Golf Holidays Portugal - Top 5 Golf Clubs To Visit

Any good golf holiday in Portugal needs to include a variety of course, preferably without too much driving. Thankfully the huge rise in the number of golf clubs in the country has resulted in some top-class courses to play.

The following five courses are picked for their course design, variety of holes and scenic context. It would be all too easy to select a list just from the Algarve so this list brings together some gems from around the country.

Vilamoura Old Course: The old course is one of the more mature courses on the Algarve. The fairways and greens have matured well over the years thanks to the conscientious ground-keeping. The fairways are steep and hilly in parts which can provide for sometimes unfair bounces off the tee. It is certainly one of the highlights of the many courses in the area.

San Lorenzo - Quinto do Lago: This course regularly makes the European top-ten course lists. The architecture makes the most of the woodlands through which the course winds and the Bermuda grass fairways are a joy to play from.

Estoril Golf Club: Day trippers from Lisbon will enjoy this interestingly designed course. At only 6000 yards long, the course demands careful course management rather than long drive abilities.

Aroeira Old Course: While not one of Estorils most famous courses (Praia D'El Rey takes that award) the Aroeira is a hugely enjoyable course in Sesimbra. The maturity of the course fairways and greens would warrant higher green fees than the current rates.

Vale do Lobo: This Royal & Ocean Golf Club are pricey but definitely worth a round. Sometimes more famous for the surrounding scenic views along the 4 kilometer beach that lines some of the holes, it still manages to prove to be a tough course to play if the wind is swirling.

When it comes to having perfect golf holidays Portugal has the sun and scenery to complement the great courses that have sprung up over the past two decades. All holidaying golfers should make a point of including some of the above 'showcase' golf clubs as while the green fees can head north of 100 Euro, they are each memorable and at a par with many of the great championship courses around Europe.