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Gof trip to Portugal

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  • 09-12-2023 12:50pm
    #1
    Doug Mc
    Registered Users Posts: 4 ✭


    Hi all, We're organizing a golf trip to Portugal for April next year. Got a quote from a well-known Irish golf tour operator but one of our guys just back from Vilamoura got a quote from a local agent there "Golf Holidays Direct" and it was significantly cheaper. Have any of you used them or heard of them? Just looking for some honest feedback, they seem to specialize in all-inclusive packages. Accomodation is in Salgados with three rounds in Saldagos,Almos and Mordado. Nave never played these courses before, just theones around Vialmoura, Old Course Victoria Laguna Millenium and Pinhal.



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    #2
    thewobbler
    Registered Users Posts: 853 ✭✭✭thewobbler


    Salgados, Alamos and Morgado are part of the one group, along with a string of hotels (NAU group they were called on my last visit).

    They’ve an ongoing offer across their portfolio for as long as I can remember.

    Don’t know much about Golf Holidays Direct. I use GolfBreaks.com and they’re 100% to deal with. I imagine these operators all price match off each other.

    Morgado is a brilliant track. Salgados is on the easier side of things but is strangely forgettable for a course that weaves constantly through water. Alamos has the makings of a decent course but the conditioning was awful when I played it (4 years ago tbf).

    Upsides to Albufeira: better nightlife, and the old town is gorgeous. Downsides to Albufeira, it’s another 20 odd mins of a transfer. No big deal. Just be aware that Salgados resort is out of town and you’ll be taxi-ing in for nightlife. Plus it’s 20+ mins spin to Alamos and Morgado (they’re one resort). Vilamoura is more of a golf destination ie when you’re out for the night everyone else seems to be middle aged white blokes in golf outfits. Albufeira doesn’t have that feel.



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    #3
    Kevinmarkham
    Registered Users Posts: 1,977 ✭✭✭Kevinmarkham


    I would quibble with TheWobbler regarding Morgado: I found it quite dull, certainly on the front nine. It's all about avoiding bunkers and not 3-putting on big greens. Alamos, on the same property, I really liked and it was in very good condition when I played it in Nov '23.

    Salgados is probably the least interesting course in the Algarve. A few nice holes (2 very good par-5s) but lifeless elsewhere, despite 17 holes having water.

    Can't really help with travel operators, but GolfBreaks do have a good reputation. You could look at https://discoverirelandgolftours.com/algarve/ over here.

    For me, the quality of the courses come first but I appreciate how important night time entertainment is to groups. From that side of things it's worth the extra money to be in/near a town, be it Vilamoura, Albufeira or Lagos



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