Golf Break in Spain/Portugal

Billydoc

Hi,
A group of about 12 of us thinking of heading next April to either Spain or Portugal for four nights and three rounds. We never went before and just looking for advice on which place would be better and any good advice and do any of ye have any experience with golf travel agents or should we book separately?

First Up

Billydoc wrote:

Hi, A group of about 12 of us thinking of heading next April to either Spain or Portugal for four nights and three rounds. We never went before and just looking for advice on which place would be better and any good advice and do any of ye have any experience with golf travel agents or should we book separately?

There have been several threads on this topic. You might find it useful to look at those.

JIdontknow

This was a recent one that might help:

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2057577273

Here's one or two others after a quick search:

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=90279545
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=89166513

Ronney

Have a trip booked to Portugal this September (Faro). Looked at doing it independent but it worked out a lot more expensive.

Most of the courses have tie in with hotels/apartments so you get the two for a fraction of what you would pay booking separate. List price for Green fees seem to be quite high.

I Used Yourgolftravel, Email them your requirements and they get back fairly quick with a list of options. Was able to swap in and out courses and add an extra night for some too.

(tell them Darren sent you)

Billydoc

Thanks

razorblunt

Ronney wrote: »

Have a trip booked to Portugal this September (Faro). Looked at doing it independent but it worked out a lot more expensive.

Most of the courses have tie in with hotels/apartments so you get the two for a fraction of what you would pay booking separate. List price for Green fees seem to be quite high.

I Used Yourgolftravel, Email them your requirements and they get back fairly quick with a list of options. Was able to swap in and out courses and add an extra night for some too.

(tell them Darren sent you)

Are you playing Espiche, would be good to hear your feedback.
I found it very tough!

Ronney

razorblunt wrote: »

Are you playing Espiche, would be good to hear your feedback.
I found it very tough!

No Playing San Lorenzo and Pinheiros Altos, Staying in Formosa Park Hotel & Apartments which is tied in with san lorenzo and does free shuttle bus between

Prices were 3 nights B&B + 2 Rounds £209 (€268 today)
and some doing an extra nigh 4 nights B&B + 2 Rounds £235(€302)

San Lorenzos list price is €180 and Pinheiros is €90.

razorblunt

That's a pretty good price.
I've got those pencilled in for the next visit, we've taken Espiche off the last, few of us like Parque da Floresta and the others like Boavista so that's always 2 of the 4 days taken up.

the greatest game

Highly recommend the Amendoira Resort about 30 minutes from Villamoura.
Part of the Oceanico group.
3 night package for 4 , 290 euro, Fantastic accomadation, unlimited golf, great courses ( faldo and O'Connor) gree upgrade to another Oceanico course( pick old course villamoura) free buggies,
You can have a great 3-4 days for very small money on fanstastic courses.

Dublin72

the greatest game wrote: »

Highly recommend the Amendoira Resort about 30 minutes from Villamoura.
Part of the Oceanico group.
3 night package for 4 , 290 euro, Fantastic accomadation, unlimited golf, great courses ( faldo and O'Connor) gree upgrade to another Oceanico course( pick old course villamoura) free buggies,
You can have a great 3-4 days for very small money on fanstastic courses.

Was here last week and had a great time. Fantastic value for money. Thought the Old course and Faldo course were excellent. Only drawback is it is in the middle of nowhere! Going back next year.

FixdePitchmark

Lads

I'm thinking of a winter golf break - nothing solid in head - but about time I did this type of thing in winter.

any ideas.

Can you do this last minute ?

and is it very dead this time of year,

Putt it there

FixdePitchmark wrote: »

Lads

I'm thinking of a winter golf break - nothing solid in head - but about time I did this type of thing in winter.

any ideas.

Can you do this last minute ?

and is it very dead this time of year,

If you go to vilamoura its not dead in fairness as theres always lots of golfers and couples about , average age would certainly be 30+ but theres great craic to be had . Bunch of us usually go in April but once went at the end of October and it was great - 18-22+ degrees and all courses open .

We book with teetimes.pt - golf/hotel/transfers and its always been top notch , play the oceanico courses near vilamoura as the transfers to and from are free . Old course/pinhal/victoria are 3 great courses , the o connor and faldo ones are very isolated if you choose to stay out there .

A sample price would be about €450 each for hotel , golf and transfers . Flights extra of course .

CMOTDibbler

FixdePitchmark wrote: »

Lads

I'm thinking of a winter golf break - nothing solid in head - but about time I did this type of thing in winter.

any ideas.

Can you do this last minute ?

and is it very dead this time of year,

It's funny, but in Portugal (not sure about Spain) they seem to consider the winter to be high season. Except December and January.

