The joy of golf holidays in Portugal is the ability to play golf year round on some world class courses. For a fuss-free golf holiday Algarve and Estoril really are the two main regions due to the dozens of great courses all within close proximity of each other. This article has chosen 4 of the best that are renowned for the course design and picturesque setting.

A short drive from Lisbon the Estoril golf club is a favorite of local golfers due to its compactness (6200 yards) and great variety of holes. On a hot day it is eminently enjoyable to play the dog-leg par 4s and par 5s which are better suited to amateurs, rather than long driving professionals.

Portugal has several great links courses and the Vale Do Lobo Royal is one of the best. The links run parallel to a long beach and nature reserve providing a wonderfully picturesque backdrop. The sandy soil means the fairways and greens play very fast and the challenge of placing drives on the fairways is made all the more difficult thanks to the many dunes incorporated into the par 4s.

Staying with links courses, the Praia Del Rey on the Estoril coast has 18 fantastic holes to play with strategic woodland lining some of the holes that offers some shelter from the Atlantic breeze. Golfers capable of playing a low trajectory drive will succeed here into the headwind while the bunker placements can really catch you out as some are hidden from the tee.

Finally for one of the lesser known courses in Portugal the Vale Da Pinta is entirely located within a natural valley. This results in it being very scenic with some lush fairways and a great design on the par 4s that was really dictated by the valley’s topography. Given the valleys micro-climate the course plays in a consistent manner which some may favor.