Four of the finest Portuguese golf courses

Weaving past numerous water hazards along fairways peppered with world-class bunkering, Monte Rei delivers hole after beautifully designed hole. The pick of the bunch by a hair is the par-four 13th: playing 404 yards, the player must find a fairway that rolls downhill, before a precise second shot must find a green guarded by large bunker short left and a natural lake long. It’s a fiendish design and a great challenge – symptomatic of the course at large. With a second Jack Nicklaus course and new luxury accommodation due for completion by 2022, this excellent track is due to be a global force in the years to come.

Monte Rei

When Quinta do Lago, the pipe dream of entrepreneur Andre Jordan, opened for play in the early 1970s, few could have predicted its influence on Portugal’s golfing landscape. Named ‘Europe’s Best Golfing Destination’ at the World Golf Awards in 2015 and 2016, the resort now has three courses to its name, a Paul McGinley Golf Academy and TaylorMade Performance Centre. The jewel in its crown, however, is the par-72 South course – the original 18-hole layout, designed by American architect William Mitchell. Its pine-lined fairways and excellent bunkering are as imperious today as when they opened in 1974.

Around the corner, the five-star Ria Park Hotel & Spa offers an ideal setting to wind down after a day on the course, thanks to gorgeous sea-view rooms with balconies overlooking the Atlantic and Ria Formosa National Park.

Quinta do Largo

Scything through pine trees, vast expanses of sandy wasteland and lush green vegetation, West Cliffs is an usual setting for one of Europe’s brightest young golf courses. But here on Portugal’s Silver Coast, Cynthia Dye has created a wild, rollercoaster of a layout that pulls its players in every direction before spitting them out 18 holes later totally smitten. Niece of the legendary golf architect Pete Dye, this is Cynthia’s first foray in Europe – and already has both players and critics whispering about its possible inclusion in the hallowed top ten courses on the continent. 

Views of the Atlantic abound, but distracted golfers will see their score punished heavily. This is a highly demanding track, accuracy imperative, with challenges coming thick and fast from the start. The 419-yard third, stroke index one, requires iron nerves on the tee to thread the undulating fairway, past water left and trouble right, before navigating a huge dune on the second shot en route to the green. Take a par four and run. Expect to work hard on this track, but you’ll fall in love much harder.

West Cliffs

Host of the Portugal Masters, one of the European Tour’s most popular annual tournaments, for the last ten years, the Victoria (now owned by the Dom Pedro Group) is a testing track that has put some of the best players in the world through their paces. Characterised by huge, slippery greens, this Arnold Palmer is relatively flat and relies on a great deal of water and cavernous bunkers to defend its par 72...

The intriguing 388-yard 14th hole has a complex design that requires a thoughtful approach to make a par four. There are two fairways to choose from, separated by waterfalls: the right path leads straight to the green but requires a 250-yard carry to get to safety, while the left-hand fairway is a safer drive, but will test your approach play on the second shot. Tee it up and make your choice. As you would expect from a course that regularly hosts the pros, facilities are second to none, including a vast 2,500sq m putting green and an excellent driving range. It’s a fine addition to any golf tour.

Dom Pedro Golf