Presumably they get a lot of winter golfers.

Low season is actually June to August (and Dec-Jan).

First Up

FixdePitchmark wrote:

I'm thinking of a winter golf break - nothing solid in head - but about time I did this type of thing in winter.

If weather is the big issue I would widen it. Turkey (Belek) and Morocco (Agadir) are worth looking at. Good deals with Turkish Airlines.

CMOTDibbler

First Up wrote: »

If weather is the big issue I would widen it. Turkey (Belek) and Morocco (Agadir) are worth looking at. Good deals with Turkish Airlines.

:eek:

I hear Syria is good this time of year too.

First Up

CMOTDibbler wrote:

I hear Syria is good this time of year too.

Its a big world out there. You stay under cover.

CMOTDibbler

First Up wrote: »

Its a big world out there. You stay under cover.

Well my niece decided to take a short holiday with a friend to Istanbul a while back.

Arriving there on a certain Friday...

First Up

CMOTDibbler wrote:

Well my niece decided to take a short holiday with a friend to Istanbul a while back.

CMOTDibbler wrote:

Arriving there on a certain Friday...

Bad luck. Great city. I transit through Istanbul about once a month and when circumstances allow I overnight in a small fishing port near the airport called Yesilkoy. Best seafood you will find on the planet.

thewobbler

FixdePitchmark wrote: »

Lads

I'm thinking of a winter golf break - nothing solid in head - but about time I did this type of thing in winter.

any ideas.

Can you do this last minute ?

and is it very dead this time of year,

Most resort towns will be quiet this time of year through to June There's no getting away from the fact that across the Costas and the Algarve, golfers make up at best 10% of the overall (high season) nightlife trade

I'd personally recommend either Vilamoura or Marbella as your base. The latter is larger and *should* be busier but the former is a proper weekend destination as it's a 2 hr flight and 20 minute transfer for Englanders.

If you go Vilamoura, pay extra to play the Quinta Do Lago courses. 15 minute drive and top class golf.

kieran.

Was in vilamoura 2 weeks ago the town/marina itself was busy enough in the evenings but not packed. Would highly recommend it as a base.

FixdePitchmark

Lads - when people are booking these - these days.

Does anyone actually use an agent ?

Or is it all DIY - are there good packages out there.

Say a trip for 4 days with 3 rounds.

How much are peolpe paying per head - if say 12 are going ?

paulos53

I have always booked the rounds of golf with local agents. Booking multiple rounds with them seems to work out cheaper than sorting out individual rounds myself.

I then book the accommodation separately but that suits us as we are only looking for something basic with self-catering

DuckSlice

FixdePitchmark wrote: »

Lads - when people are booking these - these days.

Does anyone actually use an agent ?

Or is it all DIY - are there good packages out there.

Say a trip for 4 days with 3 rounds.

How much are peolpe paying per head - if say 12 are going ?

I went through an agent for a holiday for 15 people last april. I would never use this agent again and would not recommend them to anyone. The guy I was dealing with was absolutely useless. I will name if i am allowed but PM and I will tell you.

They tried to say we underpaid by one but we had all the records to show that we had paid.

The package itself was ok, wasn't too expensive but wasn't cheap either.

FixdePitchmark

paulos53 wrote: »

I have always booked the rounds of golf with local agents. Booking multiple rounds with them seems to work out cheaper than sorting out individual rounds myself.

I then book the accommodation separately but that suits us as we are only looking for something basic with self-catering

Ok - so in general for

3 rounds - 4 days with flights

What do people pay in the say ?

Budget Range (with ok golf range)
Mid range ( good course)
up market ?

We would be on the budget to mid range. To be honest - I'd like to play good courses - but it is a bunch of mixed golfers. I'll go with flow for the few days that are in it.

DuckSlice

In April, we paid 790 for flights and 5 nights accommodation. 3 rounds of golf. I think playing the Victoria course made was a reason for it being quite high.
We played the Oceanico courses - Pinhal, Laguna and Victoria.

thewobbler

Fixed, if you spend a full day on it planning, phoning, crossing off, crossing on, you might shave (literally) 30 a man off that trip by self-booking but honestly it's not worth the hassle.

YGT's prices are very solid and as often as not (in my experience) will come in a couple of quid cheaper than self booking.

----

If you're for Portugal, here's 3 things to ponder.

1.Vilamoura is made for golf. It's brilliant. But it's also pricier than anything further west. If you're determined to stay in Vilamoura, then don't bother with the low end (Pinhal, Millennium, Laguna) courses. They're distinctly average and by the time you fork out for a buggy, will only be 20 quid or so less than Old and Victoria (or maybe QDL if you catch them on a golf day).

