Portugal and golf: a happy marriage!

Today, I’m going to talk about Portugal and golf! I’m not a great golfer, so you’re probably going to ask me why? Well, for 3 reasons:

• we live 500m from a golf course
• we stayed in a hotel on the sublime Sintra golf course (my husband’s wedding present)
• many of the people we know and most of our clients play on the course

Being curious and adventurous by nature, I decided to take a little interest. For golf lovers and enthusiasts, please bear with my non-golfer vocabulary 😉

Let’s start with a little video introduction..

1. The arrival of golf in Portugal

Portugal is a very popular country for golf enthusiasts: courses of varying degrees of difficulty, breathtaking scenery and pleasant weather. So whether you want to learn to golf or are already an experienced golfer, Portugal has a lot to offer. In any case, I took my^1st lesson here…but more on that later

I wanted to know how golf came to Portugal…and apparently it was the English who introduced it to Portugal in the 19th century. “Indeed, a group of British wine exporters founded the Oporto Niblicks Club in 1890. A few years later, the Englishman Sir Henry Cotton, a three-time golf champion, continued the expansion of golf by installing the first golf course at Portimão in the Algarve in 1966. Today, it is the oldest 18-hole course in the region. Today, there are almost thirty eighteen-hole courses and eight nine-hole courses in the Algarve. That’s half of all the golf courses in Portugal (From a lepetitjournal article)

Portugal’s oldest golf course was created in Porto in 1890

Since then, Portugal has boasted some ninety courses, of which 57 have 18 holes and 9 have 27 holes, recognized by the most experienced professionals. It’s not for nothing that Portugal was voted best golf destination in the world in 2014, 2015 and 2016 at the World Golf Awards. So for golf lovers, it’s THE destination not to be missed 😉

With a wide variety of courses, there’s something for every taste, level of difficulty and budget. Many of Portugal’s courses were designed by famous architects such as Robert Trent Jones Jr, Jack Nicklaus, Arthur Hills, Nick Faldo, Severiano Ballesteros, Henry Cotton, Rocky Roquemore and Arnold Palmer. For those in the know, Arnold Palmer is the creator of the Oceânico Victoria (created in 2004) and this course has hosted the Portuguese Masters since its 1st edition in 2007, as well as the PGA World Cup. The 90-hectare Victoria golf course is one of the best in the Algarve region.

The Victoria golf course in Vilamoura covers 90 hectares

Arnold Palmer is the fifth most successful player in the history of the PGA Tour, with 62 titles to his name. In the 1960s, his rivalry with another American, Jack Nicklaus, and with South African Gary Player, with whom he formed the “Big Three”, contributed to the media coverage of golf on television

A large number of golf courses are to be found in the south of Portugal, but not only there, so I’d like to tell you a little about the specific features of the courses in each region

2. Golf in the Porto region

Whether by the sea or in the mountains, you’ll enjoy a mild climate and fresh mountain air.

There are 11 golf courses in the Porto region, all in natural, inspiring settings, in touch with nature and surrounded by breathtaking scenery. Here are 3 of the most talked-about

South of Porto, the 18-holeOporto Golf Club in Espinho is the oldest golf course in continental Europe after Pau in France. As I wrote above, it was created in 1890 by British citizens living in Porto.

Otherwise, located in a lively seaside resort, theEstela Golfe Club inaugurated in 1989 offers an 18-hole course, designed by Sotto-Mayor, and is one of the most beautiful and competitive in Europe

The Estela Golf Club is located in a seaside resort near Porto

Golf d’Amarante, 50 minutes east of Porto, was designed by Jorge Santana da Silva. The landscape is said to be splendid, with views of the Marão and Aboboreira mountains. With its 18 holes, it occupies an important place in the national golf scene. Once invaded by French troops, traces of our visit can still be seen in the church of S. Gonçalo. A charming town, especially in its historic center

Amarante golf course with mountain views

If, after your round of golf, you add a little wine tasting in the beautiful cellars of northern Portugal and a typical meal, you’ll have enjoyed all the pleasures of a stay in the north

3. Golf in the Lisbon area

Lisbon’s mild climate, scenic beauty and world-renowned golf courses make it a popular golfing destination. Given the climate, you can play golf all year round in the Lisbon region.

No fewer than twelve golf courses in the Lisbon area are considered to be among the best in the country. Most of them are located between Lisbon, Cascais and Sintra.

The last week of October and the beginning of November welcomes international golf professionals to Estoril’s major courses for its International Golf Week, held on several courses.

