Barblan
We receved a buggy with low battery, we changed it after 9 hole
Mark Boon
We had had reports that the course was suffering and we were apprehensive when we arrived. However we need not have been worried. Even with the bad weather that had passed through the area it was in great condition. We played the Olives first and everyone was impressed as we had not played this 9 before, and then the Pines which was just as good a we remember. A great alternative to its expensive neighbours.
Mark Hughes
Everyone enjoyed their round of golf here. Would be nice to play the ''other'' 9 if we return.
Ray Crome
Front nine in need of some serious tlc. Back nine decent though. Greens not great.
Ray Crome
Front nine was very average. In need of a lot of TLC but the back nine was fine.
Sam Wade
Course is in quite poor condition with a lot of long grass just off fairways definitely needs attention
Sam Wade
Too many blind holes & rough was very long took a lot more time looking for balls
Juha Torniainen
Much better than some recent reviews, played Corks & Olives
Ian Stokoe
Most enjoyable round. Apart from a few bare fairways the course was in good condition
Michael Bennett
Excellent service
Neil Ross
Excellent staff and lovely clubhouse. Only downside is the poor condition of the course. It's obviously suffering from a lack of investment and I don't think I will return.
Tony Seaton
Course was good, scruffy/tired in places needs some infrastructure updated. Staff good.
Mark Tant
Very good - all very smooth and no issues.
CINDY MORRIS
The course was overbooked and we had to wait with so many other golfers for our buggies.
Robert Gordon
Quaint course.. enjoyed it throughly some fairways are a little under repair but very nice
Andrew Robinson
Excellent condition and everyone was very hospitable, food very good too.
Thomas Holley
Very nice design of the holes. We played Olives and Pines - very different...Olives more tricky with water hazzards, Pines longer (sporty), sometimes like a roler coaster through the Pines :-)
Practice area good but dry - Balls for free.
Staff was very friendly.
Unfortunately, the club had a water supply problem this year, so the fayrways and greens were very dry with many blank spots.
Nevertheless we enjoyed our round a lot - without the water problem a solid 9.
Ben Hughes
Greens not great
Peter dawson
I'm a single Golfer. Which means rounds are slow in the morning. However afternoons are not busy and I can get a round in within a reasonable time. The staff are great and accommodating
The course needs work on the greens but the layout is the best on the algarve. No easy holes!!!
Tim Calder
Welcomed at the club shop and an enjoyable round, shame they shut at 7:30 as we couldn’t enjoy a drink afterwards.
Eamonn Twomey
Overall very good. It’s a pity the greens are not better but we enjoyed the course. We were very well looked after at the course by the people at reception, getting the buggy, the starter etc.
Max Hutchins
Driving range not great, balls could be better and matts are old, grass would be superb. Fairways very dry, greens have some bad patches and bunkers lacking sand. Course very challenging and with well-shaped holes, buggy bar service very good and staff very friendly and helpful.
Neville Hudson
Service in the clubhouse was great and the greens were fantastic. Only criticism is how dry the fairways are due to an issue with the watering system.
Stephanie
We loved the layout of the course. It's very sad to see the conditions it's in. Everything, from course over restrooms to clubhouse needs a renovation. Could be one of the best courses one the algarve.... Staff was very friendly, it felt we had the course on our own.
Duncan Malyon
Lovely round of golf. Very helpful staff
Barry Winter
Pinheiros Altos Golf Course Review – May 2025
Our group of six from the UK played Pinheiros Altos in mid-May, taking on the Olives and Pines nines in that order. The course is set up as three distinct 9-hole loops, and while it offers a varied and interesting layout, there were some clear highs and a few unfortunate lows during our visit.
The Layout – Olives & Pines:
If you’re planning a round at Pinheiros Altos, make sure the Olives nine is included—it’s the standout of the two we played. It’s tight, tree-lined, and full of water hazards that demand accuracy and control. The 8th hole on Olives is particularly memorable, featuring a stunning island green that provides both challenge and spectacle.
