Corrie Renton, Director of Glencor Golf Holidays, provides his insider view on the best places to play golf in the Algarve – and the chance to tick off some of those bucket list courses
– October 27, 2025 | Partner contributor
If you’re local to the Algarve, or planning an Algarve golf holiday, you really are spoiled for choice when it comes to the variety and quality of golf courses. Many head to the Algarve for the beaches, cliff top walks and local culture – but we know it’s also a great destination for those looking to hit the fairways and play some of Europe’s best golf.
From its year-round excellent climate to the sheer choice of Championship level courses, it’s no surprise the region is often voted one of the best for golf in Europe. Add in dramatic cliffs, ocean views, and pine-covered landscapes and you’ve got a holiday like no other.
Our top 5 golf courses…as a starter
When we get people coming to us for golf holidays in Portugal, we often direct them to the Algarve. But choosing a course is a different matter because it’s actually quite a personal choice. Do you want challenging links courses, rolling fairways, technical holes or perfectly manicured greens? Is the 19th hole as important as the first?
These five courses are by no means the only courses in the Algarve – but they’re a good starting point for those who might not have played golf here before:
- Monte Rei Golf & Country Club: If you’ve only got time for a single round of golf when visiting the Algarve, it’s worth trying to get a tee time here. Designed by golfing legend, Jack Nicklaus, it’s a par 72 that’s often voted as the best in the Algarve. One of the best features are the generously spaced tee times, so you’ll often have the stunning course to yourself.
- Old Course, Vilamoura: Much like its namesake in Scotland, you can expect a mix of tradition and modernity here. Drive down pine-lined fairways and tee off at the famous 4th – a 200-yard par 3 with a green surrounded by water hazards and bunkers.
- Quinta Do Lago’s South Course: This course has been winning awards since it was built back in 1972 – and for good reason. Generous fairways and well-defined rough mean it can be tackled by amateur golfers while still offering a challenge for more experienced players.
- Vale Do Lobo – Royal Course: If you’re an experienced golfer seeking a challenge, then this is the course for you. Lots of hazards, long holes, and swirling winds. But it’s worth it for the cliff top views and sense of achievement if you can get around without losing a ball.
- Palmares Golf: Head to the Bay of Lagos for this stunner. 27 holes and each one offering amazing views and challenging golf. Yes, it’s a tough course, but you can opt not to play off the white tees for a slightly easier round.
A shot to remember
There’s always one hole that people remember. Everyone has their favourite. Maybe they loved it because they finally made the green around a tough dogleg or the sun was setting at just the right time.
For me, that hole is the 16th on Vale Do Lobo’s Royal course – an iconic par 3 on the cliff tops.
Standing on the tee is one of those moments that makes you stop, take a breath, and drink it all in. The hole stretches out before you with the Atlantic surf crashing against the rocks below.
From the back tees, it plays around 190 yards over a vast chasm, with nothing but sea and sheer drop between you and the green.
Before you even choose your club, you’ve got to adjust to the ever-changing Atlantic winds. Get it right and you’ll soar over the abyss dropping safely onto the green. If not, the swirling winds could take your ball forever.
What makes the 16th so unforgettable isn’t just the view; it’s the combination of beauty, danger, and precision. A hole that tests your nerve as much as your skills.
The Algarve is calling
If this has whetted your appetite for a round of golf, then today is the day to get started. Don’t wait for the weather, just book your tee time and take the challenge on.
If you’re not in the Algarve and are worried you’re missing out, don’t be. Give Glencor Golf Holidays a call 01904 406550, email us at [email protected] or check out our full range of golf holidays in the Algarve.