Algarve
An incredible total of forty-two 9-hole or 18-hole layouts can be played at twenty-five different golf clubs within the Algarve zone of the Federação Portuguesa de Golfe and more than half the courses strung out along this 100-mile southern-facing coast feature in our Portuguese ranking list of top courses in the country. The North and South courses at Quinta do Lago have recently benefitted from substantial upgrade investment and they're both ably supported by the nearby Laranjal layout which has its own separate clubhouse. The Old, Victoria and Pinhal courses at Vilamoura also feature in our national listings, while the Laguna course closed in 2021 to undergo a complete renovation of every hole from tee to green. The Millennium course also operates from the same clubhouse as the Laguna. Other courses meriting closer examination include the Jack Nicklaus signature design at Monte Rei (North) and Joe Lee's late 1980s layout at San Lorenzo. Further west along the coast, the Praia and Lagos nines at Palmares appear prominently in our listings, as do the eighteen holes from the Amendoeira (Faldo) layout.
Monte Rei Golf and Country Club (North)
Algarve, Portugal
Monte Rei Golf and Country Club (North)
Set in the picturesque foothills of the Eastern Algarve, with sweeping views of the Serra do Caldeirão mountains to the north and the Atlantic Ocean to the south.
Palmares Golf (Praia & Lagos)
Algarve, Portugal
Palmares Golf (Praia & Lagos)
Palmares is billed as the golfing “jewel in the crown of the Algarve” and it’s certainly an eclectic golf course, which originally opened in 1975, with distinct flavours.
Quinta do Lago (South)
Algarve, Portugal
Quinta do Lago (South)
American architect William Mitchell raised the bar in terms of golf course architecture here at Quinta do Lago by importing American standard greens, tees and bunkers. In May 2020 the South course closed for major renovation work which took more than a year to complete.
Dom Pedro Old Course Golf Club
Algarve, Portugal
Dom Pedro Old Course Golf Club
Dom Pedro Old is the original and eldest course at Vilamoura but it's also the best. Grand, pine-lined, strategic and in tune with Mother Nature.
San Lorenzo Golf Course
Algarve, Portugal
San Lorenzo Golf Course
San Lorenzo is a classy golf course, routed in a figure of eight on sandy undulating terrain alongside the Atlantic, with fairways bordered by umbrella pines and the marshland bird sanctuary of the Ria Formosa.
Quinta do Lago (Laranjal)
Algarve, Portugal
Quinta do Lago (Laranjal)
The Laranjal course is the new kid on the block at Quinta do Lago and the reputation of their third course already is growing.
Quinta do Lago (North)
Algarve, Portugal
Quinta do Lago (North)
The South course at Quinta do Lago is the layout that most avid golfers rush to play, but the North course, formerly called the Ria Formosa, named after the Nature Reserve, is definitely worth savouring.
Amendoeira (Faldo)
Algarve, Portugal
Amendoeira (Faldo)
Faldo’s course at Amendoeira calls for golfers to play strategically, avoiding the desert scrub bunkers, rocky outcrops, wandering water hazards and olive trees that lurk in wait for errant shots.
Dom Pedro (Victoria)
Algarve, Portugal
Dom Pedro (Victoria)
After an investment of €18m in 2004, the fifth golf course at Dom Pedro opened for play. Arnold Palmer designed the Victoria and it’s a big layout that was built with tournament play in mind.
Vale do Lobo Resort (Royal)
Algarve, Portugal
Vale do Lobo Resort (Royal)
Vale do Lobo is one of the Algarve’s most senior golf resorts, founded in 1969 and it is currently the largest luxury resort in Portugal. The Royal course mixes nine of Henry Cotton's original holes with nine fashioned by Rocky Roquemore in the 1990s.