Continental Europe

Portugal

Algarve

Monte Rei Golf Club was originally nominated by Steve for inclusion on the Top 100 website as a gem and was added to the site on 19th September 2007. These are Steve’s original comments: “Not sure if you’d like to include Monte Rei Golf Club within the Portuguese section of the site as it is a fantastic new course, only open six weeks when I played it in late Aug 2007. Incidentally, this is a Jack Nicklaus signature course and he has done a superb job.” Since Steve’s original nomination, Monte Rei has risen meteorically in the golf course rankings.

The Algarve has remained popular with visiting golfers for many years providing an array of golf courses to suit all tastes and abilities. Some of the courses, like anywhere, are better than others in terms of conditioning, degree of difficulty and their ability to create a desire to return after the first visit. At Monte Rei Golf Club things are very different.

The club is located away from the concentration of courses that are abundant around the Albufeira area – Monte Rei is set in the hills northeast of Tavira towards the Spanish border and the mountain setting is very special, which is evident on arrival where stunning views greet you, providing a taster as to what to expect during the round ahead.

This is one of only a few Jack Nicklaus ‘Signature’ courses in Europe and the first to reach Portugal. The layout provides an unforgettable experience and we can safely say that this is a quality golf course, which deserves its high rating in the Portuguese and Continental European rankings.

The course features an abundance of water hazards and some of the very best bunkering we’ve seen for some time. Additionally there are no weak holes and the opener is a par four played from an elevated tee to a fairway that doglegs to the right. Huge bunkers must be avoided both off the tee and at the green to ensure a strong start to your round. There are too many great holes to list here but our favourites come into play at a special corner of the course.

The 13th is a downhill par four with bunkers at the drive landing point and a lakeside green that undulates wickedly. Even though the approach to the green is likely to be less than 100 yards, a par is a great achievement. The 14th is probably the prettiest hole at Monte Rei – a medium length par three where the tee shot must carry a lake to find the green and anything pulled left will find a watery grave. The 18th is a cracking finishing hole, a par five that is in reach for the biggest of hitters but watch out for the lake that is in play for everyone’s second and third shots.

As well as having a highly respected golf course, Monte Rei pay attention to detail. The level of service in and around the sumptuous clubhouse is world-class, so expect to be treated well. Four more luxury courses are planned for the area in the coming years, which will be designed by Tom Weiskopf and Kyle Phillips. Construction on the second Jack Nicklaus Signature layout was due to begin in the summer of 2019, but one-year later ground had yet to be broken.

The Golden Bear commented as follows: “The South course will have many similar features to the North: great trees, wonderful topography, beautiful vistas, and has the potential to be another sensational course. Our mission will be to maximise the existing terrain and natural features, so we can create an experience that has its own distinct personality, with the same commitment to excellence that golfers expect when they visit Monte Rei.”

Once completed, these exciting developments will ensure that Monte Rei goes from strength to strength, cementing this relatively unknown golfing area on the map.

Monte Rei (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 is billed as the golfing “jewel in the crown of the Algarve” and it’s certainly an eclectic Frank Pennink-designed course, which opened in 1975, with distinct flavours.

Sited above and along the Atlantic coast close to the Meia Praia beach, Palmares has a collection of links-like holes and park-like holes. Not only is the golf good and varied but also Palmares has some of the best views available from any Portuguese golf course.

“Palmares blends easily into its rural seaside environement, offering wonderful vistas of the coastline around the Bay of Lagos and, from the higher ground, the mountains of the Monchique inland.” Wrote Michael Gedye in his 

. “The location presented Pennink with a unique situation – a hilltop dotted with flowering shrubs, almond and acacia trees, cascading down to a sandy stretch of linksland with dunes bordering the sea. He gasped at the challenge of combining links with parkland golf and produced a truly interesting course of wide variety that never ceases to charm and challenge. The spectacular views come as a natural bonus.”

Robert Trent Jones Jnr upgraded Palmares in 2010, dividing the property into three nines, “Lagos,” “Praia” and “Alvor”. Four holes on the Praia nine (two pretty par threes and two tough par fives) run along the shoreline and the second last greensite on this circuit is shared with the penultimate hole on the Lagos nine (where the only two water holes on the complex are featured).

The Alvor nine occupies the more hilly terrain at Palmares. The opening trio of holes on this loop sit on the least appealing part of the property, followed by three fairways that are laid out across a road in a lovely valley. After playing a fine par three near the water’s edge, the final two holes face directly uphill to the clubhouse.

Commenting on the Palmares project, Robert Trent Jones II: “Palmares Golf Course is special on so many levels. The expansive ocean vistas, dramatic elevation changes, quintessential Mediterranean intimate valleys, and expansive dunes land have blessed us with the environment to craft a golf course with an enormous depth of character and challenge.“

Palmares (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 is the dream which entrepreneur Andre Jordan realised in the early 1970s. This 2,000-acre luxury residential development was perhaps a bit ahead of its time, but now the “Manor estate by the lake” (to which Quinta do Lago roughly translates) is well and truly established.

Located fifteen minutes northwest of Faro airport, 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. The original and best course is now called the South and it opened for play in 1974.

The Quinta do Lago South course is certainly the most famous in the area and it has played host to the Portuguese Open on no fewer than eight occasions with Mark McNulty and Colin Montgomerie among the former title holders. Given its championship pedigree, this is also a course which will be enjoyed by the average handicap golfer. The fairways are relatively generous and the predominantly sandy but undulating ground flatters medium hitters.

With umbrella pine-lined fairways, bold bunkering and a splash of water features, the South course at Quinta do Lago is certainly an eye-catching layout and one which will appeal to discerning golfers.

