Tee Times

Espiche Golf – A Course evolved.

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Our CEO, Carlos Ferreira, returned to Espiche Golf Course and was delighted to see the course’s progress.

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This week we returned to Espiche Golf, a course I had not played for quite some time. It was a very pleasant surprise to see how much the course has evolved over the last few years while still retaining the character and challenge that have always made it a respected venue in the Algarve. 

espiche-golf-course-foursome

One of the most noticeable improvements was the adjustment to several fairways, which now feel slightly more open. The course remains a strategic and technical test, requiring thoughtful shot selection and good course management, but the added width makes it more playable and enjoyable for a wider range of golfers. Importantly, this has been achieved without compromising the original design intent or identity of the course. 

The standout feature of the day was the excellent overall conditioning. The greens were in superb shape—smooth, true, and consistent throughout the round. They demanded attention and rewarded confident putting. The fairways were equally impressive, with well-maintained turf and clearly defined playing lines. Tee boxes were also presented to a very high standard, contributing to a consistently high-quality playing experience from start to finish.

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We also played under quite strong wind conditions, which added an extra layer of challenge to the round. However, rather than taking away from the experience, it made the game even more engaging and, at times, highly entertaining. The wind forced creative shot-making and careful club selection, and as expected, it also led to a few lost balls along the way. For anyone planning a round here on a breezy day, we would definitely recommend bringing extra golf balls. 

Beyond the playing surfaces, the entire property was extremely well presented. Surrounding areas were clean and tidy, and the buggy paths were in excellent condition and clearly signposted, making navigation around the course simple and enjoyable. 

After the round, the clubhouse provided a very welcoming and relaxed atmosphere. It is a comfortable space to unwind, enjoy a drink, and reflect on the round, with friendly service and a laid-back setting that fits perfectly with the natural character of the course. 

espiche-golf-club-clubhouse

Espiche continues to stand out for its natural integration into the Algarve landscape, offering a peaceful and scenic golfing environment that enhances the overall experience. It feels mature, well managed, and clearly maintained with great attention to detail. 

Importantly, Espiche Golf is now firmly established as a relevant asset within the wider Algarve Golf Courses Portfolio. In a region known for its exceptional concentration of high-quality golf courses, Espiche contributes a distinctive offering—combining sustainability, strategy, and consistently strong conditioning. 

After some time away, it was rewarding to see the progress that has been made. Espiche has successfully improved both its presentation and playability while preserving the strategic essence that golfers appreciate. 

For anyone who has not played the course recently, it is certainly worth a return visit. 

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If Espiche Golf has slipped off your radar, this is a good moment to change that. The course is playing well, the setting is as scenic as it gets in the Western Algarve, and a round here makes for a very enjoyable afternoon. Browse course details and check availability on our Espiche Golf Course page.


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Portugal Opens Its First Municipal Golf Course

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Oeiras Green Valley is not just another venue. It is a statement about who golf is for.

On 7 June, the Câmara Municipal de Oeiras inaugurated the Oeiras Green Valley – Academia Municipal de Golfe, on the site of the former Cabanas Golf course in Barcarena.

Inauguration of Oeiras Green Valley – Academia Municipal de Golfe at the former Cabanas Golf site in Barcarena, Oeiras, June 2026

The ceremony was presided over by Isaltino Morais, President of the Câmara Municipal, and Pedro Nunes Pedro, President of the Federação Portuguesa de Golfe. Ambassadors Jorge Gabriel and Isabel Silva were among the hundreds in attendance.

From Derelict to Open

The site had stood idle since July 2024. The Câmara Municipal de Oeiras acquired two plots at the former Cabanas Golf complex, totalling 43 hectares — 22 of which now form the course.

first-tee-shot-at-the-new-oeiras-course
The project, developed in partnership with the Federação Portuguesa de Golfe, transformed a dormant facility into what is described as the first municipal golf course of significant scale in Portugal. (Jornal Económico)

A Course for Everyone

The Oeiras Green Valley is not designed for a members-only clientele. It will be open to schools, universities, sports clubs, companies, and the general public. Isaltino Morais was direct about the aim — to offer the sport to anyone, regardless of social or economic background.

