Algarve GOLF COURSE OPTIONS

The challenging 18-hole, par 72 course at Espiche has been designed to complement the distinctive Western Algarve landscape by embracing a sustainable and eco-friendly ethos. 

The tree lined fairways of Espiche Golf are tight yet forgiving, providing a challenging short game experience, while the bunkers protecting the majority of the large undulating greens require precise technique.  The overall Espiche Golf experience is one that allows golfers of all levels to push their game on an exciting and sustainable course unlike any other in the Algarve. Espiche Golf is different, not only thanks to its location within a national park above an ancient aquifer, but also in the underlying ethos behind the management of every aspect of the club. Water is at the heart of Espiche Golf, and they have been inventive in their methods to balance the needs of this challenging environment with those of their valued golfers.

Designed in 2002 by Howard Swan, Boavista is located just to the West of Lagos, and easily found on the E125 near to the village of Luz

The course, blessed with stunning views from all sides, with the bay of Lagos to the East and the impressive back drop of the Monchique mountains to the North, is a stern test for golfers of all standards. At 6053 meters, par 71 from the championship tees, shot making and good judgment are essential to put together a score on this gently undulating course where it can be far too easy to be distracted by the views.

In particular, the course is defended by its five strong par 3 holes. Without doubt the signature hole, 6th at 194m, where it is necessary for the tee shot to carry a cavernous walled ravine to a long, narrow and severely stepped green on which it is all too easy to over club, leaving a treacherous downhill chip or putt, often followed by another chip back up the green!

The stretch of holes from thirteen to sixteen is particularly attractive. From the inviting elevated thirteenth tee, you can see right over the bay of Lagos. A firm favorite with many is the sixteenth. The drive takes you from the crest of a hill where you enjoy a sweeping vista downhill to the faraway green against a backdrop of the Monchique Mountains.

Part of the enjoyment of playing Boavista is that it is always in great condition. The fairways, tees and green are well manicured without a weed in sight. The bunkers always have plenty of sand and are expertly maintained. The elevated position of the course and the sandy soil mean it’s very free draining, ideal for winter play as heavy rain runs away quickly keeping the course playable.

A golf academy with outstanding practice facilities which include a driving range and a short game practice area is available.  If you would like to brush up on your game there is always a friendly golf professional on hand to give you expert tuition. The resort has an exclusive short game practice area with three beautifully maintained course size greens: one for putting, one for chipping and the other surrounded by bunkers. Practice facilities also include a driving range.

One of the Algarve’s very first golf courses, “Palmares”, near the popular western tourist town of Lagos, just 45 minutes drive from Faro airport, has been transformed into a new 27-hole golf course by Onyria Golf Resorts. Designed by the famous golf architect, Robert Trent Jones Jr, Onyria Palmares offers something quite different from other Algarve golf courses. It has been designed  with the highest level of international tournament golf in mind as well as a pleasurable golf experience for members and tourists alike. Now the course is a mixture of parkland and authentic links - something unique in the Algarve.  

The three loops of nine holes – the Alvor, Lagos and Praia courses – enjoy expansive panoramic views across the Bay of Lagos and Ria de Alvor.  The course is as breathtaking as the milieu with each distinctive loop enjoying its own unique setting. The views of the Atlantic Ocean, the river in the Alvor Estuary and the dramatic height changes, intimate valleys and sand-dunes make playing Onyria Palmares a special experience.  Few other courses in the Algarve offer you the chance to get so close to the ocean with your golf clubs!

The Alvor Course - Located primarily on the northern part of the site, the Alvor Course has a parkland character with mature trees and lovely views of the Monchique hills. Changes in elevation are integral to the design of this nine as a majority of the golf holes ascend hillsides or descend through intimate valleys. The parkland setting disappears briefly with a series of holes with more expansive views. A preview of the dunes and links holes to come is provided in the sixth and seventh holes. As the round concludes, the course again assumes the parkland character.

The Lagos Course - The Lagos Course begins with the same parkland character. This course incorporates the only two lakes found on the entire site at the short par-3 third hole and the long par-4 sixth hole. Holes seven and eight immerse golfers into the expansive dune lands on the southwestern portion of the site. The round concludes with a climb to the clubhouse and back into a more parkland setting.

