Recommendations for Algarve courses please

[Break90]

Hi All,

I'm planning a trip to Portugal in September on behalf of a small society I play in. We have 12 confirmed, will probably rise to 16 before we book.

We're thinking of staying in Vilamoura and I'm looking for recommendations for which 3 golf courses we should play.

Have also looked at a package at Penina resort, staying onsite with 3x Championship course, although personally I would prefer to play 3 different course.

I've been a couple of times and have played (and would like to avoid the following):

Penha Longa
Vale de Lobo
Estoril
Old Course
Victoria
Millenium

Will be booking through either GolfBreaks.com or YourGolfTravel, although happy to look at other options if anyone has had dealings with other agents.

Budget wise we need to avoid the really top end courses as some of the group are more 'fiscally challenged' than others, however I'd like, if possible, to play decent standard courses in good condition.

All recommendations gratefully received, also open to other ideas, suggestions etc.

Thanks in advance

 

[cookelad]

Quinta da Lago North and South, The South is very near the top of my list of favourite courses I've played!

 

[davidy233]

I stayed at Penina in September - nice place, very nice course, though condition around edges isn't tip top (nine holer is good too) great deal through Your Golf Travel - it's out in the country though and quiet, you'd need transport if you want to go off site

 

[stevek1969]

Of there in May myself 20 of us, were going for 5 nights. I've never been before but we're staying in Vilamoura and are playing Pinhal,Laguna and Millennium the total cost for our trip with hotel,flights,golf and our clubs on the plane is £620.

Thought that was good value as we booked everything ourselves,not sure if was cheaper but the lad who sorts it out is normally on the ball for this.

Anyone played any of the courses and if so any thoughts

 

[49neil]

worth staying in the Vilamoura area for use of the free transfers provided.... otherwise Larangal is great, as is vila sol (for different reasons....)

in fact, they're all pretty good really

 

[Ethan]

Vilamoura Old is decent, San Lorenzo pretty good but for me, the best course on the Algarve is Monte Rei. Bit of a drive east, but fantastic course.

Palmares used to be a pretty good course and has been recently updated so may be better now. Always found Penina a bit dull.

 

[Which tree did that hit]

Hi

Did this a couple of years back and I must say, there are some truly fantastic courses, what time of the year are you planning on going? I would say one thing, if going in summer then book the earliest tee times possible, we went off at 8 each morning and even then it was bloomin warm. Also this will affect the prices

Anywho, in re to courses, we played a couple not on that list that I would definitely recommend which were the Quinta do Lago which was the very best course I have ever played, it was incredible, can't remember which one it was now but it was like a course you see on the tv on a sunday night, picture perfect.

Also, the one we played on the first day as a little warm up was a 9 hole called Pine Cliffs in Albufeira, was a nice little course, cheap and some of the best sea views on a golf course I have ever seen, it is either the 6th or 7th hole that is a par 3 over the cliff edge to the other side, cracking tee shot.

 

[garyinderry]

Of there in May myself 20 of us, were going for 5 nights. I've never been before but we're staying in Vilamoura and are playing Pinhal,Laguna and Millennium the total cost for our trip with hotel,flights,golf and our clubs on the plane is £620.

Thought that was good value as we booked everything ourselves,not sure if was cheaper but the lad who sorts it out is normally on the ball for this.

Anyone played any of the courses and if so any thoughts

I enjoyed millennium. nice track. laguna is very samey in design. big bunker at 220-250 on left, water right. rinse repeat. I didn't really enjoy it.

I rolled up to pinhal myself and couldn't get a game but it looked quite nice. I spent an hour or two at the range and putting green. the woman in the shop offered me a twilight deal of £50 with only about an hours light left. politely declined and asked was she joking?


if I go again I would like to spread my wings a bit more and visit the courses outside villamoura. I was with HID so just nipped away for some golf rather than a proper golfing holiday.

 

[MarkA]

The Algarve is a great destination I've been going for over 15 years now. Much depends on where you are going to base yourselves and what time of year you are planning.
The Central Algarve is the dearest With Vilamora and Quinta da Lago and Vale da Lobo being the best known. Quinta da lago North and South and Laranjal are fantastic courses but they are horrendously expensive - the minimum you will pay is £70 per round excluding buggies - San Lorenzo too, there are just no deals apart from some Twilight rounds at £50/ £60 but you cant pre-book them
There are some nice courses in the East Benamor comes to mind, and the West with Boa Vista , Palmeras and Parque de Floresta all being great courses not as polished as Quinta with deals to be had ( £50 per round)
Ive not really played many bad courses in the Algarve - it can be hideously expensive or really quite reasonable but you need to do your homework.
Enjoy

 

[Rooter]

my father in law used to live on the Gramacho course here http://www.pestanagolf.com/ and his apartment looked over the 18th fairway... damn him for selling it!!!!

2 great courses on that site with more in the "group"

 

[Deleted member 18588]

Vilamoura Old is decent, San Lorenzo pretty good but for me, the best course on the Algarve is Monte Rei. Bit of a drive east, but fantastic course.

Palmares used to be a pretty good course and has been recently updated so may be better now. Always found Penina a bit dull.

