Golf in Portugal / Spain

jimbo golf

Guys
I am part of a society 10-12 strong that has been on the go for the last 19 years. We have never gone abroad for golf and for the 20th anniversary we are defo going to probably Spain or Portugal. We have all been saving for the last 18 months to make sure we can finance a great week away. I would have endless questions but the main ones that spring to mind if anyone can help are as follows.....
1- Spain or Portugal ??.... i have golfed in Spain before in Girona area (PGA national,emporda etc) both excellent but the area was way to quiet at night time.....
2- We are going for a full week and want to make sure every course we go to is worth it ! any recommendations on what courses to play ( or which ones to avoid which is just as important !!)
3- It will be early Sept when we go.... weather wise will it make any difference whether we go to Spain or Portugal ??
4- We don't want to stay where it is very quiet, need a few beers and a bit of nightlife at least as an option .
5- Book everything ourselves or go through an agency that will do it for us ?

we are leaning towards portugal (villamoura ?) at the moment but would be very grateful for your opinions on anything that would be relevant to us ??
Thanks
Jimbo golf

14handicap

I'd be looking at deals that www.yourgolftravel.co.uk have. they seem to have amazing deals and I have even seen 5 nights in morocco, 3 rounds of golf and all inclusive for £299 or 3 nights in spain with hotels and golf for £109

Russman

I haven't played in mainland Spain so can't comment on there.

Vilamoura is good, but IMO the golf is overpriced. Plenty of decent courses and mostly all very close to the town. If you extend the radius it brings in even more good tracks like Quinta do Lago, Morgado etc.

In 2012 a group of 12 of us went to the Lisbon area for a week in October and I really preferred it to the Algarve TBH.
There probably aren't as many courses, but the quality is excellent. We were about an hour south of Lisbon in Sesimbra and played Quinta do Peru, Aroeira I & II and Montado, all are excellent and the value was far better than down south. There was another place we meant to play on a free day but never got round to it, called Troia which is supposed to be fantastic too.
Unless you stay in Lisbon, there's probably less to do outside of golf though. I haven't been up around Estoril so don't know what that's like.

We got a package through Cassidy Golf, so maybe give them a call to get prices etc.

Vilamoura is great insofar as you can stay in the town and the pubs/clubs/restaurants are all within easy walking distance.

jimbo golf

Thanks for the info Russman, all helps.
was the weather ok when you were up Lisbon way in Oct ??

Boskowski

Weather was exceptionally good in October in Portugal. We were swimming and the sea was as warm as it had been all year. Air was mid twenties.
In fact I wouldn't want to go golfing in Portugal any earlier than mid September as its just too warm to be enjoying it.

thewobbler

To be honest I doubt you're going to find anything that meets all your needs better than Vilamoura.

I've played quite a bit on Costa Del Sol and been Algarve twice.

Re the questions:

1. There's much of a muchness between Algarve and Costa Del Sol in terms of weather, though the Algarve tends to enjoy a wind from the sea that makes it more pleasant in high summer, a little bit cooler in the evenings around summer. In terms of nightlife, it's all about the town. Vilamoura is very good for anyone over 30: good restaurants, a few decent pubs, a casino, no need for taxis, and a healthy dose of yummy mummys. Plus Albufeira is only 15 mins away for something louder. CDS doesn't have an equivalent set up, but has good spots. I like Fuengirola, but mainly because I can't afford Marbella.

2. First thing to bear in mind is that there's only a handful of courses across Spain and Portugal combined, which would make the top 50 in Ireland. The golf tends to be of the good sort rather than the exceptional sort. If it's exceptional golf you want, head to CDS and play Finca, then head west for Sotogrande and Valderamma. On Algrave, by all accounts Monte Rei is the pick of the courses by a distance, but it's also a distance from the main Algarve spots. To be honest though, if you find yourself disappointed in courses like Victoria, O'Connor and the Old in Algarve, or Santana, Los Naranjos or La Cala x 3 in CDS, it's more likely to be because you paid €30 too much, than any other reason. They're all good tracks.

3. See 1. CDS will be warmer because there's less wind. If you want to walk instead of taking buggies, go Algarve, as Sep in CDS can be sticky and humid. Bring talc.

4. If it's just a few beers, rather than any special nightlife, you'll not go wrong in any town along the coast from Malaga to Marbella, or from Faro to Lagos. They'll all still be busy at that time of year, but not that busy.

