Portugal - Golf Courses 

The Algarve Area

The Algarve rivals it's Spanish neighbor, the Costa del Sol, as the most popular golf holiday destination for Europeans. With an ideal year-round climate, it offers fabulous golf on a choice of great courses and excellent value for money.

ALTO: Built on a compact site straddling two valleys, Alto Golf is untypical of most courses in the Algarve. It is more open with longer rough and undulating greens.

PALMARES: Palmares is the oldest course on the Algarve. It enjoys an enviable position with fine views of the Bay of Lagos and the Monchique Mountains. Architect Frank Pennink achieved a glorious mix of links and woodland design.

PENINA (Championship Course): Penina has now regained its rightful place as one of the finest golf courses in the Algarve having played host to the 1998, 1999 and 2000 Portuguese Opens. Every tee, fairway and green has been rebuilt, yet the character of Henry Cotton's original design has been preserved. With its distinctive tree lined fairways, sprinkling of streams and lakes, Penina offers an inspirational challenge for serious golfers.

PINHEIROS ALTOS: This excellent design, completed in 1992, is on the same estate as the courses of Quinta do Lago. The course undulates and is lined by tall umbrella pines, making the best use of the natural landscape.

QUINTA DO LAGO (NORTH & SOUTH COURSES): Two excellent 18-hole courses, with some long par fours. For sheer variety, quality and consistency they are hard to beat. You will find dog-legs, super-fast greens and tenacious bunker placements. Hosts to six Portuguese Opens.

SALGADOS: A recent addition to this golf rich region, this is a challenging layout with water coming into play on almost every hole. A premium is placed on 'keeping it straight' off the tee.

SAN LORENZO: It is rated #2 in continental Europe by Golf World magazine. An outstanding championship course set in the Ria Formosa Conservation Area. The par-five 8th introduces you to San Lorenzo's hallmark - a large inland lake. Slicers and faders beware, since anything right will land you in the water. The lake comes into play again on the final two holes with semi-island greens to test your nerve to the last.

VALE DA PINTA: Vale da Pinta is a true test of golf and bears the hallmark of quality that has made Ronald Fream one of the world's top course architects.

VALE DO LOBO (Ocean & Royal Courses): Ocean - The old Orange Course nine offers completely new greens with challenging contours and several new tees. Improvements have taken place on the Green nine to insure that the quality of golf over this course is second to none. Royal - The new Royal Course (which includes the reconstructed Yellow course) offers players of all handicaps unrivalled variety and quality.

VILA SOL: Superb greens and manicured fairways encourage great play with plenty of features, including water on six holes. Destined to become one of Europe's great courses and not to be missed. Past host of the 1993 Portuguese Open.

VILAMOURA I (The Old Course): The best of the three Vilamoura courses. Recently remodeled with heavily undulating terrain and the dominating presence of umbrella pines demanding a steady nerve from the tee. Great scores are made by playing the four par 3's well and accuracy is definitely more important than length.

VILAMOURA II (Pinhal): A slightly shorter course and more open nature make this a completely different test of golf, but that's not to say that it is easy. Tight, fast greens and plenty of technical variety should keep you on your guard. It includes a partial redesign by Robert Trent Jones Jnr.

VILAMOURA III (Laguna): Designed by Joe Lee (of San Lorenzo fame) in 1990, Vilamoura III boasts 88 bunkers and plenty of water hazards. A good test for all abilities

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The Estoril Area

The recent opening of some of Portugal's finest courses have served to further upgrade this already popular golfing region. Praia del Rey, Belas and Golden Eagle are all destined for greatness alongside Penha Longa. Together they help to make up the fabulous portfolio of golf available on the Lisbon Coast.

BELAS: Designed by Rocky Roquemore and opened in 1998, Belas has already received wide acclaim. The course meanders through scenic verdant landscape and provides a true test of golf.

ESTORIL PALACIO: Located just north of fashionable Estoril, this championship course has a prestigious reputation, with the emphasis on a target style of golf. Palacio is an exclusive members club where a dress code must be adhered to.

GOLDEN EAGLE: This rates as one of the very best courses in Portugal and, until recently, it was a private members club. Another Rocky Roquemore design, it enjoys a natural setting one hour north of Lisbon. A myriad of bunkers and water hazards demand accuracy from the tee and to the green.

PENHA LONGA: Designed by Robert Trent Jones Jnr. and home of two past Portuguese Opens, Penha Longa is situated in beautiful countryside in the foothills of the Sintra mountains. This hilly course has a natural feel, where lush, velvet fairways are punctuated by rocky outcrops and mature pines.

PRAIA DEL REY: About one hour's drive north from Lisbon, this recently opened links design offers magnificent ocean views and is destined to become one of Europe's most attractive golfing venues. It is well worth the drive.

QUINTA DA MARINHA: Five par 5's and six par 3's, plus a mix of woodland and links holes are what make Quinta da Marinha different from any other course in the Lisbon region. The course has benefited from a recent reconditioning.

TROIA: Troia commands a spectacular position on an isolated peninsula across from Setubal. It is in an ideal location to be played on a transitional day going to, or from, the Algarve to Estoril. A mix of postage stamp greens and tight fairways await you. The seashore holes are of classic links flavor – reminding you of the more famous links courses of Scotland and Ireland.

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