Aerial view of the Oeiras Green Valley golf course in Barcarena, near Lisbon, Portugal

Pedro Nunes Pedro, President of the FPG, put it plainly: “The recovery of this space represents excellent news for the development of golf in Portugal and for the democratisation of access to the sport.” (FPG)

A New Chapter for Lisbon Golf

The Lisbon area already holds some of the most compelling golf in the country. The two championship layouts at PGA Aroeira sit within pine forests south of the city. The Penha Longa Atlantic Championship course unfolds across the foothills of the Serra de Sintra. And Oitavos Dunes at Cascais remains one of the most distinctive links-style layouts in Europe.

Oeiras Green Valley does not compete with any of them. It serves a different moment in a golfer’s journey — the beginning of one.

The Lisbon region offers some of the most varied golf in Portugal. From Atlantic linksland to mature parkland, the range is broad and the quality is consistent. Explore our Lisbon golf holidays and plan your next round.


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Colin Montgomerie Headlines the Legends Tour Return to Costa Navarino

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The Staysure Legends Tour brings Major champions back to Greece for a third consecutive year, 12–14 June

The Staysure Legends Tour arrives at Costa Navarino next week for the third consecutive year, and this edition arrives with perhaps its strongest field yet. The Costa Navarino Legends Tour Trophy runs 12–14 June across two of the destination’s four championship courses — the fourth event on the 2026 Staysure Legends Tour calendar and the tour’s first continental European stop of the season.

Colin Montgomerie at the Staysure Legends Tour 2026

Colin Montgomerie is confirmed as the headline name. There are worse ways to spend a week in June. (legendstour.com)

Montgomerie Leads a Field Worth Watching

Montgomerie arrives in Messinia with a record that requires no embellishment: eight European Tour Order of Merit titles, 31 wins on tour, and the captaincy of Europe’s victorious 2010 Ryder Cup side. He is joined by defending champion Peter Baker, who won the 2025 edition without dropping a shot across the entire final round — a performance that set a bar most mortals would struggle to locate, let alone clear.

Paul Lawrie, the 1999 Open Champion, is also in the field. Lawrie was the story of last year’s event, carding a course-record ten-under 62 on The Hills Course in round two before Baker edged him on the final day. Michael Campbell completes a headline quartet that accounts for three Major titles between them. (golfbusinessnews.com)

The Courses: Designed for This Level of Golf

The tournament is played across two of the four layouts at Costa Navarino — The Hills Course and the International Olympic Academy Golf Course, both designed by two-time Masters champion José María Olazábal. Both sit at Navarino Hills, the 125-hectare development named the World’s Best New Golf Development at the 2020 World Golf Awards.

The International Olympic Course at Navarino Hills, Costa Navarino, overlooking the Bay of Navarino, Greece The Hills Course at Navarino Hills, Costa Navarino, overlooking the Bay of Navarino, Greece

Elevated above the coastline with sweeping views of the Bay of Navarino and the Ionian Sea, both courses offer the kind of elevation changes and precision demands that tend to separate a good field from a great leaderboard. The Hills Course, scene of Lawrie’s record round last year, will be carrying a certain atmosphere going into the final day. (costanavarino.com)

The Setting

Costa Navarino sits in Messinia, in the southwest Peloponnese — a region of olive groves, ancient hilltop fortresses, and one of the most storied stretches of coastline in the Mediterranean. The Bay of Navarino, watched over by the 13th-century Niokastro fortress, was the site of the last great naval battle fought under sail.

The coastline of Messinia in the southwest Peloponnese, Greece, home to Costa Navarino
The light here in June sits low and golden over the Ionian Sea well into the evening. The food is exceptional, the pace is unhurried, and the courses are among the most visually arresting in Europe. It is, in short, the kind of place that makes the rest of the tour calendar look like it is trying too hard.
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Costa Navarino is one of those destinations that tends to settle the argument before you have finished making it. Four signature courses, two of them designed by a two-time Masters champion, set above one of the most beautiful bays in the Mediterranean. Accommodation that matches the golf step for step. And a corner of Greece that most of Europe has yet to fully discover. If the tournament has planted a seed, our Costa Navarino golf holidays are a good place to start.


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