Portugal is widely regarded as the hidden gem of European golf. Portugal has grown in popularity over the last decade due to its ample choice of courses, year round good weather and range of accommodation.

Regions

The three main regions for golf holidays in Portugal are the Algarve, the environs of Lisbon (the capital city of Portugal) and the island of Madeira.

Each offers a different golfing experience. Lisbon and the Estoril coast region offers the fullest range of accommodation price-wise, combined with the wonderful backdrop of the Sintra mountain range and all the usual array of dining options you could expect from a modern European capital.

Generally considered a very safe option for a golf holiday Algarve, in the south of Portugal, offers an abundance of courses to choose from, and for every type of budget. Moreover the southern Portuguese coast benefits from a balmy Mediterranean climate that ensures all year round golfing is possible. Of all its areas, the courses and range of hotels around Vilamoura are some of the most popular – quite justifiably given the beauty of the region and standard of courses and hotels that are available.

The island of Madeira (a small island 500 kilometres due west of the Algarve in the North Atlantic) is a different proposition. It prides itself as a paradise island location and it is truly that. For the avid golfer, this island provides 3 exceptional courses to play. So, while it doesn’t have the breadth of course choices to offer, it can definitely provide for an idyllic golf location for those seeking something different.

The Oeste region is the final region in Portuguese golf to note. Unfortunately, it is playing catch up with the other more commercialized areas in Portugal. Some golfers will welcome the tranquillity of the region and the relative exclusivity it therefore has to offer.

Green fees

Cost of green fees are variable. For quality courses you are looking at €50 minimum for a round of golf. The average cost for 18 holes though would be closer to €75 to €90 a round. Note, we have omitted the US dollar equivalent for these costs as exchange rates can fluctuate vastly over time. Generally, a round of golf can be booked online with many courses and there are now various service providers online offering this tee times booking service, sometimes at a discount to the ‘turn-up’ fee (cost if you just walked in for a round).

Related Posts: Golf Holidays Portugal | Getting There – Airlines and Tours To Portugal | Golf Holiday Algarve | Golf Madeira | Golf Lisbon and Estoril | Top 10 Golf Clubs in Portugal

For the majority of avid European golfers seeking the ideal golf holiday Algarve would certainly be top of their list of desirable destinations. With its huge selection of courses, ranges of hotels/villas/holiday homes to suit all budgets and a variety of entertainment, shopping, world class cuisine and scenery to enjoy when not golfing.

Western Algarve Portugal

Facing onto the Atlantic sea, the courses along the western coast bring in a welcome sea-breeze at the height of summer to cool you down. This also makes for interesting golfing challenges, especially on the many links courses (one of the big draws for many U.S. visitors). Outside of your golfing holiday Algarve has some relaxed sight-seeing of the fishing villages of Alvor and Lagos are well worth a visit to soak up the atmosphere and unwind.

Green fees generally start around the €50-€75 range, and are slightly higher on weekends or peak periods (August).

Courses:

€50-€65 green fee

• Gramacho
• Vale da Pinta
• Boavista – A difficult, scenic but rewarding course overlooking the town of Lagos.
• Morgado do Reguengo
• Salgados
• Alto
• Palmares

€65-€80

• Parque Da Floresta – The most westerly course in the Algarve. Challenging hillside course (so book a buggy!).
• Penina Championship Course

€100-€110

• Oceanico O’ Connor. Opened in 2008. Christy O’Connor designed parkland course set in a valley with a variety of streams and tight fairways.
• Oceanico Faldo. Oceanico’s other course – this time designed by Nick Faldo with a challenging desert style design.

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Central Algarve Portugal

The big draw to the central area of the Algarve is always going to be Vilamoura. Visitors come for the range of plush hotels, the nightlife and the proximity of a selection of top-class courses. For those seeking a break from the excitement though, there are plenty of villas and hotels within a short car journey from town and all the courses.

