You Can’t Go Wrong in Portugal
The weather is gorgeous, the season is long and the courses are outstanding. But golfing in Portugal means making a tough choice. You can relax at a fabulous seaside resort. Or you can live it up in the thriving capital city of Lisbon with its rich history, traditional culture and contemporary lifestyle. Or do both. Fortunately, there’s no bad pick here.
What We Love About Portugal
The golf highlights of this up-and-coming region include Oitavos Dunes, a tremendous oceanside course that until recently was a member of the World Top 100, and West Cliffs, which just opened in 2017. And while we like to stay in one hotel for the week, we wouldn’t miss a day trip to Setubal to play Troia, followed by a cruise and lunch at Sal, one of the world’s best beachside cafés.
If you choose to stay in Lisbon, you can revel in the great food and the vibrant night life. If you want something a little quieter, yet sexy, we recommend the Sublime Comporta and the Areais do Seixo. Both are luxurious and we love the juxtaposition of these chic new hotels and some of the most down-to-earth people in Europe. Wherever we stay, we love the custard tarts and the delicious wines that never get a chance to leave Portugal.
Favourite Courses
Oitavos Dunes: Relatively new to the golfing landscape, this course passes through woodlands while winding by the Tagus River
Troia: Hone your short shots before you get here because this classic proves a course doesn’t need to be long to be difficult
West Cliffs: Up the coast from Lisbon, this new course offers a view of the Atlantic Ocean on every hole, designed by Cynthia Dye, who joined the family business started by legendary designer Pete Dye
Penha Longa (Atlantico): Designed by Robert Trent Jones Jr., this course weaves around the resort and the nearby Grand Prix track in Estoril
Praia D’El Rey: Located just south of West Cliffs, but built before it in 1997, Praia is one of the top golf resorts in Europe. We love the the way the courses wends its way through pines before opening up to the Atlantic Ocean.
These two courses in Portugal’s Algarve region are a great option for people doing a Costa del Sol trip:
Monte Rei: This Jack Nicklaus signature course is probably the best in the country and certainly one of the most difficult
Dom Pedro (Old): While there are four other excellent courses at the club formerly known as Vilamoura, we still think the oldest is the best
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