Would agree about Monte Rei but I would suggest that it would not be a good proposition if some are, in the OP's words, 'fiscally challenged'.

 

[njc1973]

Faldo course at Amendoira is a briliiant course, has a bit of the arizona type course look about it in great condition & not overly difficult from the yellows. There is an O'Connor course on site as well which some people rave about but didn't do it for me.

 

[stevek1969]

I enjoyed millennium. nice track. laguna is very samey in design. big bunker at 220-250 on left, water right. rinse repeat. I didn't really enjoy it.

I rolled up to pinhal myself and couldn't get a game but it looked quite nice. I spent an hour or two at the range and putting green. the woman in the shop offered me a twilight deal of £50 with only about an hours light left. politely declined and asked was she joking?


if I go again I would like to spread my wings a bit more and visit the courses outside villamoura. I was with HID so just nipped away for some golf rather than a proper golfing holiday.

Cheers Gary

We're playing 3 straight days but some of us will play the 4th day to keep of the drink all day:thup: so might look at the Old or Victoria but we'll sort that out when we get there.

 

[MC72]

Cheers Gary

We're playing 3 straight days but some of us will play the 4th day to keep of the drink all day:thup: so might look at the Old or Victoria but we'll sort that out when we get there.

Hi there,

Have been to vilamoura a couple of times and have played 5 different courses there. Loved the Old Course and thought it was a great layout. Also enjoyed the pineal although it can be tight in places but it still an interesting enough course. Wouldn't play the Laguna again as I didn't think it was up to much. The millennium is on the same complex and would be a decent course to start your trip with, and reasonably easy/straightforward for all handicaps.

Ive also played the Victoria which I thought required a bit more skill/consistency and would help if you can shape the ball a bit. It needs a bit if thought too as there's plenty of water.

I thought Penina was a waste of time you drive last all of the decent courses,and places, to get to it and as others have said it's not really that close to anything. If you go to Vilamoura and stay there then access to most courses is easy via free transfers and there's plenty of post golf entertainment in Vilamoura.

Hope that helps.

MC72

 

[MC72]

....."also enjoyed the PINHAL..."

 

[SAPCOR1]

Quinta da Lago North and South, The South is very near the top of my list of favourite courses I've played!

Definitely second that! Laranjal is the 3rd course in the group, relatively new, opened 2009 I think

 

[Ethan]

Would agree about Monte Rei but I would suggest that it would not be a good proposition if some are, in the OP's words, 'fiscally challenged'.

OK, missed that proviso. It is not cheap, but it is still good value, if you see what I mean. Not sure about their business model though. I played one day in June at 10am and did not see another golfer all day long on any part of the property. Wasn't much of a queue at the halfway house though.

 

[Billysboots]

I agree with Ethan, not for the first time on this matter, that Monte Rei is a class act. If your finances can stretch to it, put it right at the top of your list. I'm lucky enough to play it twice a year during our annual trip, and it just gets better and better.

Of the other courses mentioned on this thread, I would only play Laguna if you're on a budget, and Penina, whilst nice enough, is not a typical Algarve course. It's very "English parkland", and if you're travelling abroad to enjoy the experience of golfing abroad, I'm afraid I can't see the point of playing there.

The Old Course is very nice but invariably very, very busy. Of the resort courses in and around Vilamoura I would say Victoria is probably the best, along with Vila Sol, but only if you can guarantee 1 to 18, as the 19-27 loop is very average.

Further afield I agree Laranjal is a great track, although again a little pricey, with some of the biggest, quickest greens you will play on. Quinta South is also a favourite.

There are some really good courses if you hunt around, and it would be fair to say the further you travel from Vilamoura the better the deals you will get. We did the "package" for the first few years of our trip, and found playing the resort courses very restricting. Eventually, we started mixing the more expensive courses with some cheaper ones - that allowed us to play the top places like Monte Rei with some other perfectly enjoyable courses, but without breaking the bank.

One of our five day trips involved us playing Millenium (a gentle opener), Quinta da Ria, Victoria, The Old Course and Monte Rei. Something for all standards and it helped balance the cost.

 

[Dodger]

I have played pretty much all the Algarve courses and I have to say I like Penina.I agree it isn't your typical Algarve course but maybe that is why I like it.

Palmares is getting rave reviews from the folk I know that have been there since it was re-done. I had a walk around it just before it was completed and it did look the real deal and the lads from my place that were there 2 months ago loved it.

Even the less expensive courses are nice depending what you are looking for in the course. Gramacho isn't a great course but it's nice and playable so I enjoy it for a birdie fest!

Morgado were 2 courses that I enjoyed,cheap and again well playable.

Loads of choices out there but Quinta do Lago,Laranjal, Pinheiros Altos and the courses on that stretch are all good golf courses that offer different challenges.

 

[Billysboots]

Quinta da lago North and South and Laranjal are fantastic courses but they are horrendously expensive - the minimum you will pay is £70 per round excluding buggies

A slightly contradictory observation, Mark!

I've played all three, and am off to play Laranjal for the third time next month. It is a great layout, in immaculate condition, and whilst I agree there are cheaper courses, if you were to play a course as good as Laranjal in the UK I doubt you would see much change out of £150.