5. I would recommend yourgolftravel. They just make life easier, and I really doubt you'll beat their prices unless you wait til dusk every day to book last minute tee times the next day (which, let's be honest, is not a holiday).

- - -

Best tip I can give you is this. If drink is kind of important, go to Vilamoura. Not because of the pubs, but because the clubs all put on complimentary shuttle buses to hotels. It's only 20 mins drive from Faro airport too. So no hire cars are needed. You can stay in the 19th at your leisure.

Other tip is don't play the likes of Millennium, Laguna or Pinhal as the "cheap" option. Their prices don't include buggies, but the main courses do. If you take a buggy, the difference between playing one of those and one of the premier tracks will only be 20 or 30 quid. And it's worth paying.

jimbo golf

thanks Wobbler
that's exactly the kind of info I was looking for, fair play to ya.

Seve OB

OK, it's been a few years ago now but I have done a few trips down to Spain and Portugal. I guess it really depends on the time of year you plan on heading but you can get some decent deals.

If you are going to Portugal, Oceanico do great package deals, i used them a couple of times. good thing around Villamoura is that a bus will pick you up and drop you back to your hotel/golf course for nothing

I think we more or less made our own packages when we went to Spain - Marbella region.

We didn't play any bad courses in either place. Price will vary, but if you want to keep cost down, and get a good course in, you can always play a few cheaper ones to average out cost for a top notch one. We played Sotogrande and what a great course that was. Few of the lads wouldnt pay the €100 or so that it was, but when I put a deal together which averaged about €50 per course they didn't notice it.


Now I will throw one final place at you that hasn't been mentioned, and it is not as expensive as you might think.

Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. We did 12 days, 10 games of great golf, flights, hotels, car hire all for about €1500 per man.... granted it was in 2008...... but that was in the height of the good times so surely you could get similar deals now!....easily best trip we ever did

Russman

stevieob wrote: »

Now I will throw one final place at you that hasn't been mentioned, and it is not as expensive as you might think.

Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. We did 12 days, 10 games of great golf, flights, hotels, car hire all for about €1500 per man.... granted it was in 2008...... but that was in the height of the good times so surely you could get similar deals now!....easily best trip we ever did

100% on this. I was there in '05 and '10 and for the extra cost over Spain/Portugal, its light years ahead of them - the courses, the food, the customer service, everything about it.

Benny Cake

stevieob wrote: »

OK, it's been a few years ago now but I have done a few trips down to Spain and Portugal. I guess it really depends on the time of year you plan on heading but you can get some decent deals.

If you are going to Portugal, Oceanico do great package deals, i used them a couple of times. good thing around Villamoura is that a bus will pick you up and drop you back to your hotel/golf course for nothing

I think we more or less made our own packages when we went to Spain - Marbella region.

We didn't play any bad courses in either place. Price will vary, but if you want to keep cost down, and get a good course in, you can always play a few cheaper ones to average out cost for a top notch one. We played Sotogrande and what a great course that was. Few of the lads wouldnt pay the €100 or so that it was, but when I put a deal together which averaged about €50 per course they didn't notice it.


Now I will throw one final place at you that hasn't been mentioned, and it is not as expensive as you might think.

Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. We did 12 days, 10 games of great golf, flights, hotels, car hire all for about €1500 per man.... granted it was in 2008...... but that was in the height of the good times so surely you could get similar deals now!....easily best trip we ever did

Would love to head to myrtle beach, who did you go through to book the trip?

Russman

jimbo golf wrote: »

Thanks for the info Russman, all helps.
was the weather ok when you were up Lisbon way in Oct ??

It was perfect the year we went, up in the late 20s and sunny. Its possibly a little bit more hit & miss than down on the Algarve though.

Russman

Benny Cake wrote: »

Would love to head to myrtle beach, who did you go through to book the trip?

Both times I went we used Cassidy Golf. 6 games in 10 days which gives a few days free to do what you want, shopping, beach, tourist stuff etc.

