PORTUGAL
Two of our intrepid writers get to savour the golf, cuisine and luxury accommodation on offer at three of the very finest golf resorts on the Algarve
When it comes to a European getaway, the Algarve is never far from the top of most UK golfers’ lists. There are numerous reasons for its popularity, from year-round sunshine to the quality and variety of golf available, with this 150-mile stretch of coastline home to more than 30 courses, each offering something different.
Every visitor will have their own unique motives for making the trip, whether travelling with a large group of golfing friends or as part of a more intimate family visit.
Away from the fairways, the Algarve is jam-packed with quality hotels, restaurants and historical sites. The local seafood and wine are real highlights, as are the glorious beaches and the hiking country in the hills away from the coast. Golf Monthly staff have made numerous trips to the region over the years and 2023 was no exception as David Taylor took a trip to the Amendoeira and Palmares resorts while Jonny Leighfield visited Quinta do Lago…
l Amendoeira
November can be a depressing month for UK golfers, as the reality of a long winter with limited opportunities to play hits home. Last year was a bit of an exception for me as the chance to jet off to southern Portugal delayed the winter blues. My trip was a bit of a whistle-stop tour, taking in the resorts at Amendoeira and Palmares in western Algarve over two nights and including 27 holes of golf at each.
First up was Amendoeira, just 20 minutes from Vilamoura and 35 minutes from Faro airport. Opened in 2008, the resort boasts two championship courses, the Faldo and the O’Connor Jnr, plus a par-3 nine-holer, Portugal’s only floodlit layout. My trip’s quick-fire nature meant I was in a bit of a daze standing on the 1st of the O’Connor in shorts and a polo having battled the M25 in the gloom just hours earlier.
The course lies on the valley floor but lakes and streams accompanied by tough bunkering and contoured greens make it a stern test in places. It’s slightly longer than the Faldo, so the obligatory buggies (included in the green fee) are essential. We were only due to play nine as our tee-time was pretty late but the stretch from 6 to 9 was so strong that everyone was itching to carry on. We managed five more before reluctantly throwing in the towel.
This stretch seemed to up the ante in terms of strategy, first with a severe dogleg on 10, then some intricate fairways where water was a frequent companion. The 14th, another dogleg around a lake, was where we had to call it a night, unfortunately. The buggy ride back gave us a glimpse of the tough run for home, which culminates in another
