There are millions of tourists that visit Portugal yearly who are looking to relax and enjoy the sun, the beaches, the food and the culture. However, over the last 40 years, an increase in golfing resorts and courses has caused a lot more people to book a Golfing holidays to Portugal where there will have endless hours of golf.
The country is home to some beautiful courses across the Algarve as well as picturesque locations up north around Lisbon and further afield. We have compiled the top golf courses for you to visit in Portugal… places where you will not be disappointed.
Monte Rei
Location: Tavira, Algarve
Founded: 2007
Monte Rei is a golf course that has been carefully designed with each hole seamlessly blending into the landscape’s natural canvas. Monte’s impressive presentation includes water on eleven holes and sculpted bunkers that add to their design. The course is a challenging 7,224-yard terrain with fairways that are wide and forgiving. It is mixed with indigenous plants and grasses of the region to add to its challenge for golfers who will have to test their accuracy and skill throughout the course. The Serra do Caldeirao Mountains can be seen in the East Algarve from everywhere on the course.
Troia
Location: Setubal, Lisbon
Founded: 2017
Troia Golf Course is located south of Lisbon, on the point of a peninsula between the Atlantic Ocean and Sado Estuary. This 18-hole course was designed by Robert Trent Jones Senior in 1980 and it is regarded as one of the toughest courses to play. However, you can also enjoy the beautiful views out over ocean waters. This course is made of both fairways and sand dunes, with a narrow fairway that stretches into the long scars of sand. Accuracy is the key to finding the heavily bunkered and small greens in this terrain. Best to choose your tee wisely when playing here!
West Cliffs
Location: Obidos, Lisbon
Founded: 2017
West Cliff is one of the youngest courses in Portugal but it has been highly regarded as one of the best. It was designed by Cynthia Dye who knew that picking the location would boost the allure of the Centro Region. The genius golf design includes silken fairways, natural vegetation, pine groves and rolling sand dunes. The greens are also bold in spirit, shape and size. The back-9 will lead you out to sea and increase the drama as you approach the final hole which is one of the most towering drives of the day and leads into an intense finish.
Dom Pedro – Old Course
Location: Vilamoura, Algarve
Founded: 1969
There is something about Golfing Holidays in Vilamoura that just ticks all the boxes and the Old course is such a beautiful golfing location as you walk up the nearby paths next to the holes. The umbrella pines follow you everywhere on the course and they provide a sleek and sweet rhythm which makes the venue so popular. You will have to be accurate here to avoid the trees and to work out the best angles to find the greens with the par-3s being very impressive. From start to finish, this is a challenging course that tricks you with the variety of the terrain but is also very enjoyable.
Praia D’el Rey
Location: Obidos, Lisbon
Founded: 1997
Praia D’El Rey and West Cliffs are part of the same golf resort, which increases their allure in the Central region on the Silver Coast. They are two courses with high rankings (not to mention Royal Obidos which is nearby), so they’ve become a highly desirable destination! Praia D’El Rey is situated on the ocean’s edge and has 3 wonderful holes (13 to 15) on the back-9. It also gives you an idea of what it would be like on the front-9 as well. The setting is beautiful with misty dunes, cliffs, pine trees in some parts, which are all meticulously maintained.
Oitavos Dunes
Location: Cascais, Lisbon
Founded: 2001
In the tranquil dune scape of Oitavos Dunes, Arthur Hills has designed a magnificent golf course. The American created this course in 2001 and it quickly acquired an impressive reputation among those who played there because of its strong links design. Even at the start and end where there is woodland, you can see that sandy terrain! This golf course will put the more experienced players to the test, with shapely greens and spectacular views. The highlights of this course are par-3 holes 14 and 15, which give you a great view of both cliffs in the distance. Oitavos Dunes is also known for being one of the first courses in Europe that have won the Audubon Gold Signature environmental award status.
Royal Obidos
Location: Obidos, Lisbon
Founded: 2012
The Seve Ballesteros course is a variety of fairways and greens that are wide and graceful, with stunning terrain. This was designed by the legendary golfer himself in 2012. It is smartly designed with five par-3s and five par-5s making it an excellent venue for shots to be made. Holes 2 to 7 are slightly separate from the main courses and the eighth hole is particularly susceptible to water. The course is pretty visible from afar so you’ll be able to see many flags visible at the clubhouse level and it gives a great taste of what the course looks like.