sky6

The Algarve is the Golfing capital of Europe. Vilamoura is the best location for many reasons. only 15 minutes from the Airport. 7 Golf Courses all within 2 to 7 minutes away. All very good, thes best being the old course, Vilasol 27 hole golf Course a real good challenge of golf. some great holes over Water. This is where the Bobby Robson trophy is played every year. It was also the Venue for the portuguese open many times. Now it's the Victoria course. Pinhal which I love are your' '' Championship courses '' Millenium and Laguna are more your Tourist type courses, a little more open but still difficult.
10 minutes away you have Vale de Lobo which has the royal and the Ocean course.
Two cracking Courses, the Royal has one of the most difficult par 3s in the world at around 210 yds across the Ocean. You actually have to hit 45* Degrees out to Sea to have any chance of finding the Green.
25 minutes away you have the Faldo and O Connor courses and Salgados a very challenging links type course. All beside Albuferia.
Another 10 minutes up the Road you have Gramacho and Pinta. Two fine courses although a little hilly in parts. but some nice holes.
45 minutes from Vilamoura towards the Spanish Border you have Quinta da Ria and Quinta de Cima twin courses. Quinta Da Ria is one of my favorite courses anywhere Ive played. And has for me the best Par five in the World. From Tee to Cup is a big Challenge. Water to the right and straight ahead of the Tee. Then a long 2nd along water on the left. If your 2nd is long enough then you can go for the green. But it's a carry all across Water. Alternatively take the 2 shot longer way around. Some of the holes are right along the Sea shore.
You also have Monte Rei ( I haven't played it as it's ridiculously priced at 165E.

Then there is the SEVE Course Quinta de Vale. A cracking course with a plenty of Water and a Fabulous finishing Hole.
Also Castro Marim again a lovely but quirky course.
Then 10 minutes further across the border in Spain you have Costa Esuri East and West Courses beside Ayamonte.
So you can see you wont be stuck for choice. Vilamoura has the Marina, The Casino, The Water Park, Night Clubs and plenty of Restaurants and Bars.
Even crazy Golf. Supermarkets and Off licences. all minutes away from each other. There's also two Golf Academy's. One in Vila Sol. They do one to one or group sessions. VilaSol also has a large Driving Range and putting Greens.
Lot's of the pro footballers own properties in Vilasol where houses range from 1 mil to 13 mil Euros.

One last thing you can hire top brand Clubs at the Airport for Collection on arrival or Delivery to any Hotel. Last year prices where 35 E a Week, which is cheaper than bringing your own. P McGinley is a partner in the Business I believe.

If you want any more info or help. Ask away or pm me.

Dbu

Hi,
re Vilamoura, have been there umteen times
my thoughts on courses are.
Best:
Quinta do lago South and North (South best in Algarve IMO)
San Lorenzo
Old Course (cracking old style course, short but tight)
Victoria (3 of the best finishing holes in golf)
The Royal

Others:
Vial Sol (average at best IMO) Packed with tourists on Pestana golf breaks so rounds tend to be slow
Millennium..nice front nine, back is just open
O'Connor in Amendoira, nice level course but a bit featureless
Faldo in Amendoira, about 2 nice holes, rest are a bit of a joke to be honest.

Seve OB

Benny Cake wrote: »

Would love to head to myrtle beach, who did you go through to book the trip?

I organised the flights (I think it was here), United airlines Dublin-Philadelphia-Wilmington (maybe an hours and a bit of a drive to myrtle beach) - - it was way way more expensive to get a flight into Myrtle

we stayed in holiday inn here for something riduculous like $30 per night for a twin room and included brekfast. it's very basic, but what more do you want that a place to put the head down. great night life directly across the road also so no need to be getting taxis all over the shop if you are going for a few pints.

I think we used Dollar Rent a Car, and got 3 mini vans - - was 11 of us.

Now one of the other lads booked all the american side, I think through a local fella over there. He defiantly booked the golf with the Yank, but I'm not sure about the hotel and car. Sorry I can't help you here, but I don't know the fella really so can't ask him, might see him once a year at a golf outing somewhere. I didn't actually know any of the lads I went with except for 1 who I work with.....

The aul google machine might help you find some local operators over there that could sort it out for you...... will be much cheaper than going through an Irish agent. Also, I would recommend using an agent because they get all sorts of great deals on the golf because of bulk bookings, that you just will not get by booking it on your own.

sky6

hi Dbu,

Have to disagree with your Assessment of VilaSol. It's a proper championship course. I play it many time and never held up once.
It was also home to the Portuguese open before Victoria and the only reason they got it was because of Oceanico. Victoria is nice but too open and very hard to get into real trouble.
Laguna and Millennium are the tourist courses in Vilamoura.

Quinta de lago North and South as very nice is Larangel, but not as nice as the Royal Course in my opinion. But I guess we all have our own favourites.

I also think Quinta de Ria and Quinta De Vale are two of the best in the Algarve and well worth the drive from Vilamoura to ply 45 minutes.