The Praia Course - The third nine at Palmares presents the golf experience every great designer dreams of having the privilege to create: a seaside landscape with dunes exposed to the elements. The four seaside holes are between the beach and the railway line. The course opens by descending from a parkland setting. The second hole then whisks golfers into the true links part of the course. This dunes character is continued through the remainder of the Praia Golf Course with the closing hole, a strong uphill par-5, rising up out of the dunes through a deep valley to an amphitheatre just below the clubhouse.

Positioned in the western Algarve 45 minutes drive from Faro airport, Penina Hotel & Golf Resort is widely renowned as the true home of Portuguese golf. This is the only resort in Portugal to offer three golf courses... one of which, The Sir Henry Cotton Championship Course, is the first 18 hole course to have been constructed in the Algarve - and is legendary for some of the finest and most challenging golf in the world.

Sir Henry Cotton Championship Course - Known as one of the most challenging – and satisfying – courses in the whole of Portugal, this marquee course is as unforgiving as it is beautiful. Flanked by streams, ditches and water hazards, the course is maintained to the highest standard and boasts an extensive array of subtle slopes, elevated greens and breathtaking scenery.

Resort Course - A great combination course that provides 9 holes of solid, but gentle, practice for beginners as well as 18 holes of challenging golf for the more seasoned player. With 18 well thought out holes, the perfect course for golfers of every level and ability.  

Academy Course - Weaving its way through the fairways of the Championship Course, this executive 9-hole course has been specifically designed for the intermediate golfer. Great for all-round holiday golf and a very enjoyable round. With reasonable short greens, accuracy off the tee, along with approach shots, provide all players a chance to practice their short game with aplomb.

Between Portimão and Monchique, the Morgado Golf Course has the features of a links course - with flat fairways and bunkers of Scottish inspiration – but, instead of being along the seaside as the traditional links, it's placed inside parkland. It is surrounded by nature, farming fields, typical of the Algarvian Barrocal, ensconced between the hilly interior and the coast and graced with partridges and rabbits.  In one of the beautiful and largely unknown valleys of the Algarvian hinterland, this course is a challenge both for those taking their first steps in golf as for more experienced players seeking to test or improve their technique.

Surrounded by traditional species of trees of the region, such as citrus and olive trees, at Morgado the player is immersed in a calm and serene Algarve, meeting the inner soul of this region that has so much to offer.

This legendary golf course is the last designed by architect Sir Henry Cotton and is located on the edge of the picturesque fishing village of Alvor.  It features the 600 metre par 5 known as the "Sir Henry challenge", and what a challenge it is!

Pestana Alto is synonymous with design and play, and in a world of modern, complex course design, more and more people look back at the classics and see how course design should be: about challenge and playability for all handicap levels.  The rolling fairways and elevated greens test all and reward anyone who enjoys thinking about their game.

Álamos Golf Course has superb views towards the hills of Serra de Monchique, lakes and farmland, and this course produces relaxation and peacefulness. More than just a golf test, this course embodies the harmony that can be achieved between humanity and nature. 

This is an impressive golf test. Although the length of the round is relatively short, Álamos Golf Course is a constant challenge. With 18 holes, this is a fairly technical but narrow course, with greens that are smaller, very elaborate and undulating.

After his success designing the Vale de Pinta course, Ronald Fream teamed up with the former world No. 1 Nick Price to create the unique design of Gramacho. With 18 holes and 27 greens, plus numerous different tee points, players are able to enjoy the same course time and time again but always with slightly different challenges.

Having hosted the Portuguese Ladies Open on a number of occasions Pestana Gramacho is recognized as a championship course enjoyable and playable even by those with a higher handicap.

Apart from the fantastic golf design, Gramacho incorporate the traditional landscape by utilizing the natural stone outcrops, historical dry stone walling and existing ancient trees with some artfully sculpted lakes and bunkers. The effect is a wonderful journey through the countryside.

The 8 times consecutive host of the European Seniors Tour Qualifying final, Vale de Pinta golf in the Algarve, is rightly respected not just for its playability and challenging layout but for outstanding levels of beauty and enjoyment. Designed by the famous American golf course architect Ronald Fream and inaugurated in 1992 Vale de Pinta has earned its place as one of the best designed courses in the Algarve and in Europe.