The Pines nine, once you cross the road, opens up significantly and offers a more scoreable layout. It’s less punishing off the tee and easier to manage overall. We were told it’s the members' preferred nine—and it’s easy to see why. It’s more forgiving and ideal for those looking to post a good number.
Pros – Staff & Facilities:
One of the real highlights at Pinheiros Altos was the staff. Everyone we encountered was friendly, helpful, and clearly cared about making our experience enjoyable. The starter was excellent, and we even had the club captain wave us through as we played the second nine—fantastic touch and a reflection of the relaxed, welcoming culture.
The clubhouse was also excellent, serving great food with a veranda that overlooks the Olives course—a perfect spot to relax post-round.
Cons – Course Condition:
Unfortunately, course conditions let the experience down. The greens were in poor shape, littered with pitch marks and signs of disease. Despite this, oddly enough, they were among the fastest we played on the trip—possibly due to being cut very short, which may have contributed to their poor health. Fairways also showed signs of wear, and it was clear the course is in need of some focused maintenance.
The third nine was closed for maintenance during our visit, but we did see hollow tining and other work being done, which is encouraging. Hopefully, this signals a broader effort to improve the overall conditioning of the course.
Final Thoughts:
Pinheiros Altos has huge potential with its varied layout, standout holes, and excellent staff. If the course conditions were improved, this could easily become a top-tier option in the Algarve. As it stands, it’s a mixed bag—but one worth revisiting in the future to see how it progresses. It might just be worth a return visit next year if the maintenance work pays off.
Kevin Tuohy
Played Olives & Pines, had the course to ourselves, course in good condition, service great. Top marks all round.
Chris Pyatt
Generally excellent considering the cost of the round and buggies. The greens were true. The sand levels in the bunkers was inconsistent but on the whole very happy. Enjoyable.
Jan Nel
Fairways needs to improve greens and approaches fine
Geoffrey Green
Very friendly staff, course really good condition and good challenge. All the different birds on the estate were an added bonus. We played Pines course twice and each of the other two once over two days. Loved it.
Paul McAlister
Very easy to make the booking and the staff at Pinheiros Altos were very helpful. The course is quite tight which isn’t a bad thing but had me changing my way of playing. Take plenty of spare balls… quite a bit of water ????.
Only area of improvement I’d recommend would be to rake the bunkers a bit more. Some are lacking a sandy surface to play off.
The absolute result today was playing 18 holes without seeing anyone else. Billionaires golf day.
David Laird
Better condition than last year.
Nicholas Georgevic
Played Pines and Corks. Olives a much better 9 - Corks the clearly inferior 9 of the 3. In ok condition but not one of the better courses in Quinta, albeit the cheapest to play.
Elizabeth von Werra
Nice courses, friendly personnel
Ralph Püschner
Toller und abwechslungsreicher Golplatz. Sehr spannendes Design. Service ist sehr freundlich und unkompliziert. Top Platzpflege. Abstände unter den Flights waren gut organisiert.
Absolut empfehlenswert.
Horst Hubig
Toilettenanlagen müssen besser gereinigt werden. Aber auch teilweise unbedingt erneuert werden.
Graham Ironside
Excellent service from our driver, good quality course, very difficult in the strong wind
Aidan O'Byrne
Excellent condition given the recent weather
Paul Anderson
The greens were in good condition but the tees and fairways were extremely poor with numerous divots and bare patches and that was despite the heavy rainfall in the previous days/weeks. We played the Pines (9) and Corks (9) which both had some very well laid out and challenging holes but the general aesthetics of the course and surrounding areas are most disappointing.
The staff were friendly and the pace of play of our 2-ball very good for the Algarve (4 hours) but, sorry to report, there are many better courses in the Algarve to spend your money on.
Marie-Jacqueline Leconte
Première expérience sur ce parcours vraiment très agréable, technique et très varié il mérite le déplacement. Excellentes conditions de jeu avec de beaux greens et des fairways en bon état. Accueil sympathique. Jouable à pieds mais il faut une bonne conditions physique pour finir le tour.