In May 2020 the South course closed for renovations which took more than a year to complete. The layout was reseeded from tee to green with hybrid Bermuda grass, bunkers were refurbished, the lakes on #3 and #17 were upgraded and the fairway on #8 was softened with pine trees relocated to improve sightlines to the green. Trees were also removed behind the raised green on #16 to enhance the dramatic views across the lake below.


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.

The Algarve region stretches out over more than 200 kilometres of southern Portuguese coastline, from the Spanish border in the east to the Costa Vicentina in the west. The sheltered marshes and sand dunes of the east change into wonderful beaches protected by beautiful cliffs as you move westwards along the coast, before reaching the dramatic rocks and hidden caves of the wilder Atlantic coast. More than 70 per cent of the Algarve coastline is protected nature reserves, which play host to large numbers of migrating birds in spring and autumn.

The coastal town of Vilamoura is situated in a perfect central location and the visitor will soon appreciate why it is arguably Europe's largest and most successful golfing destination. The climate, landscape and on and off course facilities are all perfect for year-round golf. In fact, the governing bodies in the area are so keen to ensure that the golfer is satisfied whilst at the same time respecting the local Portuguese people and supporting the indigenous flora and fauna that all of the Vilamoura courses are the first in the world to be environmentally certified by the ISO 14001 standard.

A gem in this Portuguese golfing Utopia is the Old course and it's the second oldest course in the Algarve, designed by Frank Pennink. The Old opened for play in 1969 and has undeniably remained one of Portugal's and Europe's finest courses ever since. Pennink wanted to build a course in the Algarve that would remind the rapidly growing number of British travellers of the great inland courses back home, something he has admirably succeeded in achieving. To ensure the Vilamoura Old course maintained this enviable position, in 1997 Hawtree & Sons managed a significant amount of upgrading and remodelling, which also included the installation of a sophisticated new irrigation system.

As with so many of the best courses, there was little need to perform major earthwork feats to develop the Old, just a simple, sympathetic use of the existing natural contouring, terrain and vegetation. The tees are always beautifully kept; the fairways are wonderfully crafted and tree-lined, making straight driving crucial; the greens small, especially on the par three holes, and the hazards perfectly placed to catch the errant stroke.

Rather unusually, the course par is set at 73; however, the course layout was changed by swapping the 5th and 18th holes around, reducing the number of par fives on the back nine to three.

Every hole will stay with the player after a round, such is the majesty of the Old course. Almost lulling players into a false sense of security, the first three holes are relatively straightforward – as long as your drive finds the fairway. The 4th is a cracking short hole over a pond to a small, sloping green. The rest of the front nine call for total concentration, and careful shot and club selection. The par five 5th may offer up a birdie from the daily tees but only to the best of drives and long iron or fairway wood approaches to a sloping, well-guarded green. Undoubtedly the pick of the front nine and probably of the entire round is the SI 1 8th hole. Playing 400-plus metres from the Medal tee, the hole slopes down hill to a fairway bunker, doglegs gently to the right and then rises back up to a narrow green well protected by trees all around. A par here is a rare and wonderful event.

Things don't get any easier on the back nine. The 10th, 11th and 12th holes test the golfer's range of shots and accuracy off the tee. Watch out for the collection of fairway bunkers on the 12th – they are large, deep and perfectly placed to catch a player's second shot on this 480-metre par five. The 16th is the last of the par fives and at more than 500 metres, for most golfers it will call for three solid shots to a narrow green protected by three large bunkers.

As befits a course of this quality, a well-designed and refined clubhouse and restaurant complement the excellent Old course, allowing the golfer to sit back, relive the round and enjoy the attention and service from the always-friendly staff.

Vilamoura (Old)

Vilamoura 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 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.

“The course was designed by an American, Joe Lee,” wrote Michael Gedye in the 

, “and built by another, Rocky Roquemore. Few golf architects are presented with such an attractive setting on which to lay out a resort golf course.”

Rocky Roquemore handled most of Lee's design projects outside Florida and San Lorenzo is one of his best, which was once bracketed alongside some of the world’s top golf courses. Times do, of course, change. When the course first opened for play in 1988 it quickly became the Algarve’s beacon of shining light, standing head and shoulders above the area’s other mediocre golfing fare.

“The result combines length, a fair measure of strategic difficult and highly enjoyable, scenic golf,” continued Gedye, “The terrain is ideal; rolling sandy land sweeping over slopes well-wooded with umbrella pine. There are holes which border the constantly changing seaside lagoon and marshland bird sanctuary of the Rio Formosa and three real testers which make full use of the inland lake that is a central feature of the property.”

Exciting golf and stunning views open up at the par three 5th where the backdrop is the beach and the sea beyond. The excitement continues at the next two holes which take you past the threatening waters of the Ria Formosa. The finish is also particularly strong and entertaining with the opposite side of the Ria Formosa coming into play on the 17th and 18th. The 18th is a sneaky 400-yard plus par four with water all the way up the left and a semi-island green. It’s a classic risk and reward finish, which brings San Lorenzo to a close.

San Lorenzo

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 has come a long way since entrepreneur André Jordan’s dream way back in the early 1970s. The South course 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.

American architect William Mitchell designed the original 27 holes at Quinta do Lago in 1974 and his third loop of nine now forms part of the North course (the first two loops form the South course). Joe Lee added a fourth loop in the early 1990s (currently holes 6 to 14) then, to complete a full house, a third America architect, Rocky Roquemore, re-shaped the North layout in 2003.

