Golfing holidays.

tommyaipsd

Hey lads, just trying to look at golfing holidays for around September October, thinking of turkey although it seems hard to get at a good price. But open to Portugal itlay Spain etc. Has anyone any experience with a good golfing holiday abroad at a decent price?

swededmonkey

A group of us went to the Algarve pre covid for 4 nights & 3 rounds of golf. That included airport transfers and transport to and from each course. Think everything came in around €350 and club hire was another €50 ish.

I didn't do the booking but think it was through golf breaks.ie.

thewobbler

If you can offer a gauge on the rough breakdown of importance in alcohol consumption vs quality golf, this becomes an easier question to answer.

that said, the algarve is always the easiest option. It’s really down to to how much you wish to fine tune it in either direction.

gypsy79

Did Amendoira this year and was shocked how cheap it was.

Under 500 quid for 4 nights accom and 4 rounds golf

Resort is middle nowhere though

Ollieboy

in general, If you think Turkey is expensive you can forget about anywhere else.

Turkey is great golf and accommodation for money, but I rather spend more and enjoy a decent nightlife.

just back from Spain last month and cheaper then pre-Covid but not value for money.

tommyaipsd

When I say expensive, it was around 1.5k per person for a few nights we saw. We'd rather pay up to 700 at most per person. On the alcohol/nightlife side of things, that won't interest us. It's literally for the golf, and maybe a bit of sight seeing too.

Ollieboy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119025913#Comment_119025913

Isn’t that figure including golf, transportation, flights, food, drinks and accommodation? I’ve offers for Turkey for around 1200 in October with great course. Flights aren’t cheap and most course in the places you mentioned isn’t cheap. We were charge on average 75 for a round in March with most expensive 125.

try Killester travel, usually do decent packages

thewobbler

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119025913#Comment_119025913

Maybe a look at basing yourself around PGA Catalunya north of Barcelona. Flights can be expensive to that part of the world but the rest of it will be in your range.

The Amondeira deal in the Algarve should be right up your street too. Unlimited golf on two very good courses. A 5 min drive to a small local town for food etc.

IAmTitleist

I went to Portugal about 12/13 years ago and found the golf to be fairly reasonable value for money at 60/70 euro a round.

Last time i went about 3 years ago we didn't even bother with the golf because absolute bang average courses like Pinhal were charging 100+ euro a round. SImply not worth it.

The 3 courses at Quinta (North/South/Laranjal) are lovely to be fair but again not worth the green fees imo.

blue note

I wonder is a part of the problem that we're spoilt with the value in this country. If you look at the quality of course on something like the boards society, I doubt you'd find that sort of value in many places. Especially tourist resorts. And you're not even comparing to the full rates, because we're used to paying open comp fees, society fees, GUI rates.

thewobbler

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119036148#Comment_119036148

It’s just supply and demand.

Theres (I’d estimate) several hundred thousands tourists arriving in the algarve every year for warm weather golf. and there’s only 30-odd 18 hole golf courses to house then all.

if you’re comparing it to the Irish market it’s probably fairer to compare it to Links golf. That’s why the (vast majority of) golf tourists come to our island, and there’s only 30 or so courses they really want to play, and only want to do so from April-October. And those courses nearly have a full membership quota to manage throughout those months too. Hence the premium pricing.

BohToffee

Just back from almost a week in Lagos Portugal, played Espiche, Palmares and Boavista with a group from the UK, cost us £534 a head for 5 nights 3 rounds, plus flights. Booked thru golfbreaks. I added Morgado on the 4th day while others took a rest day, Morgado alone was €116 to play with a buggy. Wouldn't usually pay that but I didn't fancy a day at the beach, well worth it... and highly recommend as a course to visit.

Would you look at the likes of Porto or Lisbon as a different option??

thewobbler

Heading back from algarve now.

Pinta and Gramacho are decent, straightforward society courses. Enjoyable without being memorable. Though the former’s greens are a disgrace and the general apathy / unwillingness of Pestana staff is a little bewildering.

Palmares (original 18). is stunning. One of the best layouts I’ve ever come across. Just a reveal after a reveal after a reveal. Would recommend it fully.

the Algarve’s web of one main road and back streets everywhere else never fails to confuse. We stayed in Alvor, which on a map looks a continent away from Vilamoura, but the difference in transfer times was maybe 15 mins.

slave1

If only we had the predicable weather in this country, way better courses (in terms of quality and cost) here but you just can't tell whether it will be pissing or not or even cold. For a golf holiday you want sun, warmth and reasonable expectation of both.

Dublin72

Palmares is a stunning, well designed course. It was in terrible condition when I played it two weeks ago. Fairways and rough completely burnt as they were unable to water them due to drought.