In short
For an Algarve golf trip, stay at Quinta do Lago or Vale do Lobo, the neighbouring resorts by Almancil, about 20 to 30 minutes from Faro airport: the Quinta do Lago South, North and Laranjal courses and Vale do Lobo's Royal and Ocean are all within about 15 minutes of each other. The Old Course in Vilamoura is about 20 minutes west, and Monte Rei about an hour or a little more east. Every course here takes visitors who book online and bring a handicap certificate (generally 28 for men and 36 for women). Spring and autumn are the busiest golf seasons, and San Lorenzo is closed for a long renovation that is not expected to end before mid 2028.
Where to stay in the Algarve
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Live map · Quinta do LagoHotels and rentals at live prices, Mon 19 Apr to Sat 24 Apr
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ACourse to play
Courses you can play in the Algarve
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Open to the public
Quinta do Lago South
William Mitchell's 1974 course beside the Ria Formosa lagoon, which has hosted the Portuguese Open eight times. Open to visitors, booked online through the resort.
Book online through the resort's booking system, or by email. You pay in full when you book; cancel by email at least 7 days before your first round for a full refund, after that the whole amount is charged. A handicap certificate is required (28 for men, 36 for women) unless you play with one of the resort's teaching professionals. How far ahead tee times open, and any priority for resort guests, is not published.
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Open to the public
Quinta do Lago North
Rebuilt from scratch in 2014 by Beau Welling with Paul McGinley, with four sets of tees on every hole. Booked on the same system as the South.
Book online through the resort's booking system, or by email. You pay in full when you book; cancel by email at least 7 days before your first round for a full refund, after that the whole amount is charged. A handicap certificate is required (28 for men, 36 for women) unless you play with one of the resort's teaching professionals. How far ahead tee times open, and any priority for resort guests, is not published.
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Open to the public
Laranjal
Opened in 2009 on a former orange grove about 2 km east of the resort, with lakes and umbrella pines. Booked with the other two Quinta do Lago courses.
Book online through the resort's booking system, or by email. You pay in full when you book; cancel by email at least 7 days before your first round for a full refund, after that the whole amount is charged. A handicap certificate is required (28 for men, 36 for women) unless you play with one of the resort's teaching professionals. How far ahead tee times open, and any priority for resort guests, is not published.
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Open to the public
Vale do Lobo Royal and Ocean
Two courses at one club by the beach, with the same fees. The Royal has the famous par 3 16th, played over a gap in the cliffs; the Ocean is built from Henry Cotton's two original nines and runs along the beach at the 15th.
Book online, by phone (+351 289 353 465) or by email with the club. The handicap limit is 28 for men and 36 for women: you confirm it at check in, and the club may ask to see a certificate. People staying in Vale do Lobo's own rental properties get a Guest Card with a discount on the public green fee (the size of the discount is not published).
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Open to the public
Old Course Vilamoura
Frank Pennink's 1969 course, the first in Vilamoura, through tall umbrella pines. Open to visitors, and every tee time is played as a fourball.
Book online through Vilamoura Golf. Bring a handicap certificate (28 for men, 36 for women; higher handicaps only with the course manager's permission). Every tee time is a fourball: smaller groups are paired with other players, unless you ask in advance and pay the missing green fees to play as a closed group. Green fees are not refunded if bad weather closes the course.
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Open to the public
Monte Rei
A Jack Nicklaus Signature course in the hills of the eastern Algarve, open since 2007. It was closed from April to mid September 2026 for an upgrade with Nicklaus Design and reopened on 14 September 2026. Valet parking, buggies and a relaxed 4 hour 30 pace are part of the day.
Book online or by email ([email protected]) and pay in full to secure the time. Groups of up to 4 can cancel or cut numbers free of charge up to 15 days before play; groups of 5 to 23 up to 30 days before. No refunds for bad weather, delayed flights or injury (a rain check is offered if no more than 9 holes were played). A valid handicap certificate is required, with a recommended limit of 28 for men and 36 for women. From 15 April to 15 May and from 15 September to 15 October 2027, every group is made up to a fourball.
How tee times work
Every course here takes visitors and books online. Quinta do Lago and Monte Rei take the full green fee when you book: Quinta do Lago refunds in full only if you cancel at least 7 days before your first round, and Monte Rei lets groups of up to four cancel free until 15 days before play. Vale do Lobo does not publish its payment or cancellation terms. None of the clubs publishes how far ahead tee times open, so book as soon as your flights are fixed, especially for April, May and October. All of them ask for a handicap certificate, generally 28 for men and 36 for women, and expect to be paired: the Old Course always makes up fourballs, Monte Rei does so in its busiest weeks, and Quinta do Lago may pair you when it needs to.
Closures to know about
San Lorenzo, the other well known course on the Quinta do Lago estate (run by Vilamoura Golf), has closed for a full renovation and is not expected to reopen before mid 2028, so it is not on this page. The club announces the renovation and sends golfers to the Vilamoura Golf courses; the dates (closed from 19 October 2026, back in mid 2028) come from a booking agent. Monte Rei's course was closed from April to mid September 2026 for a six month upgrade with Nicklaus Design and reopened on 14 September 2026.