The North is one of the Algarve’s most charming courses and it is reminiscent to and almost as pretty as a Melbourne Sandbelt course. Many holes are framed with stately umbrella pines and some greens nestle in truly magnificent sites. A few of the walks between green and next tee are a bit long but, in the big scheme of things, this is a small criticism.

One of the most visually appealing holes in the spectacular 361-metre par four 12th which features a 3-acre lake. The hole doglegs its way around the lake in an alarming fashion, leaving a treacherous approach shot to a large undulating green.

Don’t pass the North course by if you are visiting Quinta do Lago it’s a lovely track set in glorious golfing country with a fine collection of par fives... and now it’s ever better. The North course closed in December 2013 for renovation by American architect Beau Welling in collaboration with European Ryder Cup captain Paul McGinley. An eye-watering €9.6m was invested in the renovation programme, which included the rebuilding of all greens, tees, bunkers, irrigation/drainage systems and cart paths. The new-look North course reopened in October 2014 to critical acclaim.

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.

The Amendoeira Golf Resort is situated in the central Algarve district of Silves, half an hour’s drive from Faro airport and the two new courses here – Faldo and O’Connor Jnr – are the first to be constructed within a rural area that once held dominion over the south coast of Portugal.

Once part of the burgeoning Oceânico golfing empire, Amendoiera’s pair of 18-hole championship layouts are complemented by a 9-hole par three track which is floodlit for evening use, along with a number of practice chipping and putting areas. In all honesty, it’s a modern golf facility to match any of the others along this famous golfing coastline.

Faldo’s course 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. Careful positioning of the golf ball will afford the opportunity to score well so “keeping it in play” are the main watchwords here, especially on the hillier back nine.

Nick Faldo is really pleased with the course, saying, “the land at Amendoeira is dramatic and the project has the potential to be a real talking point in the Algarve. With so many courses in the region, that’s no mean feat. This is a very exciting project, which gives me a great opportunity to exploit my passion for design. You have incredible views, beautiful undulating land and any time you get natural terrain like this, it is great fun to work with”.

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.

The Laranjal course is the new kid on the block at Quinta do Lago and the reputation of their third course already is growing. The course is routed through orange groves – which is where the name Laranjal was derived – opening for play in February 2009 and designed by Portuguese architect Jorge Santana da Silva.

Peter nominated Laranjal as a gem in November 2009… “I went with a group of lads with quite a wide spread of handicaps and everyone enjoyed Laranjal to the full. Course design 7.5/10, service 8/10, maintenance 9/10, value 7/10… You could play a course which would challenge you more like Monte Rei but the Laranjal was very good.”

Unusually, this new Quina do Lago layout is configured with five par fives, eight par fours and five par threes. The extra three-shot and one-shot holes provide a subtle change in balance to the many 4-4-10 configurations that are so prevalent across the world. We like Jorge Santana da Silva’s style and hope more architects consider his different approach.

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.

After an investment of €18m in 2004, the fifth golf course at Vilamoura opened for play. Arnold Palmer designed the Victoria and it’s a big layout that was built with tournament play in mind. One year after opening, the course hosted the WGC World Cup, which resulted in a Stephen Dodd and Bradley Dredge Welsh team victory.

In 2007, Oceânico Golf, former owners and operators of a group of seven Vilamoura courses, secured the inaugural Portugal Masters. Englishman Steve Webster won the first event with an impressive 25 under par total. The Portugal Masters has been held on the Victoria course ever since.

In some ways, the Victoria is similar to the South course at the K Club, but naturally the weather here on the Algarve is much warmer. The hazards are severe and you may settle for the safe option and a few three putts by aiming to hit these huge, fast and undulating greens in regulation. Keeping out of the numerous water hazards and the threatening bunkers will pay dividends on this relatively flat course.

In 2016, the operator Dom Pedro Golf acquired five courses from Oceânico Golf: Vilamoura Old Course, Victoria, Pinhal, Laguna and Millennium.

Vilamoura (Victoria)

After an investment of €18m in 2004, the fifth golf course at Vilamoura opened for play. Arnold Palmer designed the Victoria and it’s a big layout that was built with tournament play in mind.

American architect Rocky Roquemore has designed plenty of good golf courses on the Iberian peninsula over the years but one of his more recent projects, at Vila Nova de Cacela, on the Sotavento coast in eastern Algarve, may well turn out to be one of his very best.

Located within the Ria Formosa Nature Reserve, one of the major advantages of this 36-hole complex is that there are no distracting housing projects to get in the way of enjoying golf in an unspoilt natural setting – and that cannot be said for too many other courses further west along the coastline!

 and it lies to the south of the Quinta de Cima, closer to the coast, and is a very good parkland course in its own right with over three hundred transplanted Olive and Carob trees to add character to its landscape.

The Quinta de Cima course has been designed with tournament play in mind and its inbuilt degree of difficulty is designed to attract the more accomplished amateur as well as the professional golfer so its not exactly holiday golf!

A stream runs across the fairways of holes 4 to 6, but it only presents a real problem at the first of these, the 368-yard, par four, 4th where it cuts across right in front of the putting surface. The challenge here really steps up a gear going into the last third of the course where there are three long par fours to be negotiated from holes 13 to 15, followed by three holes where water plays a large part in determining the final mark on your scorecard.

At the par five 16th, a stream runs diagonally across the fairway starting 180 yards from the green and this feeds into a pond to the right of the putting surface, adding pressure to the approach. The tee shot at the par three 17th must carry a pond in front of the putting surface so anything short is dead. Finally, water cuts across the fairway and runs into a pond to the right of the green at the 18th so both the tee shot and second shot have to remain dry before reaching the putting surface – a trio of finishing holes for stout hearted golfers!