I’m going to introduce you to some of them on the Lisbon side and a few on the Tagus side

TheOitavos Dunes golf course is apparently one of the finest in the region. Located in the natural park of Sintra and Cascais by the sea, it offers views of the ocean from every hole, as well as of the mountains of Sintra and Cabo da Roca. The landscape is varied, with wooded areas, dunes and coastal zones. A magnificent golf course to play for superb views of the surrounding countryside.

I was lucky enough to discover the Penha Longa golf course and found it quite simply splendid. It’s a 27-hole course in the heart of the Sintra Natural Park, and the scenery is breathtaking! My husband treated me to a night’s accommodation on the golf course, so we had plenty of time to walk around the course the following day, which I’ll let you discover in pictures

The Penha Longa golf complex in Sintra

And then, just 25 minutes across the Tagus from Lisbon, you’ll find the Aroeira golf course. Easier for me to talk about since I live just 5 minutes away on foot.

Built in a pinewood nature reserve, it’s completely integrated into the natural environment

The Aroeira golf complex, south of Lisbon

This golf course has two courses:

• Aroeira I is closer to the beaches of Costa da Caparica (Fonte Da Telha) and more densely wooded. This 18-hole course, designed by architect Frank Pennink, was built in 1973
• Aroeira II is the first Portuguese golf course to use “Penn A2 turf, which makes its vast greens really fast and demanding, with bunkers on the fairways and five large lakes that force players to fly the ball over the water, repeatedly.” This second 18-hole course opened in April 2000 and was designed by architect Donald Steel. For several years, it hosted the Qualifying School of Ladies European Tour and several Portuguese Ladies Opens

The Aroeira golf complex, south of Lisbon

I’ve done a few jogging sessions here and recently started taking a few golf lessons, so I can share my opinion with you: it’s a magnificent setting, surrounded by pine trees, lakes and a soothing calm, so it’s really pleasant to stroll around or play a round of golf or just a driving range.

My second golf lesson: pitching!

We’re now on our^2nd golf lesson and my husband and I are really getting the hang of it. I have to admit, it’s not easy. When you see our teacher, Joachim, doing the swing, it looks simple and smooth… but when it’s my turn, it’s something else… “a little more relaxed Ginny” “Tap the ball more gently” “Left arm straight”… it’s going to take a little more practice 😉 A complete sport: concentration, technique and flexibility. Can’t wait for the next class!

Oh, and just yesterday, the Portuguese national team was at the Aroeira driving range while we were hitting a few balls..

In addition to golf, the Lisbon region offers plenty of activities for the whole family: dolphin-watching in the Sado Estuary nature reserve, hiking in the Serra d’Arrábida, relaxing on the beach at Fonte Da Telha or visiting Setúbal. Don’t forget to try the specialties of these regions, such as the famous creamy Azeitão cheese and fresh grilled fish

4. Golf in the Algarve

The Algarve region is one of Europe’s top destinations for golfers. Its mild, sunny climate almost year-round offers ideal weather conditions. It boasts 42 golf courses

I’d like to introduce you to two of the Algarve’s most famous golf courses:

The Monte Rei golf course in the eastern Algarve is ranked number one in Portugal. This exceptional golf course has five lakes and winds its way through the hills. The course offers superb scenery with vast panoramic views of the Atlantic Ocean and the Serra do Caldeirão mountains. It was the first course created by the prestigious American golf champion Jack Nicklaus. It is one of the many golf courses to be discovered in this region.

The Monte Rei golf course is ranked number 1 in Portugal

Elsewhere, the ‘Old’ and ‘Faldo’ courses at Dom Pedro Golf Club (formerly Oceanico Golf Club) in the heart of Vilamoura are apparently the best in the Algarve. Oceanico ‘Old’ is one of the oldest in the region, with a gently undulating course winding through pine trees. Oceanico ‘Faldo’ is a championship course, with winding waterways and numerous rocks, surrounded by oaks, orange trees and cacti.

The Dom Pedro golf course cluster in Vilamoura

In conclusion

When I wrote this article, I knew that golf was part of the Portuguese landscape, but I was unaware of its popularity and richness, recognized by the world’s greatest golfers. In short, wherever you go in Portugal, you’ll find a golf course and you won’t be disappointed. What they all have in common is their environmental quality and the harmony with which they blend in with nature

And you, dear golfers: which courses would you recommend?

Receive the latest articles from our blog and our selection of properties for sale every month

* mandatory fieldFirst name * *Last name Telephone E-mail address * *Current city of residence Interests: *

• Buying a property in Portugal
• Renting a property in Portugal
• Nothing special in mind

Date of arrival in Portugal How can we help you? * * Please contact me:*

• Quickly please
• Later please

Region of interest *

• Almada
• Aroeira
• Seixal
• Setubal
• Other

You can view our Privacy Policy and General Terms and Conditions here