Courses:

€50-€60 green fee

• Oceanico Laguna
• Oceanico Pinhal
• Oceanico Millennium – A nice mixed parkland course with plenty of water obstacles.
• Pinheiros Altos

€60-€80

• Vila Sol
• Quinta Do Lago

€80-€100

• Quinta do Lago Laranjal
• Oceanico Old Course – A mature challenging course that most Vilamoura bound golfers wish to play on their visit, so book in advance.

€100-€110

• Oceanico Victoria
• Vale Do Lobo Ocean
• Vale Do Lobo Royal – The ‘Royal’ and ‘Ocean’ courses are a must-play course. It has played host to the Portugeuse open on several occasions so can provide a challenge to the most experienced of players.

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Eastern Algarve Portugal

The eastern Algarve area generally has a milder climate (so is ideal for winter golfing holidays) but also boasts some of the more pricey and sophisticated golf resorts – notably the Quinta do Lago is a match cost-wise to the Vale do Lobo resort in central Algarve.

Courses:

€40-€60 green fee

• Quinta do Vale. Designed by Seve Balasteros. Opened 2008.
• Castro Marim. Noted for its castle style clubhouse.

€60-€90

• Benamor
• Quinta Da Ria
• Quinta De Cima

€130+

• Monte Rei – The price reflects the fact this course was designed by Jack Nicklaus.

For a fuss-free golf holiday Algarve really does have it all. The courses, the weather, the right settings and atmosphere. As a result many golfers often base their entire Portugeuse trip within the Algarve region alone.

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Related Posts: Golf Holidays Portugal | Getting There – Airlines and Tours To Portugal | Golf Holiday Algarve | Golf Madeira | Golf Lisbon and Estoril | Top 10 Golf Clubs in Portugal

It is never going to be easy to pick a top 10 list of golf courses from any country, let alone the fact that within the regions of Lisbon and the Algarve Portugal has got a truly vast array of course types and terrains that one can encounter. Therefore this list is based on a general consensus from forum surveys and personal experiences and is written here in no particular order – they are all a joy to play and any visitor to Portugal is sure to know another few gems we’ve missed off the list.

Starting with Madeira, this steep-cliffed island is famous as an idyllic paradise island. You may think otherwise after facing the challenge of playing Palheiro. Each hole providing a new challenge, whether that is its manicured undulating greens or the sheer spectacle of playing through/over/around a variety of volcanic hills and peaks.

San Lorenzo on the Algarve is regularly rated in the top 10 European courses so its omission here would not be an option. As a result, booking a tee time is recommended well in advance. As you’d expect, the course looks and plays beautifully.

Likewise, the Quinta do Lago Estate has 2 courses in the European top 25 so its omission won’t happen here either. Facing out onto the Atlantic its courses provide the links challenge that so many golfers come to experience. The south course is the most mature on the estate and this fact shows in the maturity of vegetation, the conditions of the fairways (which are kept immaculate) and the true running of the greens.

Oitavos Golf Club has now become the home of the Portuguese Open for good reason. Its well designed holes sit naturally within the environs and (given its Open status) golfers are to expect challenging holes throughout the front and back nine.

The Vilamoura Old Course is one of the more mature golf clubs in Portugal. Each hole provides a surprise through clever use of variety of design, varying use of bunkers and strategic placement of pine trees lining the fairways. Any errant drive is going to be sorely punished on this undulating (read, its steep!) fairways. If golf is meant to be a game where you are only competing against yourself, then think again. Vilamoura will let you know that it is your sole competitor.

The Penha Longa course is sometimes famous as much for its scenery, as its golf. So while some of the holes meander through old ruins, there is no doubt that it is a course of some design.. after all, the 2010 Portugal Open is to be played there! The 16th hole is a wonderful par 4 with raised tees and is probably the toughest out of the 18 splendid holes.

Estoril proves to be another course where long drivers miss out as errant shots will not go unpunished. This 6000 yard course is the ideal course on a hot summers’ day when a longer days walking may prove too exhausting.

