Why Play Golf In Portugal?

Though Portugal is full of culture, history, beautiful beaches, and exciting nightlife, tourists often overlook this sunny country in favor of Spain or France. But dedicated golfers have known for years what the rest of the tourist industry is just learning-- Portugal is more than worth a visit. In fact, for many golfers, the Algarve in Portugal is one of the very best places to golf in the world.

While it's true that Portugal's Algarve region is only a few hours' flight (at most) from most European capitals, ease of access is not the only thing that makes golf courses in Portugal some of the most popular in the world. The Algarve's incredibly mild climate, magnificent scenery, and gorgeous beaches have made this small area in Southern Portugal a Mecca for golfers for over three decades- time which has been spent building some of the most impressive golf courses in the world.

Starting in the 1960s when Henry Cotton opened the first decent grass golf course in the Algarve, golf courses almost seemed to self-propagate along the Algarve coast up until the mid 1990s. Now there are about thirty total, and new courses are being built all the time. And while there are many things to do in the Algarve unrelated to golf, it's these courses that bring the Algarve hundreds of thousands of visitors from late autumn to late spring, when the weather is best for golfing. In fact, in many polls conducted by travel operators, the Algarve is the top destination for golfers in the entire world.

The reason for this is simple-- the Algarve's great weather and unique landscape makes for great golf courses. While the countryside itself is fairly arid, the area's state-funded water distribution methods and water catchments allow Algarve golf courses to be transformed into sumptuous green sanctuaries, with varied types of rich grass and enough water hazards to make many courses rather tricky.

The Algarve's Golf Courses

The Algarve is nearly overflowing with amazing golf courses, many of which are world-renowned and its the perfect place for a golf holiday in Portugal.

Quinta do Lago is one of the most exclusive resorts in all of the Algarve, and its golf courses, one on the North side and one on the South, are favorites of many tour players. Quinta do Lago North is an 18-hole course that provides a whole range of play. There are several very complicated holes, such as four par 5's that require a lot of strength and accuracy, and give wonderful views across the Algarve.

Quinta do Lago South is designed to give advantage to the player who can "see the easy route". This challanging course, which favors the long shot, requires players to pick the right route in order to score well. Also, for those on a family golf vacation, there is plenty to do at Quinta do Lago besides golf; the resort offers horseback riding, tennis, deep water fishing, and plenty of water sports.

Vale do Lobo is another of the Algarve's most famous golf resorts, and is home to two courses, The Royal and The Ocean. The Royal is a tricky course with some of the most dramatically beautiful scenery in all of the Algarve. This course forces players to hit their shots straight to avoid encountering trouble, and the 16th hole with its famous cliff-edge carryover is one of the best-known golfing images in the Algarve. The Ocean is a gentler course, but no less difficult. Its curving fairways require players to curve their shots to the landscape. Instead of a dramatic cliff drop-off, The Ocean course leads gently down to the beach and provides spectacular views over the Atlantic.

The first course to open in the Algarve in 1966 was the Championship Golf Course at The Meridien Penina. Considered Henry Cotton's most brilliant achievement, this Algarve golf course's sequence of holes is quite original, with the last nine holes beginning and ending with two Par 5 holes. In addition to the Championship course, the Meridien Penina Golf & Resort is home to two additional 9-hole golf courses, the Resort Course and the Academy Course.

It's important to note that most of the Algarve's golf courses have strict dress codes which require players to wear appropriate footwear and clothing while on the course. Generally, golfers in the Algarve are also required to present a valid handicap certificate when booking or checking in.

While these and several other Algarve golf courses are renowned worldwide, there are plenty of courses to choose from throughout the Algarve. Most of these are located in Eastern Algarve, and offer smaller, simpler courses. And as the Algarve area is rather compact, all of the area's golf courses (both great and small) are within easy driving distance from any point in the Algarve. The landscape of the countryside itself is all dry rolling hills and rich pine woodlands, making the drive from course to course a nice experience of its own.