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Golf in the Algarve Course information
Since the first Champion course built in 1966 with the architect Sir Henry Cotton. It was to be a huge challenge turning flat swap land used for crop growing into a respectable golf course to catch serous golfer’s attention. With much planting and a good architect design it proved a huge success. Now in less than 50 years since the first course the Algarve has seen nearly 40 of some of the best courses in Europe. Putting the Algarve as a serious contender in many world competitions including open championships. Below is a brief information guide to help choose the course that may suit your style of playing. Over the years course design has changed not only to make courses challenging, but incorporating what the land and surroundings were used for. In 2008 the Oceānico Nick Faldo & Oceānico O'Connor courses did just that by laying the courses very sympathetically to the surroundings even incorporating lemon and orange trees, also with wildlife in mind. Most courses require soft spike shoes.
West Algarve
Resort Holes Length Location Par Construction Required
Įlamos Golf 18 5,641 m Portimao 71 1991 H/C Cert
Alto Golf 18 6,125 m Alvor 73 1991 H/C Cert
Boavista Golf 18 6,053 m Lagos 71 2001 H/C Cert
Espiche Golf 18 5,862 m Lagos 72 U/C H/C Cert
Oceānico Nick Faldo 18 6,604 m Silves 72 2008 H/C Cert
Morgado Golf 18 5,399 m Portimao 73 2003 H/C Cert
Oceānico O'Connor 18 6,719 m Silves 72 2008 H/C Cert
Palmares Golf 18 5,961 m Lagos 71 1976 H/C Cert
Parque da Floresta 18 5,670 m Budens 72 1987 H/C Cert
Penina Championship 18 6,343 m Alvor 73 1966 H/C Cert
Gramacho 18 5,919 m Carvoeiro 72 1991 H/C Cert
Vale da Pinta 18 6,152 m Carvoeiro 72 1992 H/C Cert
Vale de Milho 9 926 m Carvoeiro 54 1990 N/A
(2 set of tees)
Central Algarve
Resort Holes Length Location Par Construction Required
Balaia Golf Village 9 984m Abufeira 3 2001 N/A
Oceānico Laguna 18 6,133 m Vilamoura 73 1990 H/C Cert
Oceānico Millennium 18 6,200 m Vilamoura 73 2000 H/C Cert
Vilamoura Old Course 18 6,254 m Vilamoura 72 1969 H/C Cert
Pine Cliffs Golf 2X9 2274 m Albufeira 67 1991 N/A
Oceānico Pinhal 18 6,300 m Vilamoura 71 1976 H/C Cert
Pinheiros Altos 18 5,766 m Almancil 72 1991 H/C Cert
Quinta do Lago (North) 18 6,126 m Almancil 72 1994 H/C Cert
Quinta do Lago (South) 36 6,488 m Almancil 74 1994 H/C Cert
Salgados Golf 18 6,080 m Albufeira 72 1994 H/C Cert
San Lorenzo Golf 18 6,238 m Almancil 73 1988 H/C Cert
Oceānico Victoria 18 6,560 m Vilamoura 72 2004 H/C Cert
Vale do Lobo Ocean 2X18 Vary Almancil 73 1968 H/C Cert
Vale do Lobo Royal 2X18 Vary Almancil 72 1997 H/C Cert
Vila Sol 27 (3X9) vary Vilamoura, 72 1991 H/C Cert
East Algarve
Resort Holes Length Location Par Construction Required
Benamor Golf 18 5 ,500 m Cabanas 69 2000 H/C Cert
Casto Marim 18 5,466 m Casto Marim 71 2001 H/C Cert
Colina Verde 9 1,145 m Moncarapach 28 2003 H/C Cert
Monte Rei Club 18 6,567 m Vila Real St A 72 2007 H/C Cert
Quinta da Ria 18 6,110 m Tavira 72 2001 H/C Cert
Quinta de Cima 18 6,256 m Quinta da Ria 72 1992 H/C Cert
Quinta do Vale 18 6,511 m Casto Marim 72 2001 H/C Cert
A player with the correct ball and feet position, with the feet and ball aligned.
A player with incorrect stance and alignment
One of the Algarve’s flatter courses
More traditional surroundings with the planting of Olive trees at Algoz/Alcantarilha course
Sand Bunker Tips
To the inexperienced golfer the sand pit or bunker to give them the correct name, can appear to be a nightmare, and rightly so. They can set a challenge to the novice, but understanding the bunker and sand can make all the difference to your play. Sand is a medium that can change its texture when wet and have a different reaction to how it absorbs a blow than if it were dry. Sand is very good at absorbing energy. You only have to think of when walking on a beach how a footprint can be left in the sand when wet, yet when dry it is completely different. it can even be harder to walk in sand when dry. Applying this method and understanding will greatly improve your performance in the bunker. You will firstly get an idea how to play the ball when you first step in the bunker, is the sand soft to the foot or firm? Let’s first deal with damp or wet sand here we need to hit the ball directly as the energy from the club to the ball is going to be direct, so hitting the ball too hard is something to avoid as you do not want any bounce back if steep or the ball to travel to far if a low bunker. Playing in dry sand needs a different approach, here we need to use the sand to our advantage so treat it as bumper cushion rather than trying to hit the ball with direct contact with the club. You need to hit the sand a few centimetres before the ball, this action will cause the sand to scatter directing the energy to be absorbed by both sand and ball allowing the ball to shoot forward with a gently motion.
When practicing this try drawing a line behind the ball at different spaces until you get the distance right. Remember when playing in a match you must not draw a line in the sand or remove sand from around the ball as this would be classed as a strike or penalty see rule 13-4 regarding touching the ground in hazardous play.
Balance and stance are also going to be different than that on the green; the normal choice of club would be the wedge, or sand iron. The angle type of club will depend on the steepness of the bunker. You need to play the move the same as a strike rather than a putt, do not be tempted to try to putt your way out of a bunker.
When using a wedge it would be normal to aline the ball with the middle of your feet, when taking a shot. When playing in dry sand you will be making the strike just before the ball so position your feet at the strike position rather than the ball position.
due to the impact when the club hits the sand it is going to absorb about one third of the energy so you will need to swing at a faster speed. Balance can become an issue so make sure your stance and balance are correct placing more of your body weight on the lead foot. Practice will teach you how hard to swing depending on how far the ball has to travel.
Over the coming weeks we will be covering Golfing term and Tip to help improve your game as well as detailed course information
The club house commonly known as the 19th hole
