The Conrad Algarve in a Snapshot
– Just 20 minutes from Faro International Airport – easily reachable from the all across the UK
– 5* accommodation just a stone’s throw from the stunning golf courses
– 30 minutes drive from the vibrant city of Faro
– Access to golf courses at Vale do Lobo, Quinta do Lago & Oceanico!

One of the most popular accommodations for golfers heading to Southern Portugal is The Conrad Algarve, and for good reason. The top-quality 5* accommodation is in the perfect location for a golf break, right slap bang in there centre of Portugal’s golfing capital – the Algarve. It’s also just a short drive from Faro Airport (making it easily accessible from the UK) and is just yards from some of the best golf courses the Algarve has to offer.

Having already written about the hotel and accommodation in a previous blog article we thought we might be able to tempt you a little more by describing the superb golf courses you’ll have access to if you book a golf break to the Conrad Algarve.

So let’s take a look:

Vale do Lobo – The Royal & Ocean Courses

The world-famous Vale Do Lobo estate is home to a pair of magnificent golf courses, whose contrasting blend of links and parkland styles mean that it is one of the most striking and spectacular golfing destinations, not only in Portugal but in the whole of Europe.

The Royal Course is a stunning cliff-top layout, whose iconic par-3 16th hole has, since its creation, become one of the most famous golf holes in the whole of the Algarve. The 238 yard hole, has the green set on the opposite side of a severely plunging cliff – this in turn makes standing on the tee facing the magnificent sandstone cliffs one of the most awe-inspiring experiences in golf. The Henry Cotton designed course has been redeveloped by Rocky Roquemore relatively recently, this has helped to make it one of the great highlights of a golf holiday to the Algarve.


Royal Course


The Ocean Course provides a great golfing contrast to it close neighbour – as the dramatic cliff-hugging Royal requires accuracy above everything else, the Ocean lets golfers use their creativity to great effect. Many of the holes run adjacent to a nature reserve, before the closing holes head down towards the shoreline – here you will be presented with unrivalled views both up and down the coast. The two nine hole loops which make up The Ocean were, like The Royal, laid out by Sir Henry Cotton, and this gem of a course is guaranteed to please even the most scrutinizing golfer.


Ocean Course


Quinta do Lago – The South, North & Laranjal Courses

Just like Vale do Lobo, Quinta do Lago is up there amongst the most famous names in Portuguese golf, having been host to numerous prestigious events (both professional and amateur). It has three spectacular golf courses, all of which are championship standard.

The South Course has hosted the Portuguese Open on eight occasions – which is why it’s well known to be one of the most prestigious tracks in the Algarve. The course, which stretched to 7,095 yards and makes its way through rolling hills and pine forests, was originally designed by the renowned golf course architect, William Mitchell. There’s no doubting that it provides a proper test of golf, even for low handicappers, with carefully placed sand-traps, intimidating water hazards and harshly sloping greens. The South Course was also the scene for the Colin Montgomerie’s first ever title as a professional golfer – so why not follow in his footsteps?


South Course


The North Course, which opened to the public in 2000, was designed by William Mitchell in partnership with Joseph Lee. It measures 6,561 yards from the tips, and is relatively similar to The South in terms of style. However distance from the tee is not of paramount importance, but being accurate is vital if you’re looking to score well. There are several risky dog-leg holes and testing par-5s – particularly the finishing hole, which requires a perfect drive over water and between the intruding fairway bunkers which look to gobble up any stray tee shots to the left or right.


North Course


The latest addition to Quitna do Lago is The Laranjal course. Carved out of an orangery by Santana da Silva, It measures 7,065 yards from the championship tees and its par-72 layout consists of well protected greens that offer a great all year surface, and the difficult narrow fairways require accurate tee shots to hit. The stunning location is set-off by the gorgeous features of the course, umbrella pines, cork-oaks, orange trees and five lakes – which form part of the water recycling system.


Laranjal Course


Oceanico – Old & Victoria Courses

Oceanico Golf is one of the major players in Portugal’s renowned golf tourism market – it owns and operates one of Europe’s largest collections of courses and two of the best are the Old Course and the Victoria.

The Old Course is by no means the longest by modern standards, measuring 6,839 yards from the back tees, but it’s certainly stood the test of time since its creation. The original design was by Frank Pennink, however there have been several small improvements since it opened in 1969. One of the biggest changes was when, in 1996, a brand new clubhouse was unveiled – but the course has remained generally similar to the time of its opening. This gorgeous resort track, winds its way between the mature pine trees which dominate the scenery. Pennink’s tricky design makes best use of the natural landscape to present a tremendous and memorable test of golf that is a necessity for any golfing fanatic visiting the south of Portugal.


Laranjal Course


The Victoria Course is the flagship of the Oceanico collection. It was designed by Arnold Palmer’s reputable golf architecture firm and opened in 2004, much to the delight of regular Algarve golfers. It’s certainly no stranger to professional events, having played host to the PGA World Cup in 2005 and to the Portugal Masters from 2007-2012, and its generally regarded as one of the best and most sophisticated golf courses in Europe,

The course itself features 5 or 6 tees per hole; wide, undulating fairways, numerous water hazards and strategically positioned bunkers. The Oceanico Victoria is a one-of-a-kind masterpiece which is guaranteed to provide an unforgettable experience for all who play it.


Victoria Course


algarve-golf

Jerome

Jerome

Originally from the Home of Golf, I have been lucky enough to hack my way round some of the finest courses Scotland has to offer. Previous employers include the world famous Gleneagles Hotel - where I once recommended a half pint of local lager to Gary Player.

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