Algarve courses

[Bratty]

So if the first 4 courses on a golf trip were:

Monte Rei
QdL South
Laranjal
Ombria

...then what should sit in position 5? Victoria? Royal? DP Old? Faldo?

Think the Victoria is closed.
The DP Old just had a clubhouse face-lift, and if you've not played it before, it's worth it, if not quite what it once was.
It also depends where you're staying and if you're in taxis or have cars, I guess.

 

[carled]

This won't be until Sep 2026. We're staying in Quarteira (very near to DP Pinhal). Probably using transfer service.

 

[Bratty]

This won't be until Sep 2026. We're staying in Quarteira (very near to DP Pinhal). Probably using transfer service.

Gotcha.
In which case, I enjoyed the Victoria, but it did have some tricky holes. If you've any wayward drivers or high handicappers who struggle with distance, it could be less enjoyable.
The DP Old is accessible and fun, and I've always felt everyone should have played it once.
If you fancy a nine holer, Pine Cliffs is very good.

 

[carled]

Gotcha.
In which case, I enjoyed the Victoria, but it did have some tricky holes. If you've any wayward drivers or high handicappers who struggle with distance, it could be less enjoyable.
The DP Old is accessible and fun, and I've always felt everyone should have played it once.
If you fancy a nine holer, Pine Cliffs is very good.

I've been known to be so wayward I miss all the intended hazards on the hole and end up in a position that most golf course designers probably didn't imagine. Leads to some interesting conversations with (usually) confused new golfing friends. "You're playing which hole?".

 

[Billysboots]

Of the course you mention Victoria would get my vote. Very playable course.

Whilst I like the Old Course it’s not what it once was, and they pack way too many on it to the point it can be really slow. And the Faldo is typical of his course design - tricked up to the point where some holes are a bit of a nonsense.

 

[Newnsy]

So if the first 4 courses on a golf trip were:

Monte Rei
QdL South
Laranjal
Ombria

...then what should sit in position 5? Victoria? Royal? DP Old? Faldo?

Victoria is closed --- its getting turned into a super exclusive course i heard..... total redesign from Els

 

[carled]

Victoria is closed --- its getting turned into a super exclusive course i heard..... total redesign from Els

As mentioned above, we're not going until September '26. It's supposed to be reopened in Feb 25 according to t' Internet but that seems optimistic.

 

[Newnsy]

As mentioned above, we're not going until September '26. It's supposed to be reopened in Feb 25 according to t' Internet but that seems optimistic.

https://ernieels.com/ernie-els-unveiled-as-the-architect-of-first-private-golf-club-in-the-algarve/

Its becoming Private ....... I think its due to open summer this year, butr unlikelly considering he was only apointed in Dec as the architect

 

[carled]

Have had a good indicative (based on 2025 pricing) offer for tee times at QdL North, South & Laranjal as a package with Monte Rei and Ombria on top for €879 per person inc. buggies on Monte Rei and Ombria. Sounds a good deal - I can't get below €920 doing it individually. If I swap out QdL North for VdL Ocean, it knocks €30 off the price.

Edited to add that's for Sep 2026, so probably need to add 5-10% to that to allow for inflation I guess.

 

[Billysboots]

Have had a good indicative (based on 2025 pricing) offer for tee times at QdL North, South & Laranjal as a package with Monte Rei and Ombria on top for €879 per person inc. buggies on Monte Rei and Ombria. Sounds a good deal - I can't get below €920 doing it individually. If I swap out QdL North for VdL Ocean, it knocks €30 off the price.

Edited to add that's for Sep 2026, so probably need to add 5-10% to that to allow for inflation I guess.

That’s five really good courses. Not a weak one amongst them.

 

[D-S]

Have had a good indicative (based on 2025 pricing) offer for tee times at QdL North, South & Laranjal as a package with Monte Rei and Ombria on top for €879 per person inc. buggies on Monte Rei and Ombria. Sounds a good deal - I can't get below €920 doing it individually. If I swap out QdL North for VdL Ocean, it knocks €30 off the price.

Edited to add that's for Sep 2026, so probably need to add 5-10% to that to allow for inflation I guess.

Good courses but strange how these days we can accept just over €175 a round as good value.

 

[Bratty]

QDL North is easily more than €30 better than VdL Ocean (or Royal). I'd stick with what you have.

 

[federalexpress]

Good courses but strange how these days we can accept just over €175 a round as good value.

QdL can prettymuch charge what it likes cos it is rammed pretty much every hour of every day. That said, depending on where you stay and when you go, better rates can be found. I'm just back form the Four Seasons Country Club and they had a packaged rate of EUR 297 for North, South and Laranjal in Jan. That's about £85 each so not much more than my course charges in peak. Buggies on top of that, though.

 

[D-S]

QdL can prettymuch charge what it likes cos it is rammed pretty much every hour of every day. That said, depending on where you stay and when you go, better rates can be found. I'm just back form the Four Seasons Country Club and they had a packaged rate of EUR 297 for North, South and Laranjal in Jan. That's about £85 each so not much more than my course charges in peak. Buggies on top of that, though.

True, there are deals to be had in Jan but weather is a bit hit and miss and as mentioned earlier in the thread friends abandoned their week recently in QDL as the courses were closed due to excessive rain.
I agree with your point on the courses being rammed though, played Laranjal in September for around €170 and it was rammed, so very slow and slightly dangerous in the tight first few holes - didn’t enjoy or consider it good value.

 

[carled]

Good courses but strange how these days we can accept just over €175 a round as good value.

Well, maybe not so much "good value" as "it's the price that has to be paid in high season to play those courses" I guess?

 

[Alan Taylor]

Played Ombria last November. There are some great holes but the buggy path is a death trap when wet. The greens were really poor because they are letting stag parties and 'non-golfers' on. Front & back 9s will be reversed next month.

 

[Billysboots]

Played Ombria last November. There are some great holes but the buggy path is a death trap when wet. The greens were really poor because they are letting stag parties and 'non-golfers' on. Front & back 9s will be reversed next month.

When in November? I played it towards the end of that month and that wasn’t my experience at all.