A sensible plan
Five nights at Quinta do Lago or Vale do Lobo works well: the South Course and the North Course on the first two days, Vale do Lobo Royal on the third and Laranjal or the Ocean on the fourth. Give the last day to Monte Rei (about an hour each way), or move there for your final night, and if you have a spare morning, play the Old Course, which is about 30 minutes from the airport.
Getting there
Fly into Faro (FAO). The Quinta do Lago and Vale do Lobo courses are about 20 to 30 minutes away by car, the Old Course in Vilamoura about 30 minutes, and Monte Rei about an hour (58 km) east. Hire a car or book transfers, since the courses are spread along the coast.
Practical notes
- Handicap
- Every course here asks for a handicap certificate. Quinta do Lago and the Old Course set a maximum of 28 for men and 36 for women. Vale do Lobo uses the same limits, which you confirm at check in. Monte Rei recommends the same limits, and its Director of Golf can make exceptions.
- Dress code
- Quinta do Lago: shirts with a collar or polo neck, tucked in, tailored trousers or shorts with belt loops, socks and golf shoes; no T shirts, football shirts, jeans, combat trousers, swim shorts, trainers or sandals. Vale do Lobo: collared or polo shirts, tailored trousers or shorts with belt loops (no drawstrings), socks and golf shoes. Old Course: no sports shorts, beachwear, denim, cargo shorts or T shirts, and soft spikes only. Monte Rei: collared golf shirts, tailored shorts or trousers and soft spikes; women may wear sleeveless golf tops.
- Buggies
- Two players at most per buggy at Vale do Lobo and the Old Course. At the Old Course buggies keep to the paths and the course manager can ban them to protect the course. Drivers must be 16 or over at Quinta do Lago and Vale do Lobo and 18 or over at Monte Rei. Buggy prices are not published on the clubs' own sites.
- Fourballs
- The Old Course always makes groups up to four, and Monte Rei does so from 15 April to 15 May and 15 September to 15 October 2027. Quinta do Lago may pair smaller groups to fill a tee time. Monte Rei's pace of play is 4 hours 30 minutes; the Old Course asks for no more than 4 hours 40.
- Stay rules
- Quinta do Lago and Monte Rei take the full green fee when you book. Quinta do Lago refunds in full if you cancel by email at least 7 days before your first round; Monte Rei lets groups of up to 4 cancel free until 15 days before play. Monte Rei and the Old Course do not refund rounds lost to weather, though both may give a rain voucher. Vale do Lobo does not publish its cancellation terms. Travel insurance is worth having.
When to book
- NowBook a room with free cancellation as close to the course as you can.
- Your cancellation dateKeep or cancel before it passes.
- 19 to 24 April 2027Your trip.
Free guide
The Unofficial Algarve Golf Trip Guide
Every area, every course, how tee times work and the booking dates in one place, updated every year.
Algarve golf trip questions
Where should I stay for a golf trip to the Algarve?
Quinta do Lago or Vale do Lobo, next to each other by Almancil: the three Quinta do Lago courses and both Vale do Lobo courses are within about 15 minutes. Stay in Vilamoura if the Old Course is a main round, and add a night at Monte Rei if you want to play it without the hour's drive each way.
How much does it cost to play Vale do Lobo?
Under the club's 2025 to 2026 table, both the Royal and the Ocean cost 191 EUR in April 2026, 173 EUR in March and 143 EUR from mid November to February, with 9 hole and twilight rounds from 93 EUR. The 2026 to 2027 rates were not published when we checked. Quinta do Lago, the Old Course and Monte Rei show prices only in their booking systems.
Do I need a handicap certificate to play golf in the Algarve?
Yes, at every course on this page. Quinta do Lago, Vale do Lobo and the Old Course set a limit of 28 for men and 36 for women, and Monte Rei recommends the same, with exceptions at the Director of Golf's discretion.
Can I play San Lorenzo in 2027?
No. San Lorenzo has closed for a full renovation and is not expected to reopen before mid 2028. The club sends golfers to the Vilamoura Golf courses, such as the Old Course, in the meantime.
How far is Quinta do Lago from Faro airport?
About 13 to 19 km, roughly 20 to 30 minutes by car. Vale do Lobo is about the same, Vilamoura about 30 minutes and Monte Rei about an hour.
When is the best time for a golf trip to the Algarve?
Spring (March to May) and autumn (September and October), when it is warm but not hot. These are also the busiest weeks: Vale do Lobo charged 191 EUR in April 2026 against 143 EUR in winter, and Monte Rei pairs every group into fourballs from mid April to mid May and mid September to mid October 2027.
Sources: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27
Photo credits
- Quinta do Lago by Lcaroco, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Quinta Do Lago from the approach to Faro (36631656030) (cropped) by Eduard Marmet, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Praia de Vale do Lobo - Portugal (4099163024) by Vitor Oliveira from Torres Vedras, PORTUGAL, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Almancil street by Weetjesman, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Vilamoura Marina, 2008 (1) by Bahnfrend, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Old town faro portugal by Arne Müseler, CC BY-SA 3.0 de, via Wikimedia Commons
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