Quinta de Cima

The Quinta de Cima course has been designed with tournament play in mind and its inbuilt degree of difficulty is meant to attract the more accomplished amateur as well as the professional golfer...

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. Much has happened at the Vale since Sir Henry Cotton laid out the first course at Vale do Lobo in the late 60s. Cotton’s original layout has been split in half to form two new courses, the Royal and the Ocean and many houses have sprung up around the course, creating some rather long walks between greens and tees.

The Royal course is widely regarded as the better of Vale do Lobo’s two layouts. American architect Rocky Roquemore laid out the nine new holes in the late 90s, which are routed over gently undulating ground further inland. Thirteen holes from the Royal course are combined with five holes from the Ocean course to form the composite layout, which was used to stage the Portuguese Open in 2003. It will therefore come as no surprise that the Royal course is a supremely challenging test of golf.

Undoubtedly the star of the Royal course is the par three 16th. This cliff top signature hole measures 224 yards from the back tees. This is probably the most photographed hole in Portuguese golf and the view from the back tee which is perched on the edge of the cliff is one of our all-time favourites. This is a stunning hole without a shadow of doubt and it makes the pricey green fee worthwhile.

When the Open de Portugal was held at Vale do Lobo in 2002 and 2003 the 18-hole composite course comprised holes from both the Royal (1-6 and 12-18) and the Ocean (10,11, 15, 16, 18) layouts.

Vale do Lobo (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.

The Algarve is well endowed with golf courses so it may have come as something of a surprise when the 18-hole Espiche layout opened for play in 2012. Truth be told, it had endured a long gestation because construction on the course began in the 1990s but a succession of serious problems – not least the global financial crisis of 2007-8 – held the project up until it eventually made its debut.


Designed by South African architect Peter Sauerman, the course is set in an Ecological Reserve, where the landscape has been left as undisturbed as possible. Holes have been sympathetically routed around woodland and wetland areas, allowing golfers to connect to the stunning natural environment of the Western Algarve, and the real estate element to be developed will remain separate from the golfing ground.

The small lakes, streams and indigenous planting of olive, fig and almond trees around the course all contribute in their own way towards enhancing the player’s connection with the local landscape, allowing golfers to trade the external sightlines of intrusive residential buildings found at other Algarve venues with views of the nearby vineyards and the marvellous Monchique Mountain range.

Located on a hilltop in the middle of the property, the stunning clubhouse – which has won a number of architectural awards – is built on the site of an old farm house, with stone from the original building used in the lower walls to preserve a little of the local identity. It’s a fabulous contemporary building, designed by Nadine Berger, which offers sensational views across the entire course from the top floor.

The course measures 5,862 metres from the back tees, playing to a par of 72, and it’s configured with two returning nines, each of which starts with a relatively straightforward par five and ends with a difficult par four. It’s a lightly bunkered layout with sand hazards confined to mainly greenside traps (apart from holes 14, 16 and 17 which feature nests of fairway bunkers) and water in play at fewer than a handful of holes.

Espiche

Designed by South African architect Peter Sauerman, the course at Espiche Golf Club is set in an Ecological Reserve, where the landscape has been left as undisturbed as possible.

The Algarve region of Portugal is home to a number of Europe’s Top 100 golf courses, much of which is due to its ideal terrain and weather conditions. As a consequence any golf course built on the Algarve has to achieve very high standards of design and management not to be looked upon as inferior. The Vale da Pinta golf course, set in the Pestana Golf Resort near Carvoeiro in the Western Algarve, is a course that accepts the ‘quality’ label with ease.

Vale da Pinta was designed by American architect Ronald Fream and inaugurated in 1992. A par 71 layout measuring 6,115 metres from the back tees, Fream has created a wonderful test of golf. He has used the natural landscape of rolling hills, olive groves and other indigenous trees and vegetation combined with a couple of man-made lakes to superb effect. The whole course is framed by the Monchique Hills. Every golfer cannot help but be inspired to achieve their best golf, something that many of the holes will demand.

Tight fairways, doglegs and an assortment of well placed hazards make shot-making and accuracy paramount at Vale da Pinta. A good example of this would be the par five 4th hole. Measuring 512 metres from the back tee, it requires a long and accurate uphill tee-shot towards a marker post, made all the tougher by a fairway bordered by rough on the right and out of bounds on the left. The rest of the hole then stretches away downhill, but caution is required as the olive and carob trees encroach and narrow the fairway significantly. Cleverly placed bunkers and a superb undulating green all add to the sense of relief if par is made.

There is no let up on the next tee, because Fream has designed a cracking par three measuring 168 metres. Played from a very elevated tee to a shallow, wide green with bunkers and water all around. Hitting the green is paramount and made all the harder by the often present wind.

Other holes of note are the 9th, a par four measuring 373 metres. It’s an excellent hole that rewards a long drive over the dogleg with a short approach to a deceptively long green – check the wind first though. The 13th – a par four of only 336 metres – on paper should be relatively simple, however a stroke index of 1 tells the true story of this hole. From the tee a large lake and bunker on the far bank ensure that a very good strike will be required to clear this combination of hazards. Taking the safer route right of the water will be the best decision however this still leaves a tricky approach to a shallow green well protected by sand. Finally, the 18th is a wonderful par five finishing hole measuring 581 metres and will require three long straight shots. A par here is a great finish.

Vale da Pinta has many excellent, testing holes and will definitely keep golfers of all standard thinking until the very last putt. A delightful course in a superb location.

Vale da Pinta

The Vale da Pinta golf course, set in the Pestana Golf Resort near Carvoeiro in the Western Algarve, is a course that accepts the ‘quality’ label with ease.