Imagine the fairways of Bermuda grass, strategically placed sand bunkers, and greens clad in Pen Cross Bent grass. Not to mention ornamental lakes in a rolling terrain dotted with carob, fig, almond and olive trees (including one olive tree over 1200 years old!).

Silves Golf is a serene spot at the foot of the Monchique mountain, but it is anything other than 'a walk in the park' - a drive at the opening hole has to flirt with water hazards on both flanks.

This course is for players - low handicaps will find it a serious challenge to come in under par. But high handicaps (with concentration) will be able to enjoy their round.

Most holes offer spectacular mountain views overlooking palm trees and olive groves, the surrounding cork and citrus farms generate a true feeling of authentic Portuguese golf.

Salgados Golf Course, which is situated next to Salgados Beach, enjoys the sea breeze and a setting of environmental richness. It is next door to one of Europe's unique nature reserves, which has a lake and is home to exotic birds. This course, which is located in Herdade dos Salgados, just 10 minutes from the centre of Albufeira, has 18 holes and is a links-style course. A course for those who prefer nature. A shelter for various bird species, some under threat of extinction, this course offers golfers a unique experience with impressive views over the ocean and unique birdsong.

It is recommended to walk the course, as it is simple, beautiful and almost always flat. This is a very technical course, more cerebral than physical. Due to the wind, and its changes, this course is never the same.  Almost all the holes are flanked by lagoons and one (number 6) is considered one of the most difficult in the world for its water hazards and length. Holes 7, 8 and 15 are among the loveliest of the course (and region!).  For golf enthusiasts, playing from the yellow tees is a delightful experience.

At the time of creation, the Victoria Golf Course was hailed as the most ambitious golf project Portugal had ever witnessed. It has served as the host venue to the Portugal Masters on every occasion since 2007, while the World Cup Championship was staged there in 2005. The Par-72 Championship layout, measuring 6.651 metres (7,273 yards) from the Palmer tees, incorporates and has ensured the preservation of natural wetlands on-site, as well as the typical vegetation of carob, olive and almond trees. A significant proportion of Victoria’s acreage is occupied by lakes, forming hazards to be avoided but which also have a strategic purpose in providing reservoirs for irrigation.

A number of teeing options on each hole (often as many as six are offered), accompanied by wide but undulating fairways, provide a fair test of golf, although water and cleverly-positioned bunkers pose a constant threat. 

The Victoria course quickly became one of the best golf courses in Portugal, with a layout that presents a challenge even for the most seasoned players.

COURSE UNDER RENOVATION UNTIL 2025

Boasting a unique position within the Vilamoura portfolio, it is often asserted that the creation of the Millennium Golf Course was pivotal in cementing the status of this region as one of Europe’s most-visited and best-loved for golf. Opened in the year 2000 - comprising nine brand new holes and a refurbished inward half which had previously formed part of the original 27-hole Laguna Golf Course - this is a more open course than its neighbours, although holes 3-7 twist between pine trees.  For many golfers, this stretch bears a resemblance to fairways of The Old Course and Pinhal Golf Course, where landing areas grow narrower, requiring greater accuracy. A number of lakes, particularly interestingly on 17 and 18, enrich the remaining holes of the Millennium Golf Course, where a simple course strategy is always the best approach. For luxury golf holidays in Portugal, the Millenium golf course offers one of Vilamoura's best deals.

The Laguna Golf Course has earned a reputation as being a somewhat unique offering within the Vilamoura golf portfolio. While its many water hazards and few trees set it apart, it truly finds its individuality in the number of holes which convey characteristics of a traditional links layout. American golf course architect Joseph Lee was given the responsibility for setting out the Laguna Golf Course over low-lying coastal terrain, and in this setting was able to establish 18 holes which offer a wide variety of playing conditions.

The course has been continually improved since the first ball was struck in 1990, although it retains all of the appeal of a modern test of golf, through which the strategic positioning of bunkers and a number of water obstacles demand accuracy of play. The Laguna Golf Course shares a well-proportioned and welcoming clubhouse with the neighbouring Millennium Golf Course. 

