Algarve golf holiday tips needed

[rudebhoy]

A few of us planning a 3 or 4 day trip in September.

What's the most cost effective of doing this, booking a package with a specialist golf holiday company, or booking everything separately?

If it's best to use a specialist company, who is good and who is bad?

Recommendations on where to stay and where to play also welcome.

 

[Hobbit]

Take a provisional liver for when you lose your first one.

 

[rudebhoy]

Take a provisional liver for when you lose your first one.

am just back from a 4 day rugby trip to Lloret De Mar, if i can survive that, I can survive anything!

 

[need_my_wedge]

Used Golfbreaks for the last 8 years. Excellent to deal with, and easy to sort. Usually book the golf, accomodation and Portugal transfers with them, and flights directly with the airline.

 

[Coffey]

A bit out of the way if you are staying in Vilamoura area but Palmares was the best course we played when there. It is a Robert Trent Jones course and has 3 loops of 9. One Parkland, one Heathland and one links. The first two are spectacular.

It was also one of the best value courses. We paid 140 euro for two people with a buggy in March.

 

[Marshy77]

A few of us planning a 3 or 4 day trip in September.

What's the most cost effective of doing this, booking a package with a specialist golf holiday company, or booking everything separately?

If it's best to use a specialist company, who is good and who is bad?

Recommendations on where to stay and where to play also welcome.

Few mates have just come back, they use golfbreaks or a similar company for golf, accomodation and transfers and then flights seperately.

They looked at sneaking an extra round in whilst there and found the prices have increased a fair bit since previous years.

 

[rudebhoy]

Few mates have just come back, they use golfbreaks or a similar company for golf, accomodation and transfers and then flights seperately.

They looked at sneaking an extra round in whilst there and found the prices have increased a fair bit since previous years.

yes, looks expensive, the cheapest course I could see was over 50 euro, decent ones start around 80 euro.

 

[Crazyface]

Makes me laugh. A poor country fleecing the golf players from other countries. I think it's a rip off so don't bother. Much better value over here!!!!

 

[Deleted Member 1156]

Makes me laugh. A poor country fleecing the golf players from other countries. I think it's a rip off so don't bother. Much better value over here!!!!

You think so? A top quality course over here will cost you anywhere from £100 to £300.

 

[PCWOX]

Played the Old Course Vilamoura and Quinta Do Lago South (amongst others) last year and both are fantastic. The Old Course is an absolute must. Playing Monte Rei this year, and have heard it's unreal.

If you base yourself near the marina in Vilamoura for accommodation you can't go wrong really. Love it over there.

 

[MendieGK]

Played the Old Course Vilamoura and Quinta Do Lago South (amongst others) last year and both are fantastic. The Old Course is an absolute must. Playing Monte Rei this year, and have heard it's unreal.

If you base yourself near the marina in Vilamoura for accommodation you can't go wrong really. Love it over there.

These are the courses to play!

Personally I think hotels are a waste of money, find a private villa and you’ll save a fortune, eat nicer food and have a much better time.

 

[Deleted member 1147]

Booking a game is quite expensive when you are there - so if you play somewhere with the option of unlimited golf, assuming you can actually get on the course, is better value.

Staying away from Villamoura can keep prices down - we stayed at Alvor (west of Albufeira) and played the Pestana courses a couple of years ago, and Tavira (East of Faro) playing the Quinta de Ria &Quinta de Cima courses last year. The cost of golf was lower, as were prices when out eating and drinking.

 

[hines57]

I'd recommend using one of the specialist companies and booking it all as a deal. YOu'll then have access to available deals and someone local to help out if you have any issues.

 

[Tashyboy]

A bit out of the way if you are staying in Vilamoura area but Palmares was the best course we played when there. It is a Robert Trent Jones course and has 3 loops of 9. One Parkland, one Heathland and one links. The first two are spectacular.

It was also one of the best value courses. We paid 140 euro for two people with a buggy in March.

I could not of put this better. Palmares for me was just stunning. Some of the holes you are stood on just look gorgeous. We stayed in Vilamoura and is a bit of a trek to get to Palmares but well worth it. Booking the first couple of tee times when twilight rate stars will get you 18 holes in but save you a good few bob.stayed in Albuferia and Vilamoura, and Vilamoura marina is the place to spend your evenings.

 

[full_throttle]

Pestana Golf, stay in Alvor, get an car and your sorted. If nothing else it will give you an idea on costings

 

[rudebhoy]

Pestana Golf, stay in Alvor, get an car and your sorted. If nothing else it will give you an idea on costings

Been looking at Pestana Vila Sol, just outside Vilamoura. Torn between a golfbreaks package there, or renting an apartment in Vilamoura privately, and arranging the golf separately.

 

[MendieGK]

Been looking at Pestana Vila Sol, just outside Vilamoura. Torn between a golfbreaks package there, or renting an apartment in Vilamoura privately, and arranging the golf separately.

The latter. Trust me. Done it lots of times. Can still book golf through a company. Vila sol is alright and the complex is great. Course is one of the worst in the area though

Their is Uber in vilamoura area too. About €10 from
Vila sol to the marina

 

[Mike07]

Group of 16 did a trip to villamoura 2 years ago. Stayed close to the marina in a hotel and played Quinta south, the old course and one more.

We booked with your golf travel and had transfers each day to the courses. Super easy and hassle free. Cost was around £500 for accommodation and golf, flights were an extra

 

[jusme]

Been doing it for years and I find booking separately never gets close to the deals the specialists are offering. We go in a large group and doing so for years we play a few off each other as they are all fighting for our business. In summary (excluding flights which are booked separate) the package costs are similar to the rack rate for either the golf or hotel. In other words I feel we get one or the other free

I can't get close to their offers when looking to book seperate

 

[IanM]

Wife and I go every year and echo the comments about some of the specialist companies... we use Supertravel Golf, but others are similar. But they don't beat getting signed in at member guest rates by our mates who live next to Palmares.

We have a week renting an apartment in their block then a week at Quinta do Lago... as an example, (for Crazyface) 7 nights in decent hotel, 3 rounds on the Quinta Courses and 2 weeks car hire (we have a week in the west too) comes in about £100 a day. I cant do that on decent courses in the UK!