Golfe do Morgado is one of the newer courses to be laid out in the Algarve and it’s also one of the region's tougher layouts. With the Monchique Mountains as a northerly backdrop, the course is routed among the valleys, lakes and vineyards creating a well-conceived 18-hole challenge.

Designed by Russell Talley of European Golf Design and opened for play in 2003, Mordago is still a relative youngster and requires time to mature but the layout is challenging, stretching out to 6,400 metres from the tips. The best holes appear at the end of each nine-hole loop interspersed with the excellent short par four 12th. Five par fives – at holes 3, 7, 10, 13 and 16 – contribute towards a course par of 73, with feature holes appearing at the short par four 9th and 12th.

Operated by NAU Hotels, the Morgado course is one of three 18-hole layouts owned by the company. The Álamos course, opened in 2006, is situated adjacent to Morgado in the foothills of Monchique and it extends to 5,700 metres, playing to a par of 71. The Salgados course, unveiled in 1994, is located close to the coast at Albufeira, a 45-minute drive away.

In December 2016, the European Tour announced that the Open de Portugal was back on its schedule (after an absence of seven years, following Thomas Bjorn's victory at Penha Longa in 2010) with Morgado timetabled to host the competition in May 2017.

Morgado

Golfe do Morgado is one of the newer courses to be laid out in the Algarve and it’s also one of the region's tougher layouts.

In real terms, the Algarve region of Portugal is a fledgling golfing destination, however this is not a negative comment as age does not necessarily a great golf course make! The most ‘historic’ of all of the southern Portuguese golf courses is “The Penina” as it is reverentially known. Built in 1966 by Sir Henry Cotton it is situated in a pleasant 360-acre estate midway between the traditional fishing village of Portimao and the historic town of Lagos.

Penina was built on land that was originally used for growing rice and therefore Cotton planted over 360,000 trees and shrubs to create the wonderful wooded feel the course possesses. He also carefully and sensitively remodelled the land including developing the natural streams and lakes to produce a magnificent golf course. The quality of which was immediately recognised by all who played there and since its inception Penina has been the host for many professional tournaments including the Portuguese Open on no less than ten occasions.

The Penina Hotel & Golf Resort layout is a fairly traditional design of two loops of 9 holes; however, untraditionally the course is a par 73 with only one par five on the front nine holes and four on the back nine. With the sun shining as it often is and the smell of eucalyptus in the air from the many trees the golfer could be mistaken for thinking that they were in for a nice relaxing round. This would be a mistake. From the very start of the round, the quality of the course, and the test the golfer is going to be subjected to is much in evidence.

The gently rolling fairways are well manicured, the hazards are well placed and numerous and the greens are always in great condition, difficult to read and often tough to find. Right from the outset the golfer’s game will be tested. The first hole at Penina is a long dog-leg left to a well guarded narrow green, and this is followed by SI 1, a 401-metre par four that plays to a domed and undulating green tucked to the left and protected at the front by a stream.

The pick of the other holes on the front nine are the 5th, 7th and the 9th. The 5th is the only par five on the front nine and only measures 451 metres from the back tees, however it’s a perfectly designed risk and reward hole. A good drive in the centre of the fairway will have the golfer considering trying for the green in two, however a large lake and out of bounds await all but the crispest approach shot.

The 7th is a superb little short par four with a lake left and a stream across the fairway at the driving distance. A long, narrow green protected by two large bunkers means an accurate approach both in line and length is required. Finally, on the front nine is the 9th, a dog-leg left par four that only measures 388 metres from the championship tees, however the hole feels much longer as the approach is up hill to a narrow, sloping green.

As already mentioned the back nine at Penina contains four par fives, the 10th, 11th, 17th and 18th, however, in our opinion, the pick of the holes on the back nine are the 12th and 13th although none of the others could be described as weak.

The 12th is a cracking long par four measuring 385 metres. Almost dead straight and with only one fairway bunker and the trees as trouble off the tee it’s not until the golfer arrives at his ball for the approach will this hole’s true majesty be realised. The green, which is not large, sits nestled directly behind a lake that snakes its way through the hole and on to cause further consternation at the next hole, the wonderful, terrifying 13th.

It is said that 1 in 5 golfers fall foul of the lake guarding the 13th, a long par three measuring 185 metres from the white tees. In fact, a dredging operation in 1986 recovered an amazing 20,000 balls from this lake alone. The green is narrow, wide and sloping back to the water so selecting the right club is crucial.

Two par fives to finish allow some respite and even the chance of a birdie or two to hopefully end your Penina experience on a high. The course whilst not a masterpiece is an excellent, attractive and challenging classic Mediterranean layout and is thoroughly recommended.

Penina (Championship)

Penina was built on land that was originally used for growing rice and it was the Algarve's first golf course which was fashioned by Sir Henry Cotton.

The Algarve is a European golfing Mecca and Vilamoura is at its heart, overlooking the wonderful beaches that attract so many holidaymakers. A vibrant town, Vilamoura has embraced golf since the late 1960s when the Vilamoura Old course opened.

Heading east out of the town towards Quarteira is the 27-hole Vila Sol complex. The original course was designed by Donald Steel and opened for play in 1991 and the two main 9-hole loops are now called Prime and Challenge. The Vila Sol course is probably not as well known as the handful that surround Vilamoura itself, but this shouldn't be put down to any lack of quality. Much like the Vilamoura Old course - the other true championship layout in this area - Steel created Vila Sol without the need for excessive contouring or the creation of unnatural hazards. The course fits beautifully into the original undulating landscape and takes full advantage of the umbrella pine, fig and cork trees, which frame every fairway, making the golfer's target seem even narrower.

