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Golf in the Algarve

The Algarve is the most popular golfing holiday location in Europe. For over 20 years, golfers from across the continent have flocked to this area to enjoy its superb courses and spectacular scenery on a year-round basis. It all started in the mid-sixties with the Henry Cotton designed Penina, with the coastal region now playing host to over 30 courses, with more being added all the time. Although none of the existing courses are more than 15km from the coast, the terrain varies from the steep hillsides of Parque da Floresta to the near sea-level flatlands of Vilamoura and Salgados, which in common with Palmares, include links holes. The mainly arid Algarve countryside, familiar to summer visitors, gives way to verdant oasis at each of the golf complexes thanks to large, state-funded water catchments and distribution schemes, as well as private boreholes which tap into subterranean water sources for irrigation.  Holes made tricky by water hazards are, therefore, not an infrequent feature on the Algarve courses. 

A total of eight top quality courses are within 25 km (a 25 minute drive) of our location. The closest course is Boavista (1 km away), whilst Parque da Floresta and the Penina Championship course are within easy reach. Here, we review these courses whilst also providing links to courses nearer to Faro.

Significant discounts on green fees can be found using one of the following sites.......

Equipment such as clubs and electric trolleys can be hired from the following locations:

Lagos Golf Shop -- Algarve Golf Agency

Location guide

 

1. Parque da Floresta - 18 holes, Par 72, 5670 metres. 14 km (15 mins) from our apartment.

Club website: http://www.vigiagroup.com/parque_da_floresta/golf/

How to find: Just over 1 Km west of the village of Budens, 16 km west of Lagos; signposted on the right of the EN125 main road.

 

(click each photo for a larger version)

Parque da Floresta is located amongst rolling, hilly terrain near the south-western tip of Portugal. The layout, designed by former Spanish amateur champion Pepe Gancedo, was virtually carved out of the hills and many of the natural contours were retained. Because of this, most of the holes, especially on the first nine, are testing and at first sight may be daunting for beginners. But this is what intrigues those who play it for the first time. Unlike most courses, Parque da Floresta has an wide variety of holes, each one with individual character. A combination of finesse and long precise shots is essential to score well. The owners, who acquired the complex at the end of 1993, have embarked on a program of continuous course improvement. Several fairways which formerly had side slopes have been leveled out and attractively landscaped. The highlights of the course include the stunning ninth hole, a Par 5 measuring some 490 meters off the white tee, with the third shot played over a ravine to an elevated green. The last six holes are truly spectacular and precise ball striking is a must to score well here. Always in fantastic condition, this course is a must on your Algarve golfing trip.

2. Boavista - 18 holes, Par 71, 5751 metres. 1 km (3 mins) from our apartment.

Club website: http://www.boavistagolf.com/

The closest course to our apartment, Boavista is located just 1 km from our location. Just find your way to the N125, turn left to head away from Lagos and continue straight ahead at the junction with the N120. Boavista is just around the next bend on the N125, on the left hand side.

Set overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, the historic town of Lagos, and inland to the Monchique hills, Quinta da Boavista is a very welcome addition to the growing variety of golf courses available in the Algarve to the discerning golfing visitor. Designer Howard Swan has successfully integrated his layout into the existing natural terrain, using the very features that make Boavista a delight to the eye. In addition to the 18-hole championship golf course and driving range, there is also a teaching academy.

The opening hole gently slopes away downhill and a generous fairway instills a sense of well-being. The panorama adds to this feeling with views over lakes and tumbling waterfalls. It is always difficult to name a signature hole, but at Boavista this task is very nearly impossible. The combination of design and location and the sheer variety of holes make playing it a wonderful experience. That said, the par 3 sixth at 190 metres across a chasm to severely sloped green must be a contender. The seventh and eighth enjoy spectacular views from the top of an escarpment along the coastline of western Algarve. The eighth, a par 5, is bisected by a deep ravine. A good drive still puts a premium on the second shot.

The view from the tee of the par 5 thirteenth is breathtaking: from the Monchique hills, sweeping across Lagos and its bay, with Portimão glistening in reflected light. The sixteenth tee is set at the highest point of the course but it is not until you address the ball for your second shot that the panorama of Boavista really manifests itself. This par 5, 505 metre hole is stunning. The beautifully presented fairway lies before you and the target is a narrow strip of green between two extensive bunkers. After that, the chip to the green is a mere formality! The eighteenth is a tough closing hole, an uphill par 4, dog-leg right. Strategic bunkers and distance confusing contours make it a delight to play. This is a golf course that has all the attributes to fulfil the expectations of all golfers - irrespective of playing abilities.

