Suggestions for a golf holiday?

cathy_kehoe66

Hi,

Myself, my husband and two other couples have been looking into booking a golfing holiday in Portugal this summer. We have been looking at an Irish independent golf holiday operator O'Connor golf tours http://www.oconnorgolftours.com/ specialising in the Eastern Algarve. They've been very helpful.

Just wondering has anybody played golf in the Algarve and what are the courses like. Any help would be great.

Or if anybody has any suggestions for other destinations that would be great

Cathy xx

FixdePitchmark

I played golf in Vilamoura. You can't go too wrong there.

The Marina
Stuff to do at night.

Golf is expensive there (cart etc). But if you get a deal before, for your tee times , that is the way to go.

Lovely place to play golf, weather , good courses. Some of the courses are a bit easy , but on holidays who wants hard work golf.

I've only been once, other lads on here and threads on Portugal.

cathy_kehoe66

Thanks for the quick reply fixedpitch. Sounds great, I'll be very happy with nice easy relaxing golf!

Also yes the night life and good food are very important for us.

From doing a quick google image search some of the courses down there are very picturesque.

FixdePitchmark

There are plenty of threads like this.

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=63853637

Marina is a bit touristy - but it is very nice (as nice as that stuff can be) and you will get a great meal with a bit of research.

But if you have a car you can head out to Olhos de Agua or Albufeira for a night. Honestly , If a golfer is not happy in villamoura - I don't know were they would be.

The Oceanica group have a nice mix of courses - see above thread.

Warning - Villamoura is overdeveloped , but because of that , there is more to do in the evening and LOADS of golf very near.

So , I've only been once.
I'd imagine there is a more relaxed rural golf experience if that is what you want. Everything is there that you want.

But I'm more West there - don't know anything about East - so will watch replies here myself as could be a new idea for me.

Ernest Oreo

some fine courses in the east as well
we stayed in tavira for a week about this time last year
nice little town for a few days

played at monte rei (jack nicklaus championship course) and one of the Quinta courses nearby
enjoyed both - nothing too strenuous

reasonable green fees too, and we just booked when out there..
clubs etc sorted at the club

obviously go for clubsforhire at the airport if planning on getting a few rounds in

cathy_kehoe66

Thanks Ernest,

Yes we are thinking more Eastern Algarve as apparently it's a bit cheaper, green fees and accom etc.

Been looking at some of the course here http://www.oconnorgolftours.com/courses/ seems to be plenty around that area.

Russman

I've been a couple of times. Villamoura's fine, plenty to do at night around the marina (casino, bars, restaurants etc). Everything is within walking distance which is great.

Golfwise, meh, its decent, but in my own opinion, very overpriced for what you get. Admittedly I haven't played the Old Course which is supposed to be superb, but the others in the Oceanico complex are ok. The great thing is that the courses are mostly within 5-10 minutes by taxi from the town and a lot of the hotels have shuttle buses.

Customer service in some of the courses wouldn't be the best in my experience, pretty much "we have your money, now f--k off", eg in Millennium we had our tee times changed without being told about it, we arrived at 9.30am and were told our tee time was moved up by an hour and we were supposed to be already out. They said they rang the hotel earlier that morning....ended up sending us out off the 10th tee. Similar attitude in Laguna. Bear in mind this was a group of 40 players !!

In Villa Sol we had buggies paid for and there weren't enough available when we arrived so some of us were given pull trollies (and no refund). They had 27 holes at the time and we wanted to go on the "good" 18 but ended up with one good nine and the "other" nine. I think its been redeveloped since and the 3rd nine is gone now.

Granted it was 5 years ago, so things may well have changed.

There's a lovely course about 45mins to an hour's drive away, past Portimao, called Morgado, really nice course up in the mountains.

Also if you can get a deal on Quinta do Lago, its really good and not too far away. Can't remember if it was the North or South course that was the better one.

Its not the Algarve, but..........last year 8 of us went to a place called Sesimbra (about 45mins south of Lisbon) and played far better and more reasonably priced courses, all within 30 mins drive. Its a stunning little fishing village, maybe a bit quiet, although it was October in fairness, but a car would be necessary to get to the golf. Lovely small family run restaurants in the village. Actually it would be just as easy to stay in Lisbon now that I think about it. We played Aroeira I & II, Quinta do Peru and Montado - all excellent.

Personally I'd take Lisbon over Villamoura any time.

FixdePitchmark

Russman wrote: »

I've been a couple of times. Villamoura's fine, plenty to do at night around the marina (casino, bars, restaurants etc). Everything is within walking distance which is great.

Golfwise, meh, its decent, but in my own opinion, very overpriced for what you get. Admittedly I haven't played the Old Course which is supposed to be superb, but the others in the Oceanico complex are ok. The great thing is that the courses are mostly within 5-10 minutes by taxi from the town and a lot of the hotels have shuttle buses.