Players of all abilities will find Vila Sol a wonderful challenge. The fairways are always beautifully maintained and manicured and the many sand and water hazards are expertly placed to catch the ill-thought-out or poorly executed shot. The greens are true and generally very quick.

From the very start, Vila Sol provides a perfect indication of the tests to come as the layout opens with three par fours, all in excess of 380 metres. The third of these is the SI1 and plays uphill to a dogleg left and then on again to a left-to-right sloping green protected by a steep bank and trees all around, including the front left side of the green. A par here will be a very good score.

Other notable holes on Vila Sol's front nine are the 6th, 7th and 8th. The 6th is a long downhill par five with a large lake protecting the left half of the fairway. The uphill approach is to a small, well bunkered green. The 7th is a long, downhill par three back over the lake to a large, sloping green. Over-clubbing here is common, leaving a testing, fast putt back towards the lake. Finally, the 8th is a classic park-like par five, gently doglegging right with a narrow stream running in front of the green and back down the left of the fairway.

The back nine at Vila Sol is slightly shorter but no less tough due to the narrowness of the fairways, the superbly placed hazards and the small, testing greens. The pick of the Vila Sol back nine holes are the 10th, 13th, 14th, 17th and 18th. The 10th is a cracking par four, slightly downhill and playing to a large, well bunkered green. The 13th, on paper an innocuous-sounding par three, is in reality a tough challenge as it plays across a valley to a large, sloping green that makes club selection vital and can still leave a difficult and long first putt.

The 14th is a straight par five, playing uphill from the tee. Only the longest of drives will avoid a blind second shot over the brow of the hill. Check your distances carefully because two lakes protect the green front and left. The 17th is a perfect 'risk and reward' hole. It's a short par four that plays downhill to the narrowest of fairways. The sensible shot will be a mid-iron from the tee leaving a short iron approach, though a good straight drive could well find the putting surface or, at worst, a short chip. As befits a course of this class, the 18th is a wonderful par four finale.

Vila Sol played host to the Portuguese Open in 1992 and 1993 and it's undeniably a solid course that challenges and rewards at every turn. Donald Steel added nine new holes in 2000 and this loop, called the Prestige, is also worth playing.

Vila Sol (Prime & Challenge)

Donald Steel created the course at the Vila Sol Golf Resort without the need for excessive contouring or the creation of unnatural hazards.

Vale do Lobo or “Valley of the Wolf”, is one of the Algarve’s oldest golf resorts and it’s the largest luxury resort in Portugal. Sir Henry Cotton laid out 18 holes at Vale do Lobo in the late 60s but his original layout has been split in two to form the Ocean and Royal courses.

The Ocean is perhaps the understudy to the Royal course, but nevertheless it’s a solid sandy layout and it stands up on its own two feet. The newer and more open nine, which American architect Rocky Roquemore laid out in 2003, provide an opportunity in the middle of the round to open your shoulders before you head off toward the shoreline.

The handful of ocean holes, of which Vale do Lobo’s Ocean course takes its name, are really good and these beach holes are the ones which will remain etched in the memory. In fact, the Ocean course will lead you closer to the sea than any other course on the Algarve. Look out for the brilliant par three 15th, which measures 192 metres from the back tee, it rivals the brilliant par three 16th on the Royal course.

With holes flanked by umbrella pines and eucalyptus trees with greens set in delightful beach-front sites and even an authentic links-like hole, the Ocean is a varied course and one that will hold your attention. It’s well worth adding to your Algarve itinerary.

Vale do Lobo (Ocean)

The Ocean course at Vale do Lobo is perhaps the understudy to the Royal layout, but nevertheless it’s a solid sandy course and it stands up on its own two feet.

Designed by the late English West Country professional Terry Murray, the original course at Castro Marim (comprising the Atlantic and Guadiana nines) first opened for play in 2001 and this 18-hole layout was joined seven years later by the Grouse nine.

The tree-lined Atlantic and Guadiana loops play through some narrow valleys and across rather hilly terrain, with many of the Bermuda grass fairways doglegging right or left from the tee box around imposing water hazards.

For a course that features quite a number of tantalising short par fours, it’s ironic that the par five 4th should be included in Jeff Barr’s book, 

1001 golf holes you must play before you die

.Here’s what the author had to say about this iconic hole:

“The 4th hole at Castro Marim features a tee shot played from an elevated tee to a low-lying fairway. It’s a common occurrence on this compact course close to the Spanish border. The drive needs to be thought through carefully. The hole doglegs left and a lake lies beyond the dogleg on the right of the fairway.

The ideal line is to try to keep as tight to the corner of the dogleg as possible, leaving a better chance of getting close to the green with the second shot. The problem is that it has to be played uphill, making the shot longer.

Even those who lay up will still face a second shot played uphill to a green protected by a bunker, young pine trees and the natural slope of the land. Finding the putting surface isn’t easy, so pray your wedge play is sharp when you arrive at Castro Marim’s par five 4th.”

Castro Marim (Atlantic & Guadiana)

Designed by UK architect Terry Murray, the original course at Castro Marim Golf & Country Club (comprising the Atlantic and Guadiana nines) first opened for play in 2001...

Decisions, decisions! Is it a 6 or 7 iron? Will the putt break left or right? Do we take on the water or play safe? When arriving at Faro on the Portuguese Algarve, do we drive east or west from the airport? West will take you, along with the vast majority of other golfers, to the well known and impressive courses of 

. Next time you land, why not point your hire car in the opposite direction and experience the golfing delights that can be found in the Eastern Algarve especially at the excellent Quinta da Ria Golf Club.