For anyone looking for family golf offers in Vilamoura, the Laguna Golf Course is an interesting choice, with its nearby clubhouse and beautiful landscapes.

CLOSED FOR 2021

In the heart of Vilamoura lies the Grande Dame of Algarve courses, The Old Course Golf Club. As one of the first-established layouts in the region, the Frank Pennink-design is well regarded throughout the golfing world. Although it is but a mere 20-minute drive from Faro Airport, the course finds itself situated amongst impressive pine trees and set out over gently undulating terrain. There can be no argument that, for all who are lucky enough to play here, this is a golf course that lives long in the memory.

The modernisation programme preserved the challenge of this magnificent layout for future generations and raised the quality of The Old Course Golf Club to new heights. An attractive new clubhouse and the putting green adjacent were the finishing touches to this renovation in the final years of the last millennium and still add much to the golfer’s experience.

The second golf course to call Vilamoura home, Pinhal Golf Course was opened for play in 1976 and owes its personality to both the original designer Frank Pennink, who also turned his hand to The Old Course Golf Club nearby, and Robert Trent Jones Sr., who made a number of significant refinements in 1985.

Traversing undulating parkland, many fairways are lined by pine trees. However, perhaps an even more significant challenge is from the Umbrella and Atlantic pines which present themselves on fairways and, at times, on the approach into greens. Length has recently been added on a number of holes, which ensure the test originally envisioned by Pennink is maintained. At a substantial 6,353 metres from the white tee markers, and with a par of 72, Pinhal Golf Course is certainly no pushover, although golfers will be pleased to learn that the ponds and stream which come into play on five holes should not, for the most part, present a serious threat.

One of the most remarked upon features of Pinhal Golf Course is the stunning panorama provided from the clubhouse, which extends over the excellent driving range and practice facilities and beyond. Completely renovated at the turn of the millennium, its veranda offers the perfect setting for post-round relaxation.

Its authorship and its features have made it into a must see in any Algarve golf tour. The Pinhal Golf Course in Vilamoura is an unforgettable part of the Portugal golf experience.

Internationally known, the Vila Sol golf course managed by the PestanaGroup, is now part of the Algarve’s most sought after golf courses. Having been inaugurated in 1991 with the signature of the architect Donald Steel, Vila Sol, is living proof that dreams can be realized. Located in the Central Algarve the Vila Sol Hotel and Golf resort is set in 75 acres of natural beauty and accommodates these two magnificent golf courses - Pestana Vila Sol Championship and Pestana Vila Sol Academy Golf Course.

Pestana Vila Sol Championship Golf Course is planned to give all visitors who come to play at Vila Sol Golf in the Algarve a course where the preservation of the natural environment is sharply in mind.  The scenary consists of pine, almond and fig trees, plants, flowers, lakes and streams, which all add to the pleasure and challenge of completing 72 strokes at this championship golf course, making the experience unforgettable from first to last shot.

OCEAN

The Ocean Course, composed of the two original 9-hole golf courses designed by Sir Henry Cotton, features gently undulating fairways which run alongside the nature reserve before leading gently down to the shores of the Atlantic. Its signature holes are two challenging and spectacular Par 4s, the 11th and the 14th, and the Par 3 15th which runs alongside the beach. 

ROYAL

Inaugurated in 1997, the Royal Golf Course was designed by top American golf architect Rocky Roquemore, based on the original drawings of Sir Henry Cotton. Recognised as one of Portugal’s most prestigious golf courses, its features include the almost island green of the 9th and the famous 16th, with cliff-top carryover – one of the most photographed holes in Europe. The Royal Golf Course has rolling fairways set amidst pine trees and beautiful lakes surrounded by wild flowers.

Quinta do Lago has been at the forefront of international golf since its creation. Today the resort’s three courses are among Europe’s best and are joined by world-class golf facilities such as the Paul McGinley Golf Academy and Southern Europe’s only TaylorMade Performance Center. These exceptional golfing credentials, including being named ‘Europe’s Best Golf Destination’ at the World Golf Awards in 2015 and 2016, and being given the ‘Editors’ Choice Award for Best International Resorts’ in 2016 and 2017, by Golf Digest, ensure Quinta do Lago’s place among the world’s golfing elite.