The main thing is to keep swinging.

razorblunt

Played in Portugal in October last year, was more West than Vilamoura (though we did play there on the final day), I really like the Parque de Floresta course but it would be a bit of a drive for you ~30 mins.

If for whatever reason Boavista gets mentioned, avoid! It's squeezed in tight between the apartments and the 18th is a woeful finishing hole.

Russman

There's also a really nice course up in the mountains, about 45 mins/1hr from Vilamoura called Morgado. I think the GUI used to bring people to some seniors event that was on there every year.

Hmmm, Vila Sol, each to their own, but IMO its an insult to good k1ps. Granted its almost 6 yrs since I was there, but we had shocking service - 42 of us booked and paid for buggies in advance and when we arrived we were told the buggies were all out on the course but we could use pull trolleys !! If we hadn't paid for everything up front we'd have walked away and played a decent layout, because its not even that. I think I read somewhere that they've gone from 27 holes to 18, so that may have helped.

Benny Cake

Cheers Stevie, great info. Would love to do it some time, trip of a lifetime...

Ive been to Portugal the last 2 summers, Vilamoura & Cascais, golf was fantastic. Has anyone played in the region of the Silver Coast near Prai del Rey, North of Lisbon?

jimbo golf

Thanks Sky 6
really getting the vibes for Villamoura now.

sky6

Hi Russman, Sorry to hear you had a bad experience in VilaSol 6 years ago. But it's
owned by the Pestana group now who also own Gramacho and Pinta as well as a couple more courses which I can't remember there names. There's no course in the Algarve that offers as much as Vilasol. 27 Holes 2 Driving ranges pitching Greens, practice Bunkers and putting Greens, as well as a Golf Academy.
Which is why it's pestana's flagship course.
I played it a couple of times last summer and it was still 27 holes. I doubt very much if that has changed in the present climate. It'a course for straight hitters and people who can work the ball a little, as some of the Fairways go round in bends. Which is why a lot of golfers don't like it.
But I do agree it can be overpriced in high season compared to other courses a short drive away.
Morgado in the hills is a nice course and good value for money. It's similar to a lot of Irish parkland courses with little or no water.
I don't like Amoderia personally.
Salgados is a nice course very flat and links type as it along the Water. It's quite open but has plenty of Water to make it Difficult.
I love playing it as it's a different challenge to deal with.
Costa Esuri just across the border in Spain is also nice and price wise very cheap compared to Portugal.

Looking forward to my next trip over for a few games.

judosean2005

Sorry to hijack this thread,
But i am going on holidays to Santa Susanna(50 minutes north along the coast of Barcelona) in Spain in May.

And I'd like to play golf. anyone any suggestions for that area?

Any help would be much appreciated.
Sean

Dbu

sky6 wrote: »

hi Dbu,

Have to disagree with your Assessment of VilaSol. It's a proper championship course. I play it many time and never held up once.
It was also home to the Portuguese open before Victoria and the only reason they got it was because of Oceanico. Victoria is nice but too open and very hard to get into real trouble.
Laguna and Millennium are the tourist courses in Vilamoura.

Quinta de lago North and South as very nice is Larangel, but not as nice as the Royal Course in my opinion. But I guess we all have our own favourites.

I also think Quinta de Ria and Quinta De Vale are two of the best in the Algarve and well worth the drive from Vilamoura to ply 45 minutes.

The main thing is to keep swinging.

Hi Sky,
Each to their own as they say:D
Honestly I wouldn't rate Vilasol at all. Typical example of trick golf if I remember. Think it was the 4th (correct me if Im wrong) Right angle par 4, took a 6 iron off the tee to reach the corner and ran out of fairway...into a drain.

sky6

Hi Dbu, Yes I know that hole. It has Water up to the corner and then turns 90 to the green. It's about 160 / 170 to that corner. Fair play to you if you hit a 6 iron that far. But isn't that part of the challenge choosing the right club for each shot.

I wouldn't say it's the best course I've played in Portugal but i do think it's in the top ten. But it is overpriced as many of them are in Portugal.

Keep swinging.

ForeRight

Dbu wrote: »

Hi Sky,
Each to their own as they say:D
Honestly I wouldn't rate Vilasol at all. Typical example of trick golf if I remember. Think it was the 4th (correct me if Im wrong) Right angle par 4, took a 6 iron off the tee to reach the corner and ran out of fairway...into a drain.

You don't rate it because you over clubbed?

Dbu

ForeRight wrote: »

You don't rate it because you over clubbed?

absolutely not foreRight.
Thats really all I can say on your post.