Stretching from Faro along the coast towards the border with Spain, the unspoilt natural woodlands and wetlands form a major part of the Ria Formosa Nature Reserve. Beautiful, rugged and wild, the protected land, known locally as "Sotarento", provides Quinta da Ria and its sister course 

 with a wonderful haven away from commercialisation and a promise of no villa-lined fairways and years of noisy building sites.

Opening for play in 2002, the Quinta da Ria course was designed by the well known architect Rocky Roquemore, and is a traditional par 72 layout measuring 6,016 metres from the back tees. Quinta da Ria is a fairly flat, parkland course where there’s usually a challenging breeze with which to cope. As with other Roquemore courses, such as Quinta do Brincal on the Lisbon coast, Quinta da Ria is designed to provide a good challenge for all standards of golfer. Wide landing areas have been created to receive well-struck shots, but trouble aplenty awaits any ill-advised or poorly executed ones. Five strategically placed lakes, numerous bunkers and carob and olive trees add to the challenge of reaching the greens in regulation. Once on the short stuff, the golfer will be faced with large, fast greens with many subtle borrows and undulations.

Quinta da Ria is a good course with some excellent, well-designed and tough holes; special mention should go to holes 5, 10, 13 and 16. The 5th is a cracking par three that has two different teeing areas, both require a good shot over a lake to a shallow green well guarded by bunkers. The par four 10th is a killer hole. Measuring 422 metres from the back tees, with out-of-bounds all down the left side and a large lake guarding the green from 100 metres out. This hole will require your best drive and then a long second over the lake. A par will be worth celebrating.

The par three 13th measures 188 metres from the back tee that runs parallel with the Ria Formosa. This is a tough one-shotter into the prevailing wind, with bunkering almost completely encircling the green that measures a measly 22 metres wide. The par five 16th is a potential card-wrecker with a fairway that doglegs right and then left between two large lakes to a green that is tucked closely behind the second lake. Be sensible off the tee, avoiding the water and you may walk off with a par. Try too much with either tee or approach shots and a watery grave awaits.

Quinta da Ria is an excellent new course set in an unspoilt and quieter part of the Algarve and we thoroughly recommend the trip east.

Quinta da Ria

Opening for play in 2002, the Quinta da Ria golf course was designed by architect Rocky Roquemore, and it's a traditional par 72 layout measuring 6,016 metres from the back tees.

The future is bright for Christy O'Connor Junior's course at Amendoeira Golf Resort, which opened in October 2008, in fact, the architect “wanted one hole where it was just oranges”…

Christy O'Connor Junior explained: “I wanted one hole where it was just oranges. The whole of this part of the Algarve is blessed with thousands of acres of orange groves and I wanted to bring some inside the course as well. I have managed to create such a hole, the fifth, which has orange groves left and right and should be a real beauty to play. There is also a huge orange grove off to the left on the fourth hole.”

Part of the Amendoeira Golf Resort, which is located in the central Algarve district of Silves, the O’Connor course is a perfect complement to its highly rated sibling, the Faldo course, and this pair of 18-hole championship layouts are supplemented by a floodlit 9-hole par three track and a couple of practice chipping and putting areas – all that you might expect at a high-end modern golf complex.

Water, in the shape of ponds, creeks and wetland areas, comes into play at many of the holes, particularly on the front nine, so golfers of a nervous disposition are advised to stock up on golf balls before taking on this tough little cookie. Par threes at the 3rd and 6th are feature holes on the outward half, with pushed shots on either hole resulting in a wet golf ball.

The inward half presents a number of memorable holes, though the first of these at the par four 10th might be remembered for the wrong reasons because the acute angle of the right dogleg on this par four might be regarded as a little too severe by many. The 374-metre 18th hole also doglegs towards the target, but a little more gently this time, as the fairway rises slowly towards the two-tiered home green.

Amendoeira (O'Connor)

The future is bright for the Christy O'Connor Jnr. course at the Amendoeira Resort, which opened in October 2008, in fact, the architect “wanted one hole where it was just oranges”…

The Pinhal is one of the older courses at the sprawling Vilamoura golf complex, opening as a Frank Pennink-designed layout in the mid-1970s. A decade later, Robert Trent Jones was called in to revamp the Pinhal so it’s one of a select few European courses to bear the stamp of the American master golf architect.

Holes are draped over a rolling landscape with many of the fairways lined by canopies of umbrella and Atlantic pines. Consequently, some of the holes can feel a little tight in places as the playing corridors have narrowed over time. Water hazards, in the shape of a stream and some small ponds, come into play at a handful of holes but they never threaten to dominate proceedings.

There’s a demanding start to the round at Pinhal with a couple of lusty par fours and a pair of long par fives to tackle in the first four holes. The par three 8th is also a tough nut, played across water to a two-tiered green protected by four bunkers.

On the back nine, the short par four 11th doglegs 90 degrees to the left, followed by two par threes at 12 and 14 that play either side of a testing, uphill par five where both the drive and second shot are blind.

Vilamoura (Pinhal)

The Pinhal is one of the older courses at the sprawling Vilamoura golf complex, opening as a Frank Pennink-designed layout in the mid-1970s.

Situated immediately to the east of the Quinta do Lago resort, Pinheiros Altos Campo de Golfe debuted in the early 1990s as an 18-hole layout designed by Ron Fream. The front nine called “Pines” is routed across an umbrella pine-clad hillside and the back nine, named “Olives” occupies flatter, open parkland bordering the Ria Formosa nature reserve.

Not long after it opened, the layout underwent a back nine makeover by Peter McEvoy and Howard Swan, which now features an island green on the second last hole.

