scheme and to offer NCC card holders even greater opportunities to enjoy our stunning courses.

“With seven very different courses in such close proximity, we are proud not only to be able to provide a challenge for golfers whatever level they play at but also, on a week-long golfing break, to offer the chance to play a different course every day, an opportunity unmatched anywhere else in Europe.”

Designed specifically to reward private member golfers, golf clubs and help bring new members into the game, NCC cards cost just £24.95 and are available only to members of golf clubs as a reward for their continuous commitment to the game of golf.

Holders can achieve major benefits when they play golf in the UK or abroad whether they are travelling on business, weekend breaks or holiday, while the innovative new scheme is free for clubs to enrol in and, as cards are sold via the NCC website, there is no administration for clubs.

Over the last five months, more than 1,000 clubs have taken the chance to get involved in the concept from all over the United Kingdom, mainland Spain, Mallorca, Tenerife, Portugal, Turkey, America and Canada.

Courses including The Oxfordshire - which staged the Benson and Hedges International from 1996-99 - Goodwood, The Mere, Ashburnham, Castleknock and Nefyn & District - regularly voted among the top 100 courses in the British Isles - have already signed up to NCC in the UK

And the exciting list of venues at home is matched abroad with clubs including San Roque, La Manga and PGA de Catalunya in Spain, all the courses in Mallorca and Tenerife, 18 venues in Turkey's Belek region and two of the most famous courses in America - the Blue Monster at Doral, Florida and the Stadium Course at Sawgrass - home of the Tournament Players‘ Championship.

Sutton added: “The NCC card scheme not only entices quality member golfers to play other enrolled courses in the areas of other enrolled clubs, it is the only card scheme which pays clubs £5 when one of their members buys a card.

“This means clubs can earn money when their members buy a card while they are in other areas or countries which can then be put back into the game.”

For more information on how to buy your card, the courses available to play or to enrol your club in NCC, visit www.nationalcountycard.co.uk .

For further details on the Oceânico Group, log on to www.oceanicogroup.com .