3. Palmares - 18 holes, Par 71, 5961 metres. 7 km (10 mins) from our apartment.

Club website: http://www.palmaresgolf.com/

5 km east of Lagos. Follow "Meia Praia" and "Golf" road signs near the marina at the eastern outskirts of Lagos on the N125 main road to Portimão. Take care at the two railway level-crossings on the way. An alternative route from the N125 is south from the village of Odiáxere. Part of the road is rough and unpaved and it is not recommended in wet weather.

Some say that is the jewel in the crown of the Algarve. Palmares, an interesting course, is best known for its breathtaking scenery. The setting is idyllic, with the majority of the holes on gentle slopes above the extensive beach stretching from the new Lagos marina to the mouth of the Alvor River. Course architect Frank Pennink took full advantage of the magnificent site and, in passing, threw in a sequence of five pure links holes between the railway and the beach, evoking memories of famous British layouts. The upper holes wind through groves of almond and fig trees and the course is renowned for its annual Almond Blossom tournament week in February. It is then that the trees, covered in a mass of pink and white bloom, create an unforgettable sight.

Note: Palmares is due to undergo significant reconstruction starting in 2009. According to local press this includes the closing of holes near the beach and new holes being constructed further inland. Many villas and apartments are to be built along with new hotels and a new clubhouse.

4. Penina - Championship Course - 18 holes, Par 73, 6273 metres. 17 km (20 mins) from our apartment.

Resort Course - 9 holes, Par 35, 2987 metres.

Academy Course - 9 holes, Par 30, 2035 metres.

Tel: + 351 282 420 200

15 km west of Lagos on the main N125 road. Just before the turnoff for Alvor.

Set in its own picturesque 360-acre estate, Le Meridien Penina Golf Club & Resort offers three golf courses designed by Sir Henry Cotton. The course owes its beautiful setting to the forward-thinking architect, who, in 1966, designed the Penina golf course with no less than 360,000 trees, shrubs and hedging plants. Since then, Penina has hosted several Portuguese Opens. Now a luxurious and highly-respected Championship course, it also offers 2 more courses of 9 holes - the Resort Course and the Academy Course - ideal for beginners and experts alike. There is a Golf Academy for golfers of all abilities, and Penina offers a five-day golf instruction programme (bookable in advance and subject to availability).

Our recommendation: If you don't fancy the heavy traffic or higher prices of the Championship Course, book yourself 18 holes (2 x 9 holes) on the challenging resort course. Whilst the course is almost completely flat it offers a good variety of testing holes and is usually pretty quiet. The Resort Course is a very good test of golf at a very reasonable price.

5. Morgado do Reguengo. 27 km (30 mins) from our apartment.

Morgado course - Par 73, 6399 metres. Alamos course - Par 71, 5641 metres.

Club website: http://www.morgadodoreguengo.com/

The main entrance is on the N124 from Portimão to Monchique. Leave the A22 at the Portimão / Monchique exit and at the first roundabout take the road north, to Monchique. The course is then well sign-posted.

These two championship golf courses nestle on the lower slopes of the Monchique hills. In golf course construction terms the terrain is unique in the Algarve, reminiscent of rolling parkland, with wonderful views inland to the hills. The first nine holes of Morgado are relatively benign; the second are hillier, with many of the hazards created by the natural contours of the land. The greens are generous and, above all, true throughout- but the SSS of 73 should give some indication of the degree of difficulty.

The Álamos course seems set to take a place among the very best courses in the Algarve. Enjoy wide-open fairways presented at the first and second holes because thereafter you will find little room for error. The tee of the par-5 sixth is at the highest point of the course and is unquestionably the course’s signature hole.

6. Alto Golf Club - 18 holes, Par 72, 5812 metres. 22 km (25 mins) from our apartment.

Club website: http://www.altoclub.com/

Located on the coastal road between Alvor and Praia da Rocha on the Rua da V3, approximately 25 minutes from our location.

Alto Golf is situated near the picturesque village of Alvor. Extraordinary white sandy beaches, clear blue sea and fascinating cliffs are part of its charm. It embodies Henry Cotton's belief that a golf course should test players but also provide a pleasant game for golfers of only average ability. This was Cotton's last course design and after his death, the project was continued by Peter Dobereiner, a well known golf journalist. The course, with the beautiful Monchique mountains as its backdrop, runs through two valleys and offers winding fairways and gently undulating greens. On the first nine holes players have the added pleasure of enjoying an excellent view over Lagos Bay. The last nine holes face inland, running through gentle mountain slopes to include hole number 16, which is said to be the longest hole in Europe: 604 metres for a Par 5. Any player who manages a birdie here will receive a certificate and his or her name will be inscribed on the club's roll of honour. All the other holes on the course are named, but this one has a special title: “The Giant”.

Other courses

 

 
 
 
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