Golfing in Portugal

April 21, 2010

When most folks think of booking a golfing holiday from Europe it is often the British Isles, Spain or recently even Turkey that seem to be the premier choices of destination. Few golfers immediately consider the astounding land of Portugal to be among the options offered, which is truly a great injustice to this beautiful haven and a great loss to those who haven’t yet experienced the marvelous treats that this country has to offer. Although it has been a very popular region to visit among British holiday makers for many years it hasn’t been due to the array of excellent golf courses that it flaunts. Having said that, Portugal is quickly gaining ground, coming to the forefront to claim its much deserved place among the favored golfing locations and thus paving the way to a much brighter future.

The most popular area for playing golf is The Algarve derived from the Arabic language which means “the west”. It has an area of 5,412 square kilometers with approximately 410,000 permanent inhabitants, and incorporates 16 municipalities. The Algarve is within easy reach from all European cities being no more than a 2 – 3 hour flight making it quite accessible. Like Turkey and Majorca, Portugal’s high season is during the winter and spring season making it a great place for short breaks in cold weather because of its moderate climate. There are sometimes light showers during the peak golf season which may contribute to the hesitance of golfers to experience this heaven on Earth. Wind is another factor that comes into play with the trade winds often reaching force seven but any really competitive golfer shouldn’t want to play without some form of climatic challenges. After all, any “middle of the road” golfer can play in static conditions but the great players are able to be victorious no matter what Mother Nature chooses to throw at them.

Ponte de Lima Golf Course, which is nestled among hills and vineyards, is a typical example of a golf course in this region. The first 9 holes are sprinkled with really old trees making it both a wonderful sight to behold and a tricky test for even the most seasoned players. The eighth hole is one of the longest holes in Europe stretching some 622 meters but being a par 5 makes it realistically achievable.

Aroeira Golf Course is a championship course located next to a river which offers breathtaking scenery and is a mere stones throw from Lisbon. On a clear day the Portuguese capital can be seen from the first tee. This course is actually within a nature park filled with rare birds, flowers and other marvelous wildlife. British newspaper journalists christened this course the “Wentworth of Lisbon” because of the similarities between Aroeira and the famous London club.

Parque da Floresta which is the final course from our Portuguese golf course selection is arguably, as the saying goes, saving the best for last. Situated above a fishing village, its awe inspiring panorama tends to disguise how tricky this course can actually be to conquer. Sporting an intricate network of obstacles including bunkers, lakes, twisted wild rough and knotted trees it really makes you work for your wages. Parque da Floresta was designed one of Spain’s most well known architects whose “non intrusive” approach to building golf courses meant changing the original landscape as little as possible. The olive, palm and pine trees give it somewhat of a Mediterranean feeling. This course is truly remarkable.

Portugal is a fantastic place to play golf and just because it isn’t among the trendiest destinations for golfers to visit doesn’t mean that it isn’t among the best to play. It would be well worth your while considering this land when next booking a getaway because the experience will be absolutely unforgettable.

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