The North Course was totally redesigned in 2014, by the renowned architect Beau Welling, together with European Ryder Cup captain Paul McGinley. The new layout has been built to the highest specifications. Four sets of tees have been introduced on each hole to accommodate players of all levels.

The South Course is the crown jewel of Quinta do Lago. Designed in 1974 by William Mitchell, who introduced American-standard greens, tees and bunkers to the Algarve. A favourite among European tour players, the 6,500 metre par 72 is set among umbrella pines, lakes and wild flowers, overlooking the serene Ria Formosa National Park.

Laranjal opened in 2009 and was voted Best Golf Course at the Portuguese 2011 Travel Awards. At 6,480 metres in length, the challenging course demands the highest level of concentration and accuracy. Its distinctive rolling terrain has been expertly designed and manicured to provide a world-class golfing experience.

San Lorenzo Golf Course has long been considered one the best golf courses in both Portugal and the whole of Europe. Designed by the American golf architects, Joseph Lee and Rocky Roquemore, it is renowned as one of the Algarve's most beautiful, demanding and entertaining courses.  The San Lorenzo Golf Course was opened in 1988 and takes advantage of wonderful topography on the Quinta do Lago estate, winding its way gently over undulating pine woodland.  Situated partly within the boundaries of the Ria Formosa Estuary and Nature Reserve, San Lorenzo boasts fairways that run alongside saltwater marshes, freshwater lagoons and the cooling Atlantic Ocean. This protected environment also features towering pine woods that open up to spectacular ocean vistas and distant mountain backdrops; as well as offering a beautiful habitat for over 70 bird species, including herons, hoopoes, white storks, coots, black-winged stilts and the rare purple gallinule.

The San Lorenzo Golf Course is laid out in a figure of eight and at the heart lies the San Lorenzo Clubhouse with a golf pro shop; comfortable changing facilities; welcoming bar and restaurant.  It is difficult to describe the breathtaking finale that awaits you at the eighteenth. Here without a doubt is one of the finest finishes in golf that you will ever experience, and has become world renowned. There is no escape from the water here and the perfect drive merely lessens the challenge of a shot across water left and right, back and front to a tiny targeted green.

Located in Quinta do Lago, San Lorenzo Golf Course has become a grand showpiece for the Algarve, with its superbly manicured fairways, outstanding natural beauty, and tournament-ready conditions. The course is a combination of pristine presentation, stunning scenery and hole after hole of challenging golf. A recipient of countless awards for excellence, the course also features highly in numerous world rankings.

Pinheiros Altos is one of the most prestigious and successful golfing centres in Europe, and features a 27-hole championship course that offers exciting challenges and varying degrees of difficulty along with a luxury clubhouse, pro golf shop, two driving ranges and a fully equipped golf academy. The original 18 holes were designed by the respected American architect Ronald Fream and the additional 9 holes, created by the highly regarded Portuguese golf architect George Santana da Silva, opened in 2007.  

The course boasts three 9-hole groupings - The Pines (Pinheiros), The Corks (Sobreiros), The Olives (Oliveiras) - each a par 36, with numerous ways of playing 18 sublime holes, depending on your level of experience.  The Pinheiros Altos Pines Course is named after the abundance of pine trees which abound the course. This nine includes four of the new holes opened in January 2007 and five of the original front nine. One thousand additional pine trees were planted to blend the new with the old.  The Corks Course is the longer of the three nine holes at Pinheiros Altos and regarded as the most demanding, especially due to the difficulty of the eighth hole.  The Olives Course was the original back nine and has remained unchanged since the island green eighth hole was constructed in 1995 and has one of the golf courses signatures holes.

Located deep in the heart of the Ria Formosa nature reserve, the course is just a stone’s throw away from extensive unspoilt beaches and the expansive Atlantic ocean, guaranteeing one of the most scenic rounds you will ever play.

Benamor Golf is a superb 18 hole Golf Course located to the South of the Portuguese Algarve, just a few kilometres east of the ancient city of Tavira.