Colin Dick
We played the corks and pines due to the amount of rain that had fallen in the morning. The courses were still in great condition. Some of the greens had some small blemishes on them, but still running true and fast.
Mark Boon
A warm welcome at Pinheiros Altos as ever. The staff were efficient and welcoming. The course was in good condition the greens were fast and true but some had a few bobbles where they had suffered with a bit of disease. But it was still in good quality.
We really enjoy this course but it was tough in the wind.
Bill Farrar
People were great and helpful in getting us off after a very wet night
John Earnshaw
This is a very good local club. The staff were exceptionally friendly and helpful. The course was the subject of heavy rain just before we played but everything was great on the day - would recommend.
Steve Bassi
Very good condition
BRUNO DE GIULIO
Nice course I played Ponheros and Sobreros. Every thing is in good order. The receptionist very kind.
Sam Bellamy
Nice welcome and voucher exchange. Complimentary balls on the range was nice to warm up with. Course is hard, tight fairways and up down approaches to tight greens. Greens not in great condition the only small let down, very patchy growth Willis affected the smooth roll.
Rene Mueller
Beautiful, challenging and multi-segmented course. Very nice and warm welcome at the golf reception. The overall condition of the course was good. The greens were excellent, the fairways average and the bunkers in poor condition.
Mark Boon
Pinheiros Altos is a great golf course we played the pines and corks. There had been a bit of disease on the green and a few putts bobbled but to be fair they were not too bad. The service and reception was good and friendly. Definitely be back it’s worth more than one visit.
Klaus Fuchs
der 27-Loch Platz bleibt einer unserer Favoriten an der Algarve. Wie meist waren die Fairways und Greens in einem guten Zustand, die einzelnen 9-Loch Schleifen sehr abwechselungsreich und das Spieltempo erfreulich zügig ohne zu stressen. Die Dame am Frontdesk war sehr freundlich und gab gute Hinweise und das Restaurant erfreute
nach der Runde mit guter Auswahl und moderaten Preisen. Alles Argumente um wiederzukommen..... -**- The 27-hole course remains one of our favourites in the Algarve. As usual, the fairways and greens were in good condition, the individual 9-hole loops were very varied and the pace of play was pleasingly quick without being stressful. The lady at the front desk was very friendly and gave good advice and the restaurant was a delight
after the round with a good selection and moderate prices. All arguments to come back.....
Declan Cahill
V good lovely course and all staff extremely helpful
Conor McCloskey
Greens need attention and buggy bar very poor
Klaus Fuchs
Die Grüns und Fairways waren trotz vorangegangener starker Regenfälle in einem sehr guten Zustand. Die Spielgeschwindigkeit trotz guter Auslastung erfreulich. Auch verzogene Bälle waren meist gut zu finden. Insgesamt ein anspruchsvoller, aber auch fairer Platz. -**- The greens and fairways were in very good condition despite previous heavy rainfall. The speed of play was pleasing despite good utilisation. Even bent balls were usually easy to find. Overall, a challenging but fair course.
Franz Schautzer
By far the worst course we played!! The greens are terribel, the design boring…(pines/cork) never will be played again…
guy derry
Course is a bit untidy, we know it is affected by the lack of rain but the staff are excellent
Amanda Parket
Lovely course though greens a bit bobbly and bare in patches. Loved the signature par 3 on the olives (hole 8)
Stephen Russell
it just needs some Tlc everywhere
Gerry McKenna
Course not in great condition
Richard Delea
While the course is acceptable the greens are appalling.
Pete Byron
Beautiful golf course, quite a traditional layout, a course to plot your way around. Staff friendly and welcoming, let down by the condition of the greens which were patchy and slow.
Garry Knight
Good service, greens could be slightly better
Mark Hughes
Very enjoyable round playing solo at Pinheiros.
the incredibly helpful starter went ahead in a buggy to ask to earlier 4 balls of I could play through this resulted in a round of under 3 hours for 18 holes!