Customer service in some of the courses wouldn't be the best in my experience, pretty much "we have your money, now f--k off", eg in Millennium we had our tee times changed without being told about it, we arrived at 9.30am and were told our tee time was moved up by an hour and we were supposed to be already out. They said they rang the hotel earlier that morning....ended up sending us out off the 10th tee. Similar attitude in Laguna. Bear in mind this was a group of 40 players !!

In Villa Sol we had buggies paid for and there weren't enough available when we arrived so some of us were given pull trollies (and no refund). They had 27 holes at the time and we wanted to go on the "good" 18 but ended up with one good nine and the "other" nine. I think its been redeveloped since and the 3rd nine is gone now.

Granted it was 5 years ago, so things may well have changed.

There's a lovely course about 45mins to an hour's drive away, past Portimao, called Morgado, really nice course up in the mountains.

Also if you can get a deal on Quinta do Lago, its really good and not too far away. Can't remember if it was the North or South course that was the better one.

Its not the Algarve, but..........last year 8 of us went to a place called Sesimbra (about 45mins south of Lisbon) and played far better and more reasonably priced courses, all within 30 mins drive. Its a stunning little fishing village, maybe a bit quiet, although it was October in fairness, but a car would be necessary to get to the golf. Lovely small family run restaurants in the village. Actually it would be just as easy to stay in Lisbon now that I think about it. We played Aroeira I & II, Quinta do Peru and Montado - all excellent.

Personally I'd take Lisbon over Villamoura any time.

Fair play Russman. calling it as it is. But in your post you say , Villamoura has everything, all so close. I was not on a golf holiday, so the standard of courses was not number 1. I can see what you are saying about Oceanico - nice - but nothing amazing. But it depends what you want - I can see the vast majority being happy out, with an easy, nice - ish course , good greens, easy lie , down to the marina in evening. Happy out.

But I did not consider it a real Golf Holiday - more , handy Paddies in the sun.

I was on a freebie In the Algarve - so gift horse mouth. I was hoping there was a bit more to it than the Algarve.

So - Russman , must look outside Algarve for a more reasonable, portugusue golf experience.

As you said - parts of the Algarve are a Rip Off.

As an aside - this is how mad Ireland became - we own Villamoura.

"£500 Million of Irish money ended up in NAMA in Villamoura - most from Anglo." The playground of the Celtic Tiger.

quote - Propertyweek.com

Russman

Thanks FixdeP,

Didn't know that about NAMA !! Maybe that explains it

I should add that I still enjoyed Villamoura. I suppose I was coming at it from a golfing only perspective, there were 40 of us on one golf trip so that was the main criteria, and if there hadn't been the issues in the Laguna/Millennium area (they share a clubhouse) I'd probably be less harsh, but I stand by the customer service thing. As you say, for social golf with your OH, its absolutely fine. And coming from Ireland, playing golf somewhere you're pretty much guaranteed to be able to sit outside in the sun for a few drinks after the round is great !

Op, if you do pick Villamoura, you'll still enjoy it, but IMO there's better value.

thewobbler

My tuppence from 5 trips.

The courses in Spain and Portugal aren't as good as courses in Ireland.

I haven't played Finca or Valderamma, but I have played a number of European Tour tracks like Penina, the Old Course, Victoria and Los Naranjos. Don't get me wrong, they're all good courses. But none of those would be top 50 in Ireland.

Unless you're mad/rich enough to pay a €200 green fee, golf in the Med is not about playing great courses, it's about playing good golf in great weather.

Vilamoura, to me, is the best destination you'll find if the social element of a trip is as important as the golf. It's a tad more expensive than east/west Algarve, and these days more expensive than most of the Costa Del Sol. But it's 20 mins from the airport, and the courses run courtesy buses to your hotels. Everything in the town is in walking distance. No cars required. The 19th hole can last as long as you like. But the courses, particularly Laguna/Millennium, are more likely to stick in your head for poor value for money, rather than a great day out. They're not awful courses, just not memorable at all.

If you're genuinely into golf and don't mind driving, I'd suggest elsewhere. You'll get better courses, better value, and better service.

Finlay Harp

Family have a place near Vilamoura. Go every year. I enjoy the usual courses like Vila Sol but might I also recommend a course near Almancil called Laranjal. Built around Orange groves. Really good range and class course. Also if you want to eat out like a King but at a fraction of the price of Vilamoura eat in Almancil or Quarteria.

Benny Cake

Went to villamoura last yea and loved it. Played Victoria, millennium, old course and pinhall. Victoria and the old course in particular are fantastic. Heading back for a week in June to cascais near Lisbon, playing Quinta da marina, oitavos dunes and penha longa.

There is nothing better on gods green earth than early morning golf in the Portuguese sun!!

Dayor Knight

Have played and enjoyed Quinta do Lago in the past - Vilar do Golf not bad. But those spots in Cascais north of Lisbon are just gorgeous and may be a little cooler than the Algarve in the Summer. That area is not at all built up and has some fantastic attractions apart from the golf - beaches, Sintra in the hills, Lisbon for shopping. It where the Portugese themselves go for the hols, and the people are friendly. Haven't played the courses there but they look pretty good. Worth considering.