A third 9-hole circuit (named “Corks”) was fashioned in 2007, designed by Portuguese architect George Santana da Silva, with these holes very cleverly integrated into the same landscape that houses the original front nine. In truth, it’s hard to believe now that the Pines and Corks were not laid out at the same time, more than thirty years ago.

Reviews below that were written before 2021 relate to the Pines & Olives combination. We visited the course that year and decided to replace the Olives nine with the far superior Corks nine.

Pinheiros Altos (Pines & Corks)

The original layout at the Pinheiros Altos Golf Resort consisted of the Pines and Olives nines but the addition of the 9-hole Corks circuit in 2007 ousted the Pines from fashioning half the leading eighteen holes at this 27-hole facility.

Quinta do Vale lies in the southeast corner of Portugal, less than ten kilometres from Ayamonte, the Spanish town on the other side of the Rio Guadiana which forms the boundary between the two countries.

It’s a quiet quarter of the Algarve that often gets overlooked by those arriving at Faro in search of good golf and that’s a big mistake as there are several terrific options available within a short drive of one another here.

The course is a Seve Ballesteros design and – just like his layouts at Buenavista in Tenerife and Porto Santo in Madeira – it’s configured with six par threes, six par fours and six par fives, with the same par never repeated at consecutive holes.

More than half the holes on the front nine feature water hazards so get in the game right away or it could be an expensive round dunking golf balls in the drink. The par five 7th is rated stroke index 1, doglegging right to a green that juts out into one of the lakes.

On the more forgiving back nine, you’ll find the architect’s trademark S-shaped bunker to the right of the fairway on the par five 10th, but the best hole is kept until last at the short par four 18th, requiring an approach over water to the home green.

Quinta do Vale 

The course at Quinta do Vale Golf Resort is a Seve Ballesteros design and it’s configured with six par threes, six par fours and six par fives, with the same par never repeated at consecutive holes.

In 1986, the Martins Dias family, owners of the Quinta de Benamor property near Tavira, engaged Henry Cotton to layout the first golf course in the eastern part of the Algarve, twenty years after he established his pioneering course at Penina, in the west side of the region.

Unfortunately, the three-time Open champion died the following year, way before construction got under way, but his outline plans were later taken up by architect Howard Swan, which eventually led to the opening of an 18-hole layout at the start of the new millennium.

The clubhouse is located beside a disused church and perhaps it’s this old building that convinced Sir Henry, a well-known religious man, to get involved in the project in the first place. Certainly, the course’s owners are pleased nowadays to promote Benamor as a Cotton design.

Fairways are bounded by combinations of almond, carob, cork and olive trees and they’re set out on gently undulating terrain which offers splendid views of the mountains to the north and the Atlantic Ocean to the south. Elevation changes may be frequent but they’re never too strenuous.

The tight par five 5th is rated the toughest hole on the card, playing uphill then doglegging slightly left to the green. The par four 6th immediately following is probably the best hole on the front nine, plunging back downhill to a green that’s well defended by sand to the front left hand side.

The inward half at the par three 10th begins with a heroic downhill tee shot to a pulpit green on the other side of a gully and this short hole is almost matched for dramatic value at the par three 17th, where the green is benched into a small hill, protected by a pond at the front and two enormous bunkers on either side.

Benamor

In 1986, the owners of the Quinta de Benamor property, engaged Henry Cotton to layout the first golf course in the eastern part of the Algarve, twenty years after he established his pioneering course at Penina...

The Pestana hotel chain is one of the main tourism and leisure companies in Portugal and it manages a number of golf complexes that includes, apart from here at Gramacho, other Algarve courses at Vale da Pinta, Silves Golf and Alto Golf.

American Ron Fream originally laid out nine holes in the early 1970s – around the same time that he was setting out Pinheiros Altos – and golfers used two different sets of tees to play an 18-hole round before the Gramacho course was subsequently doubled in size when the architect teamed up with former world number one Nick Price to create a full 18-hole layout.

The fairways of the opening and closing four holes are routed around housing with the remaining holes occupying a more rural setting around rocky outcrops, old dry stone walls and lovely stands of native trees.

All four of the par three holes are daunting – none of them are under 190 yards from tee to green – but the toughest is undoubtedly the 10th, where the tee shot is played to an island green.

Many golfers regard the short par four penultimate holes on each nine (at the 318-yard 8th and the left dog legged 17th) to be the most engaging on the property.

Ron Fream, course architect, provided us with the following, exclusive comment:

Gramacho was almost an afterthought to the design of the nearby Vale da Pinta eighteen. The land available was limited and the owner needed a good building lot to count. I had designed what I called "boutique" courses, compact in area but big in playing power and the then owner accepted my suggestions.

A dual greensite, multi tee area plan was drawn. Play two rounds from different tees or different parts of the tee areas to different flags in distinctly different green putting areas. In some cases we had two separate greens, in other locations merely over large single greens so play twice and you had a full 18 holes of challenging golf.

The owner found selling the apartments and villas easy, as many buyers enjoyed the faster pace of play when doing only nine, but they also had the beauty of a very scenic course.

Gramacho became very popular with players who wanted challenge but not of the same magnitude that we put into the Pinta design. This boutique – compact but challenging – concept has even more basis today as land and water become scarcer.

Gramacho

American Ron Fream originally laid out nine holes in the early 1970s before the Gramacho course was subsequently doubled in size to a full 18-hole layout.

NAU Hotels operates three golf courses in the Algarve region. 

 and Alamos are situated in the foothills of Monchique, close to Portimão, and the third 18-hole layout at Salgados lies within a coastal Nature Reserve near Albuferia, where the palm-fringed fairways are set out around a large number of testing water hazards.