At the higher end of the ‘green fee price’ range, the Vale do Lobo Royal and Ocean golf clubs which are rightly popular for their scenery, exquisite fairways and greens and surrounding beaches. Though if you find yourself playing a shot from part of the 5 kilometre beach that runs along the resort then you should maybe use some shorter clubs from the tee.

Further out from Lisbon lies the challenging Praia Del Rey. This spread out links style course has a mixture of links-style fairways and forests and dunes and is popular with Lisbon day-trippers seeking a tough windswept course with ocean views.

The Algarve’s Vale da Pinta is set into a scenic natural valley and provides some interesting bounces off the tee.

While some golfers may baulk at the unfairness of seeing a perfect drive land in the middle of the fairway, only to be ‘redirected’ by one of the fairways undulations, many others enjoy this challenge which rewards strategic golfers more than the long drivers.

While a lot of these golf resorts lie around the Algarve and Lisbon areas, it will always be worth your while venturing to Portugal’s lesser seen courses as you are sure of seeing wonderful scenery just about anywhere in this beautiful golfing country.

The Golf Holidays Portugal Guide website also has an overview of the golfing regions of Portugal with further details of where is best to play.

Related Posts: Golf Holidays Portugal | Getting There – Airlines and Tours To Portugal | Golf Holiday Algarve | Golf Madeira | Golf Lisbon and Estoril

There are a wide range of travel & booking options open to the holiday golfer planning golf holidays in Portugal. It really comes down to how much control you want over your itinerary. Going with a tour operator can on occasion reduce the flexibility of your plans (flight times, courses available, etc) so be sure to research which flights & courses are being provided in their packages and what flexibility, if any, is available should you wish to select specific courses.

Tour Operators

There is a huge selection of golf tour operators providing full package deals offering flights, accommodation and green fees deals to the various regions. Notably, the Algarve has a lot of competition in this area so be sure to shop around and compare the deals tour operators are offering.

In picking a full package, look out for the various options and established what is included in the package. Discounted Green Fees, luxury coach transfers, car hire, apartments/hotels/villas and insurance are all key elements that the modern packages and even cheap holidays are competing on.

With the package deals, you should look for the variety of courses that are on offer, use our details of courses to establish the actual costs of playing these courses. Doing some simple maths could show that your package deal may not be the bargain you expect. A quick addition of flight costs, hotel/villa costs & green fees (averaging about €50-€80 for 18 holes of golf in the majority of Portuguese golf clubs) should be done to evaluate the package deals on offer.

With all inclusive deals that include dinners and breakfasts, be sure to take this into consideration with your itinerary of courses. If you plan renting a car and doing day trips to outlying courses and regions then it may suit you better to enjoy a relaxing evening meal at the clubhouse or whichever local village you come across. Portugal has a wonderful Mediterranean cuisine so it is worthwhile venturing out from the hotel and experiencing the atmosphere of the local eating spots.

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Airlines

Other options include arranging flights and accommodation by your own means. The canny golfer should realize that there are a variety of carriers flying into Portugal. This can really benefit those who are not flexible about the dates of their trip and wish to avoid chartered timetables.

Those on a long hop journey will also find some direct flights, into Lisbon principally, but should also keep in mind the option of flying in to one of the bigger hubs (London, Paris, Barcelona) and then making a connecting flight. Keep a look out for the various consortia/alliances of airlines that offer better prices if you choose connecting flights with airlines within their consortium (e.g. the 11 airlines in the One World Alliance).

Here is the latest list we’ve been able to collate of airlines currently (Jan 2010) flying to Portugal:

In addition, the following carriers are currently (Jan 2010) making  the flight out to the island of Madeira:

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Booking Golf Clubs

Once flights and hotel are booked, then tee times can be booked online for the large majority of clubs. Some clubs do group together and offer special deals where you get a discount for playing/booking a selection of co-located clubs. These deals are usually advertised on the websites for each one.