The golf course was completed in the spring of 2000 in the foothills of nearby Barrocal. But maybe most enjoyable of all, are the peaceful surroundings of a construction free resort. The course is a delightful par 71 golf course of 5.500 metres (6.100 yards), which offers a pleasant playing experience to players of all standards. The course is undulating but not hilly. The views of the mountains to the North and the Atlantic Ocean to the South are stunning. The indigenous olive, cork, carob, fig and almond trees, many centuries old, feature both aesthetically and in strategic playing terms. Water hazards and sand bunkers are located throughout the course to further test the ability of each player. 

Quinta da Ria Resort, situated on the Eastern Algarve Coast, is a well-known golf attraction on the Algarve and includes two spectacular golf courses, Quinta da Ria and Quinta de Cima, both 18-hole golf courses with unforgettable scenery.  Located just over half an hour from Faro International Airport, Quinta da Ria resort is integrated in the Ria Formosa Nature Reserve, the most significant eco-system in the Algarve, comprised of a line of barrier Islands along the coast, making this protected wet-land a rich nature habitat for numerous biological species.

QUINTA DA RIA GOLF COURSE - This spectacular 18 hole golf course spreads along an almost flat surface down to the Ria Formosa itself, hanging over it and with a stunning view of the sea.  It is a Par 72, with a total length of 6.053 metres. Five lakes were strategically built along the course, specifically near greens 5, 10 and 14. Hole 16, Par 5, is played between the two biggest lakes. The green of the Par 3 - 17th Hole is limited by one of these lakes where an island with varied birdlife may be found. The greens, smoothly undulating, are generally well protected by bunkers.  The Ria course has already been described by experienced golfers as the most breathtaking golf course in the region.

QUINTA DE CIMA GOLF COURSE - This Championship Course offers different and very unique characteristics: wide fairways, well placed bunkers and several lakes and streams which call for a good deal of precision playing. The water hazards of the course and the long fairways emphasise the need for a good club selection, challenging even the most experienced players.  The Cima Course is indeed a paradise to those golfers who love to be always in contact with nature. Old centenary olive and carob trees, together with the surrounding orange trees and vineyards, maintain the originality of the region landscape. 

The Monte Rei Golf and Country Club is set in 1,000 acres in the Eastern Algarve, between the Serra do Caldeirão mountains and the Atlantic Ocean - a haven of peace and tranquillity that is the jewel in the crown of Portugese Golf. The golf offering at Monte Rei is unrivaled in the region. The breathtaking Jack Nicklaus Signature course together with highest levels of service make for an experience like no other. 

This Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Course has been challenging players of all abilities and handicaps from across the world since 2007. The 7182 yard, par 72 course blends seamlessly with the surrounding landscape.  Wide forgiving fairways weave through mature trees and valleys, creating a unique test on every hole alongside spectacular vistas.  Having already established the North Course as the best course in Portugal, in 2019 Monte Rei will begin construction on its South Course, another 18-hole Jack Nicklaus Signature Course.  Cementing its place at the pinnacle of European golf resorts, Monte Rei will be one in a select list of clubs worldwide to have two Jack Nicklaus Signature courses.

Castro Marim Golfe has three 9 hole courses and is located near the historic town of Castro Marim in the Algarve. 

The Guadiana and Atlântico courses are the most mature of the three courses, with attractive pine trees lining the fairways. The courses are teeming with wildlife, especially partridge in the winter months. Fast and true greens, several of them elevated and protected by bunkers, inviting elevated tees and dogleg fairways carved out of canyons are features of the courses.

The Grouse is the newest of the three nine holes with the more open far-reaching inland hill views. Although it only opened in 2008 it is already nicely mature. It has rolling terrain with fewer trees than the other two courses. 

At the eastern end of the Algarve, on the banks of the Guadiana River, which forms a natural border with neighbouring Spain, you find the town of Castro Marim and the Quinta do Vale Golf Resort. Designed by Severiano Ballesteros, Quinta do Vale Golf Resort features an 18-hole Championship layout including 6 Par-5´s, 6 Par-4´s and 6 Par-3´s. Superbly integrated into the landscape and with stunning views over the Guadiana River, the course sits in a natural valley overlooked by the Clubhouse. At Quinta do Vale, players will notice Seve´s creativity as well as his promise: To please everyone no matter what their handicap is. The course is enhanced by numerous dogleg holes, wide fairways and obstacles all set in breath-taking surroundings.  The challenge awaits you at Quinta do Vale Golf Resort!