Portugal Golf Courses - Faro

Quinta do Lago Laranjal Golf Course

Designed by Santana da Silva, Laranjal golf course opened in 2009 and was voted Best Golf Course at Portuguese Travel Awards in 2011.

Originally an orange grove, the par 72 championship course is situated 2 km east of the resort, in the Ludo Valley. Boasting spectacular fairways and well-defined greens, Laranjal is renowned for its five beautiful lakes, umbrella pines, cork-oaks and orange trees.

Featuring five par 5s, eight par 4s and five par 3s, the course is sown with Bermuda grass on the fairways and Penn A4 on the greens, ensuring excellent putting surfaces throughout the year. The wide greens also demand good reading and confident putts.

At 6,480 metres in length, the challenging course demands the highest level of concentration and accuracy. Its distinctive rolling terrain has been expertly designed and manicured to provide a world-class golfing experience.

Quinta do Lago South Course

The 18-hole championship Quinta do Lago South Course opened in 1974. Designed by William Mitchell, the course received several times the Portuguese Open, with Mark McNulty and Colin Montgomerie being former title holders.

Quinta do Lago South is no shortage of character and the generous width of most fairways means that the South is a good driving course. The layout is enjoyable for players of all standards and surely, they will remember this experience.

Despite so many excellent holes we can highlight the 3th hole, a great par 4 where lake on the left can be a problem for longer hitters, the 15th, probably their signature hole 200 metres over water with hardly any ground between the water and the green – one of the very hardest par-3’s around, the 16th, a pretty par 4 which doglegs to a slightly sunken green with a glorious lakeside backdrop. The beautiful integration on the Natural Park of Ria Formosa makes this course a reference of Algarve courses.

San Lorenzo Golf Course

San Lorenzo Golf Course was designed by Rocky Roquemore and Joseph Lee in 1988, and since then it has been consistently ranked alongside the best golf courses in Europe. Located around a lake formed by the Ria Formosa, presents exciting golf and stunning views, from the par three 5th where the backdrop is the beach and the sea beyond. The excitement continues at the next two holes which take you past the threatening waters of the Ria Formosa. The sixth hole, a par 4 stroke 1 of 422/399 that plays as a downhill dogleg left but paralleling the beach and ocean, ultimately ending at a well-protected small green. The finish is also particularly strong and entertaining on the opposite side of the Ria Formosa.

The 18 is a par 4 with water down the left side but then the water turns back requiring a second shot over the water to a small green protected by three bunkers. It´s a classic risk and reward finish, which brings the truly magnificent San Lorenzo to a close.

Quinta do Lago North course

The North Course was totally redesigned in 2014, by renowned architect Beau Welling, in conjunction with former European Ryder Cup captain Paul McGinley.

The layout remains similar to the original design, except for the 2st hole the par 3 which now features an impressive lake that edges the fairway up to the green.

The improvements are mainly from the fantastic attention to detail in the bunker positioning, run-off areas around the greens, quality of the fairways, and bigger and more wavy greens with a speed ranging from fast to very fast.

Four sets of tees have been introduced on each hole to accommodate players of all levels. Although pine trees are present throughout the golf course, the fairways remain wide. Players will have many holes to remember, but the 12th is undoubtedly the course signature hole. 361-Metre par four which features a 3-acre lake. The hole doglegs its way around the lake in an alarming fashion leaving a treacherous approach shot to a large undulating green.

Quinta do Lago North course will require good approach shots and good putting skill.

Pinheiros Altos Golf Course

Pinheiros Altos is established as one of the most prestigious and successful premier golf and leisure resorts in Europe and owns a 27-hole Championship golf course. The Pines; Corks and Olives.

The firm, fast and testing greens, sown with Pentcross Bent and combined with the Bermuda fairway grass, provide resilient and excellent surfaces on which to play golf and make Pinheiros Altos a must play course when visiting the Algarve.

The Pines signature hole is the ninth, a beautiful Par 3 over a valley to a McKenzie green while the par 5 fourth hole is the epitome of ‘risk and reward’ golf course design. On Corks loop, many regards the eighth hole, a PAR 5 double dog leg of 580 yards as the most dangerous on the course and responsible for the destruction of many medal rounds.

The Olives Course was the original back nine and has remained unchanged since the island green eighth hole was constructed in 1995 and became the signature hole of Pinheiros Altos and a must play hole when visiting the Algarve.

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