The best deals though are from the online tee time booking services who receive major discounts on green fees. At the very least, some googling of green fee costs of the more elite clubs can make for major savings.

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~ The Golf Holidays Portugal website also has an article that provides an overview to golfing regions in Portugal.

~ Discover the Golf Holidays Portugal Guide Top 10 Portuguese Courses.

Related Posts: Golf Holidays Portugal | Golf Holiday Algarve | Golf Madeira | Golf Lisbon and Estoril | Top 10 Golf Clubs in Portugal

For those wishing to combine their golf holidays in Portugal with sight-seeing and culture, then a stay in Portugal’s capital Lisbon and the surrounding areas could make the ideal solution. Given that the IAGTO organization voted the region as the Best European Golf Destination in 2007 you can be sure that the services, facilities and range of clubs are going to be enough for the most demanding tastes. Alternately, Madeira can provide a unique golfing experience in the most tranquil of surroundings.

Estoril and south of the river Tagus

This area is well serviced by connecting flights into Lisbon so you can be on the fairways a few short hours after landing. But staying close to the city would be a little bit of a shame as discovering some of the clubs within a short car drive of town comes highly recommended.

Outside of the capital, the Estoril coast leads the way with over 10 quality golf resorts. To the west there are some challenging and windswept (by Atlantic breezes) clubs – most notably, Praia d’El Rey, which would have to be the most famous in the region and really is one to savor. Heading south of the river Tagus provides great scenic drives and countryside en route to its various golf clubs.

Outside of the golfing, Lisbon itself is a hive of activity, entertainment, fine cuisine and shopping opportunities. Those seeking tranquility and old world charm should make a visit to the fishing port of Sesimbra. If you aren’t exhausted by the golfing, and wish to do more rambling, then the Sintra mountains can form a wonderful backdrop for a walk/day-trek.

As regards green fees, costs are generally around €50-€75 and work out slightly more economical than courses in the Algarve. Note, green fee prices below are the minimum we found (Jan 2010). Prices can be higher during the high season and on weekends.

Courses:

€50-€60 green fee

• Ribagolfe
• Aroeira I and II – The older more mature course is the one to play if visiting this part of Sesimbra.
• Campo Real
• Golden Eagle – Rocky Roquemore designed course considerately built around the pine trees and natural obstacles of the area.
• Quinta do Peru
• Bom Sucesso
• Oitavos
• Quinta da Beloura
• Estoril
• Belas
• Penha Longa Atlantic Course – A championship course set in a peaceful area.

€60-€70 green fee

• Troia – Not for the faint of heart. Take the ferry from Setubal to play this tough links course – if the wind is up then you will be guaranteed a tough, but enjoyable, days golfing.. just don’t expect too many birdies.
• Quinta da Marinha

€90 green fee

• Praia d’EI Rey – one not to miss.

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Madeira

The island of Madeira is something different in terms of golf holidays Portugal has on offer. Its location, 500 kilometers west of the Portuguese coast in the Atlantic ocean, is something that could put some golfers off. Admittedly, it only has three golf courses on the small picturesque island –this may make the perfect golfing break for those golfers who don’t necessarily wish to play several courses during their stay.

The Santo da Serra is a 27-hole course that can be played in 3 combinations (of front/back nine holes) which does offer some variation in the courses played. For most golfers though, it is the wonderful scenery that is a backdrop to the golf clubs that offers a unique golfing experience. Steep mountains cliffs surround the island and its isolation makes for a unique laid back atmosphere.

Certainly, if your golfing holiday is going to take in a stay in the busy capital or Vilamoura, then a few days in Madeira relaxing, enjoying the fine cuisine and climate (warmer than the mainland) and savoring some unique golf courses could be the ideal completion to your visit to Portugal.

Courses:

€60-€70 green fee

• Palheiro – Great golfing and breath taking views out across Funchal Bay. Worth playing a round here and taking in the views from the clubhouse afterward.
• Porto Santo Golf – 2008 host of the Madeira Open.
• Santo de Serra – 27 holes, 3 combinations to play.

