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The
10 best golf courses in Portugal by Rod Ritchie
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Portugal is often regarded
as one of the best golf destinations in the world. For such a small country,
it has a huge variety of high-quality golf courses, mainly on the Lisbon
Coast and in sunny southern Algarve. Choosing the top 10 is always difficult,
however the courses listed here all provide a variety of challenges and
are set in magnificent surrounds.
Great greens in sunny
Algarve
Central Algarve's premier
golfing destination, the Quinta do Lago Estate has two of its four
excellent 18-hole courses listed among Europe's top 25 golf courses. These
are bounded by the Atlantic Ocean and the Ria Formosa nature reserve, there
are 72 holes of challenging golf with immaculate greens. Quinta do Lago
South, the original championship course, is still regarded as the best.
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 Just
20 minutes' drive from Faro International Airport, the par 73, 18-hole
Vilamoura
Old Course has a great variety of holes that include some some steep
grades. The course, lined with pines and cork trees, deserves its reputation
as one of the best in Europe. Facilities include a driving range and putting
green.
Vale do Lobo, Portugal's
biggest luxury golf and beach resort, has three courses. The Royal
and the Ocean, both par 72, have stunning views of the coast, and
its 5 km-long sandy beach. The ultimate Algarve course is San Lorenzo rated
in the top ten in Europe, it is difficult to get a tee time unless you
stay in the 5 star Dona Filipa hotel which owns the course. |
One of the best courses in
the Algarve, the par 72, 18-hole Vale da Pinta, was designed to
retain natural valleys and undulations. Free of green fees for those lucky
enough to be staying at the Pestana Carlton, the course, with large, deep
greens and bunkers, follows hills and valleys through old olive, almond
and fig orchards.
The pick of the Lisbon
Coast
Oitavos Golf Club at Quinta
da Marinha, is the home of the Portuguese Open. Kept in pristine natural
condition, coastal scenery combines with holes lined with umbrella pines,
shrubs and dunes. It is Europe's first Audubon Gold Signature Sanctuary.
The two consecutive par 5s on the front side, and two par 3s on the back
are part of one of Europe's toughest 18-hole courses.
The Ritz-Carlton's Penha
Longa course features 27 holes in a stunning natural setting that runs
to 6,890 yards from the championship tees. A nine-hole option, The Monastery,
includes a section of old ruins.
Estoril opened in
1936, is short (less than 6,000 yards) but tight and difficult, and the
longer holes require accurate wedge and iron play. Guests of the Palacio
Estoril Hotel are given preference to play here, although the course is
included in some golf packages.
Aroeira I, opened
in 1973, is renown for its stunning natural beauty. The 18-hole, par 72,
championship course is one of the best in Europe, and has hosted the Portuguese
Open.
One of the most challenging
courses in the Lisbon area, Quinta do Peru, is in the Costa Azul
region, between the castle towns of Sesimbra and Setubal. The par 4, 12th
has a lake running the length of the fairway and the par 3,16th, all of
200 metres, has a lake guarding the green.
In the North of Portugal,
an hour from Lisbon, lies the challenging, par 72 Praia Dél Rey
course with its mixture of links-type fairways and forests and dunes.
Many of the holes have ocean views, but the walk between some greens is
long and hilly, so a cart is recommended.
The Madeira Islands' best
course - The Madeira Islands have three major golf courses, and the
par 72, 18-hole Palheiro, on the main island, is recommended for
its challenging greens. Built on volcanic hills, the course traverses peaks
and valleys, and is set among a pine forest and other natural vegetation.
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About the Author: Rod Ritchie,
a travel writer and editor, writes for many publishers including AA Publishing
and Fodors.
Bill Goff
Golf Tours and Longshot
Golf Holidays offer great value golf breaks to many European and worldwide
destinations. |