Clubhouse is modern food and drink is reasonably priced and staff are very helpful and attentive. Pro shop is well stocked.
Very good practice facilities located down the hill from the clubhouse.
The course is made up of of 3 nines Corks, pines and olives. Played corks and pines - greens are slow, but receptive one or two were a little bobbly but generally ok. Fairways had one or two bare patches but perfectly acceptable given the continued dry conditions in the Algarve generally.
Peter Dawson
I still think is the best layout in the Algarve. The general condition of the course has improved. However the greens are appalling which is acknowledged by the management and they are working hard to repair them but some I think are so bad they need relaying, (e.g. Pines 3&9). I'm a single player who likes to get out first tee but this year, (I was also here in June) the 2-tee start meant that I only completed 3 rounds in total, (18,11,18,9), of the 4 I booked because the pace of play was simply too slow on the back 9 to be enjoyable. This isn't really a complaint, just a fact of holiday golf for a single player.
I must thank the staff who were both sympathetic and responsive but there is only so much they can do.
Tony Spencer
fairways and green in poor condition.
Ivan Taylor
Played the Pines and the Cork each 9 holes very nice courses but obviously suffering from a very dry summer. The staff at the course were very friendly and overall a good experience we really enjoyed
Eamonn Ryan
Challenging experience. We played Pines & Corks. We didn't think that the course was in great condition. Probably due to the prolonged dry spell. Nevertheless we enjoyed it.
Philippe
Greens are not homogeneous and their mowing is insufficient
Mark Benninga
Very friendly welcome at the reception/pro shop. Very helpful.
Markus Betz
Great Course, a little old Fashion Clubhouse and Showers. Very good overall Experience
Mrs S E Cooper
Very obliging and helpful
Henk kuijt
Always very nice ladies at reception and kind bar staff.
Ian Gorham
Nice setting, friendly welcome, but greens and tees in extremely poor condition. Needs investment
Matt Dudley
Service at club was disappointing. Had to wait to check in (and listen to the staff member complaining about his start to the day) and wait for a coffee. Had tee time changed to accommodate a club competition and then felt pressured around the back 9. Spoke to staff member afterwards but he was generally disinterested. Not a great experience.
Gianni Munday
We only wanted to play 9 holes and they were so accommodating, so thank you very much!
Martin Burke
Enjoyed the course. Very nice staff. All good.????
Richard Johnston
Still an enjoyable course, and not too busy, which was good. Two minor comments- no ice or bottle of water in the buggy. Had to go to the bar to ask for ice and had to buy bottles of water having spent hundreds of euros on golf! Tees on the olives course were in terrible condition ( virtually no grass on them) hard to find a decent flat spot to put your tee in.
SAMI NASSER
Greens not in good shape
Gary Jenkins
Fairways disappointing as most were very dry. Course needed some TLC.
Gary white
this course used to be lovely but the Olives in particular is in poor condition. Fairways have now grass on them and greens are inconsistent. Pines is better but again inconsistent condition. I would not play again
Lawrence Blake
Very simple process easy to follow website
Neil Martin
Very friendly and helpful staff from checking in, starters and green keeping staff. The course, except greens, not in great condition and buggies and hire clubs need upgrading. Overall a good experience but probably won’t play there again until I hear it has been improved.
Peter Dawson
Since my review of 7 days ago the course has significantly improved. There are still a few fairways that are parched resulting in very tight lies from which I took relief if in a recess.
The greens/tees were generally very good. Lots of workmen looking after bunkers etc.
I've always enjoyed the layout of the course, excellent variety of holes.
The staff are very helpful. I visit the course in advance to see when it is quiet and book accordingly, (usually first out and alone so I get al least 9 holes in before the traffic).
The bottom line is that for 72euros a round, (3-round package), it's very good value for money and I'll be back in September.
