places to play golf?
Have you ever taken some time to ask yourself what really makes Portugal the ultimate golf destination for a lot of enthusiasts?
Simple Advice On Golf Bookings In Algarve, Portugal
Where in the Algarve?
At the last count, there were around 87 golf courses in Portugal and 60% of those are in the Algarve. Specifically, the South West region is where most of the courses are but you can find a few gems further afield. While most of the region is not developed, the golf courses are not isolated oasis in the middle of nowhere. Many courses are clustered together, for example the Pestana resort has five golf courses all within the same resort.
Be prepared
The most important advice for those looking to book a golf holiday in the Algarve is to come ready:
- Book tee times online as many course can get full up and if you don't book you might get a less than ideal teeing off time. This could mean having to wait around all day for your tee time, or being crowded between groups of foursomes and enduring slow rounds. Or worse, you might be turned away and not have a game at all that day.
- Have a golf cart or umbrella with water with you because it can get very hot.
- Make sure you have an up-to-date golf handicap certificate with you because many courses will ask for one. If you don't have one, there are certain courses in the Algarve that you will not be able to play and you need to check this in advance.
- You can do a lot of research online before you go. Many travel sites have tonnes of reviews from people who have recently played there so you can get up to date info on the state of the greens, if there is any building work going on, etc.
Golf & History
Golf in the Algarve all started with Henry Cotton in the mid-1960’s so if you want a history lesson on Algarve golf, you should stay at Penina – the spiritual home of Algarve golf.
There is a good mix of parkland and links course in the Algarve - while some courses (such as Onyria Palmares) are a mix of the two.
The Algarve golf community is well-established so you might find it difficult to integrate because everybody has known each other for many years. However, you will get a warm welcome from plenty of people who return every year and even many who live there all year round.