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The Golf Holidays Portugal Guide website also has an article that provides an overview to golfing regions in Portugal.

Related Posts: Golf Holidays Portugal | Getting There – Airlines and Tours To Portugal | Golf Holiday Algarve | Golf Madeira | Top 10 Golf Clubs in Portugal

Planning a standard holiday usually consists of a regular to-do list (visa applications/currency exchange/travel insurance/etc.). For the holidaying golfer, there are a number of additional items on their to-do list to check prior to travel to make sure your holiday goes well. The following should cover the essentials for most golfers.

A few weeks before departure

• Medication & First Aid:
  A simplified first-aid kit should be prepared for packing. If you intend golfing each day then any minor injuries can really take their toll over your holiday so prepare to bring aspirin, plasters, insect repellent, indigestion tablets, diarrhea medicine, sunscreen, contact lenses (and spare ones), spectacles and travel sickness medicine. Most of these could be picked up on arrival but doing that would eat into your holiday time. A worthy addition is heat packs and cold packs as the muscle strain involved in golfing daily may prove more than your body can take.
• Course bookings:
  Confirm the tee-times of your bookings at your holiday destination. Print them out along with directions to the course, exact tee-time and any booking references that may be needed. If a tee has been booked via an online agency then these details should have been sent to you by a confirmation email. If you book rental clubs/buggies then also check these are confirmed.

Week of departure

• Golf Clubs and Equipment:
  Inspect & count your clubs. Clean them and the bag of any soil. Some destinations (Ireland, U.K., Australia, etc) have policies regarding the dangers of bringing potentially contaminated soil into a country. Confirm you have an adequate stock of pencils, tees, golf balls, golf towels and gloves for the duration of the trip (you can pick these up at the holiday destination too) and that your umbrella is in working order. Any of your prized golf gifts or mementos which you’d be heartbroken to lose should be left at home. Both mens and ladies golf club sets can become damaged in transit so strongly consider using a protective travel case – there are universal ones that fit all manner of regular, blades and hybrid golf clubs.
• Clothing and Shoes:
  Check the dress code for each club you intend playing and prepare some suitable clothing. Pack a variety of layers so you may add/subtract a jumper or thermal undergarment should the weather require it. Look up the short range weather report to see if you need to alter the balance of items (e.g. to include more layers if it is going to be cold/raining). Pack sunglasses, caps and beanies. Check your rain gear is packed and in a good state of repair. Inspect the cleats on your shoes replacing any broken ones. Cleats near the toe are especially important for maintaining grip under foot so you could rotate broken cleats to the heel if desired. Clean the shoe soles of all soil/grass (see below).
• Documentation:
  Print out addresses and directions to the courses you are going to. Check the clubs website for any course guides, yardage information or specific course rules. These can be worth reading prior to a round in order to get your bearings. Pack your proof of P.G.A. handicap. Some courses impose a maximum handicap for golfers permitted to play so your handicap proof may be necessary.

The goal of this list is to ensure you can enjoy your golfing holiday to the utmost from the first to last day.

Related Posts: Golf Holidays Portugal | Getting There – Airlines and Tours To Portugal | Golf Holiday Algarve | Golf Madeira | Golf Lisbon and Estoril | Top 10 Golf Clubs in Portugal

Thanks for visiting the Golf Holidays Portugal Guide. We have taken the time to organize information that can help you to learn about the various golf holidays in Portugal that are available. If you’re looking for golfing holiday options for the Algarve or other regions then you have come to the right place.

Getting Started:

• An Overview Of The Main Regions For Golf Holidays In Portugal
  • The Algarve
  • Lisbon, Estoril and Madeira
• Getting There
• Top 10 Courses

Make sure to check back often to receive additional information (including discounts and promotions that operators are offering – we’ll endeavor to find & share this information).