2. If it's a golf trip you're after rather than a golf ~ drinking trip, have a look at the all inclusive deals around Anendoira area. It's 25 minutes from anywhere (think of a night out at Moyvalley) but has two very decent courses on site (Faldo and O'Connor). People who stay in Vilamoura pay top whack to drive out there to play those two. People staying on site tend basically get it for nothing. About 45 mins to the airport.

3. If your group enjoys a hefty binge in the 19th (if so, can I come?), you should probably consider another all inclusive option in Sao Rafael, which is close to albufeira. I haven't played the morgado course which is part of this deal buts it's supposed to be sound enough. I played Salgados a decade ago and it has potential then as a young course. This is a cheap as chips option.

FixdePitchmark

etxp wrote: »

In April, we paid 790 for flights and 5 nights accommodation. 3 rounds of golf. I think playing the Victoria course made was a reason for it being quite high.
We played the Oceanico courses - Pinhal, Laguna and Victoria.

Thanks for all the info lads.

They are all good courses.

So with flights / Acc / Golf - and all in, could we get below the 700 ?

Is spain simply cheaper ? - much cheaper ?

I think we will be 4 nights - 3 rounds.

FixdePitchmark

thewobbler wrote: »

Fixed, if you spend a full day on it planning, phoning, crossing off, crossing on, you might shave (literally) 30 a man off that trip by self-booking but honestly it's not worth the hassle.

YGT's prices are very solid and as often as not (in my experience) will come in a couple of quid cheaper than self booking.

----

If you're for Portugal, here's 3 things to ponder.

1.Vilamoura is made for golf. It's brilliant. But it's also pricier than anything further west. If you're determined to stay in Vilamoura, then don't bother with the low end (Pinhal, Millennium, Laguna) courses. They're distinctly average and by the time you fork out for a buggy, will only be 20 quid or so less than Old and Victoria (or maybe QDL if you catch them on a golf day).

2. If it's a golf trip you're after rather than a golf ~ drinking trip, have a look at the all inclusive deals around Anendoira area. It's 25 minutes from anywhere (think of a night out at Moyvalley) but has two very decent courses on site (Faldo and O'Connor). People who stay in Vilamoura pay top whack to drive out there to play those two. People staying on site tend basically get it for nothing. About 45 mins to the airport.

3. If your group enjoys a hefty binge in the 19th (if so, can I come?), you should probably consider another all inclusive option in Sao Rafael, which is close to albufeira. I haven't played the morgado course which is part of this deal buts it's supposed to be sound enough. I played Salgados a decade ago and it has potential then as a young course. This is a cheap as chips option.

Nice one wobbler.

These lads would be there for a binge - with the golf a bit of a laugh - in fairness there is a trophy involved , so that is a bit unfair - if true

I've no interest in playing crap courses myself - but the mid range stuff is fine. I've played Pinhal, Millennium, Laguna - and that level is excellent for us. In fact, i'm surprised they are low end :eek:
I think I need another trip over there to play the top stuff.

thewobbler

Np.

By the way, in my experience Malaga is more expensive than the Algarve for everything, including golf.

DuckSlice

FixdePitchmark wrote: »

Nice one wobbler.

These lads would be there for a binge - with the golf a bit of a laugh - in fairness there is a trophy involved , so that is a bit unfair - if true

I've no interest in playing crap courses myself - but the mid range stuff is fine. I've played Pinhal, Millennium, Laguna - and that level is excellent for us. In fact, i'm surprised they are low end :eek:
I think I need another trip over there to play the top stuff.

I think you could get it below the 700 probably, I know we would have saved 50 a man if we just booked our own flights.

If its mainly just a bit of fun and some of the golfers are just playing golf for the laugh I wouldn't recommend going to Victoria with them, im not sure about the other top courses. When I was there we had a lot of lads that hadn't played golf for a good while and Victoria was just too hard for them and most of my time was spent looking for balls. Pinhal/Laguna would be perfect for that, a lot more forgiving etc.

Putt it there

€700 seems expensive - we've already booked for next april in vilamoura and its €445 for 5 nights b+b with 3 rounds and transfers (flights usually about €110 return extra) If you have 8+ players theres currently an offer in oceanico courses when you pay for one less than whats playing , this will save €70-€140 per booking depending on what courses you play .
Theres nowt wrong with pinhal , laguana or millennium for golf hols although victoria and the old course are top notch . Further out from vilamoura you can play quinta do lago north/south and laranjal - deals on offer if you book those 3 also . Then you have vila sol and the 2 courses at vale do lobo .

Try teetimes.pt - we use them every year and you can see prices as you make up your own package deal .