Year after year Portugal has been a top country for British golfers. With great quality courses, great weather, and a short flight from most UK airports, it is an easy holiday. Especially The Algarve, which is a popular and well reviewed golfing destination in Europe, has many accomodations and a great variety of affordable courses.
Why the Algarve Works for Golf
The Algarve is the home to 40 golf courses with top designs and names in the industry. The climate is great for golfing all year, with just a few exceptions. Unlike the UK where a round of golf in the winter may become a washout, Algarve has has mild winters and dry, warm summers. It is a gama changer destination in the winter months.
There are many types of courses to choose from. Some are along the resorts and golf villages where you can rent an entire apartment or villa right on the fairways. Most, however, are standalone and a short drive from the fairways, but are close to the main towns on the coast. Popular areas include Vilamoura, Quinta do Lago, Vale do Lobo and Carvoeiro, all of which have a good selection of multi courses plus ample accommodation.
Where you stay if travelling for golf should obviously be close to the courses you want to play. Golf villages like Balaia or resorts around Vilamoura are ideal as you can walk to the course or have a very short drive. These regions have apartments to rent which offer more room than a hotel and with a group or family is more economical.
Self-catering apartments are popular with golfers because you are not bound to hotel meal times, plus you can come and go freely. An apartment with a kitchen can be really useful as you can prepare breakfast if you are playing a round of golf early in the morning. Many golf villages also offer a pool and a bar and restaurant, so you have places to socialize if you choose to do that in the evenings.
For your accommodation to be close to the nightlife and restaurants, you can choose places like Lagos, Albufeira or Tavira. In these towns, you have more choice of restaurants and activities to do when you are not playing golf. However, you will have to drive to most golf courses which I hope is not a problem.
The Algarve has a very simple way to book tee times which can be done online. The only thing you need to keep in mind is that in summer, golf courses can be more expensive. Depending on the course, twilight rates can be a useful to save some money if playing early in the day is not a problem.
Considering how many different courses you will want to play during your trip, it might be beneficial to look into different golf passes or packages as they will give you a discounted rate. You can find some of these deals through booking agents that specialize in golf vacations as they will have better deals and will be able to help you find your accommodations and rental cars.
When to Go
Spring and Autumn are probably the best season to go for a golf holiday in Portugal. It is still warm during these seasons just not as hot as July/August mid-summer and the courses will be less crowded. July and August can get really busy and playing in 35-degree heat is not the most fun. Winter is a quieter and cheaper time to go, and while the weather is more unpredictable, you will still get a fair amount decent golf days.
If you are looking for a long weekend or a week trip, Portugal is a great option for a golfing break. It has good quality courses, great facilities, and is easy to organize with not a lot of hassle.