Top 7 Courses To Play During A Golf Break In Albufeira

Albufeira is just a short transfer time from Faro, the Capital whose airport serves the whole of the Algarve in Southern Portugal. There are golf courses nearby and more further away that are easily accessed for those that decide to rent vehicles to provide them with the opportunity of seeing a little more of the region. There is plenty of accommodation locally to suit every budget with the town well used to welcoming tourists as well as those specifically there to play golf.

There is a well-developed tourist infrastructure with plenty to do away from the courses, nice beaches and great restaurants to sample the excellent cuisine; you should try sardines at least once on your golf break. Courses can be booked in advance and you need to decide how many different ones to choose remembering that you can feel in free time once you are at Albufeira if you so wish.

• Salgados Golf Course is behind Praia de Gale’s sandy beach. It has a real feel of links golf so provides a contrast with many other courses in the area with their tree-lined fairways. There is likely to be a breeze to test your links’ skills especially your ability to keep the ball under the wind.


• Balaia is 9 holes but visitors can go round twice to play a normal 18. It is situated at the back of a holiday complex with great views over the sea but don’t be distracted; it will test your course management.


• Pine Cliffs is another 9 hole course on the cliffs near Albufeira and has links to the nearby Hotel Sheraton. It is set amongst pine trees with the highlight being the 9th played over a ravine with great views down to the beach and sea.

A little further away there are a few courses worth consideration:

• Morgado, 18 holes, 73 par and 7300 yards is a new course yet with hundreds of olive trees planted it looks very mature.


• The O’Connor, 18 holes, 72 par and 6708 yards has orange groves running through a valley with plenty of water to tackle. Incidentally the Faldo Course is next door as a further alternative.


• Pinta at 6728 yards, Par 71 demands accuracy especially as there are a number of doglegs and plenty of water especially on the front 9.


• Gramacho, 18 holes, 71 par, 6679 yards has 18 fairways but 27 greens. There is a whole variety of trees as well as rocky outcrops and sand and water hazards.

You can find out more on these courses here and availability of tee times. Time is sometimes a constraint which is why you should not dismiss a 9 hole course. You can fit nine holes in if you want to play on your day of departure but cannot get a late enough flight to play eighteen for example. Likewise a few holes in the evening after arrival and before dinner is not out of the question.