Peter Dawson
The course clearly has issues with parched fairways that makes you feel you are playing off concrete at time, (though the ball runs for miles...). Other courses in the area don't appear to have the same issues. (I spoke to a member of the ground staff who said they had a broken pump so hopefully this will get resolved soon). The greens were of appropriate pace and well maintained.
The staff are exceptionally helpful, I had to cancel a booking due to illness and they were good enough to move it to another day.)
I've always enjoyed the course layout which I believe is one of the best in the area, and I've played most.
Martin Potter
Very nice course , good condition interesting holes , only downside cashless facility and 90 degree buggy’s
Anthony Bull
Good course with lots of interesting and picturesque holes. Grass is brown in places but course was still playing well
Burri Walter
all courses in a poor shape due to lack of rain! not recommandable…..
Burri Walter
all courses in a poor shape due to lack of rain! not recommandable…..
Mark Wright
Bit disorganised getting buggies!
Course looks tired but greens were fabulous. No food after 6pm!
David Ashenhurst
The course wasn’t in the greatest of condition, the fairways were rock hard. The greens were in very good condition but the fairways let it down
Nigel Lander
Charles and I, have played regularly at PA. As soon as we arrived the receptionist Polly had a big smile on her face, and even remembered our Christian names . Played the Pines and Corks although Polly told us we had the choice of back 9. A quick warmup on the range and we were off. The green were perfect, fairways a little dry but overall in good condition. It was great to play PA again, a good challenge but a fair test and good value.
To be honest when I say regularly, we have played here 10+ times a year over the last 20+years and Polly is more of a friend than the receptionist.
Paul Kilburn
Very nice setup, lovely club house with great food. G
Course was in great condition and very scorable, much friendlier course
John Farrall
Our second visit (this times with Corks instead of Olives) some ten years after the first and with some concern re: comments seen regarding ownership investment for this and San Lorenzo. Some of that is evident in the tired but still excellent practice area, and the fairways were yellow albeit still very playable. However the course layout , challenge, greens (and clubhouse) still have a class and enjoyment level that - for us- more than compensates and it was still a favourite on this tour same as previously. Surprising it doesn't get the same hype of many others in the close vicinity that it deserves, but maybe the members like it that way.
Kevin Tuohy
Nice traditional course
Joe Dowling
Great course and variety of holes.. lovely old style clubhouse.. staff excellent
Ernst Gordijn
To day we were after a competition and it took a lot of time wagging, it would be nice if the told us that or booked a other 9 holes, but the course is very nice .
Andrew Godfrey
Friendly staff, good practice facilities, course in good condition, no delays
Mark Schmitz
First nine holes not so attractive (Olives). Second nine very nice (Pines). Played the Corks two years ago and they are great.
Ernst Gordijn
Very nice course good service and helpful,
Petteri Salminen
Beautiful course. Some nice and interesting holes and everything in a very good order. With a friendly staff and a nice clubhouse. Easy walk.
Chris Ott
Great clubhouse. But course in poor condition. Feels very tired and in need of a makeover. Including buggies. VERY much the poor relation to neighbouring courses. Shame to see its demise
Iris Leimbach
And again a wonderful day on a lovely golf course with staff that makes you very welcome
Iris Leimbach
The staff makes us very welcome, lovely course for a lovely holiday
Randall Rice
Good course, fairly well maintained although the fairway grass is a little skinny - maybe just the time of the year. Nice clubhouse and staff.
Iris Leimbach
Lovely golf course with very friendly staff
Urbanização Pinheiros Altos 175, 8135-162 Faro
Driving Range
Locker Room
Golf Courses:
Reception: Everyday from 7:45am to 8:00pm
Golf Clubs: Titleist
Club House: With Restaurant and Snack bar
With driving range
With an Academy
Trolleys: Manual and Electric
With Locker Room
Pro Shop: Everyday from 7:45am to 8:00pm
Golf Lessons: Resident professionals
With Putting Green
Juniors: Up to 17 years old
