Golf Courses
Vilamoura is considered by many to be Portugal´s golfing capital, and also enjoys a reputation as the best golf destination in Europe. With a whole host of well designed courses offering different levels of difficulty, Vilamoura hosts some prestigious international tournaments and presents a challenge to golfers of all levels from the experienced golfers to novices ones.

	The Old Course was designed by architect Frank Pennink. Opened in 1969, it was completely remodelled in 1996 when several improvements were introduced and a new clubhouse built. The course is renowned for the way the designer skilfully utilized the natural contours of the land, maintaining the native vegetation, consisting mainly of pinewoods. This is one of the courses in Portugal that will always stand out in the memory of visiting golfers. Facilities: Club House, pro-shop, restaurant, bar, buggy bar in the course, valet - service, putting-green, driving-range. HCP limit: Men: 28 Ladies: 36 Pinhal Golf Course opened in 1976. The original course was designed by architect Frank Pennink, and in 1985 the famous architect, Robert Trent Jones, introduced several modifications. As a result, different styles are apparent in the layout. The first nine holes wind through umbrella pine woods while the back nine, returning gently uphill, move through terrain that opens up to magnificent sea views. Facilities: ClubHouse, pro-shop, restaurant, bar, bar on the course, putting-green, driving-range with chipping area. HCP limit: Men: 28 Ladies: 36 Millennium Golf Course was designed by architect Martin Hawtree, and opened in May 2000. A great deal of forethought went into the planning and the Millennium Golf Course is surely destined to become one of the most attractive courses built to date in Portugal. In a beautiful setting within the pinewoods and natural countryside it has a layout that offers variety and interest for the golfer. Facilities: Clubhouse, pro-shop, restaurant, bar, buggy bar in the course, putting-green, driving-range with bunker and chipping area. HCP limit: Men: 28 Ladies 36 Victoria is a championship course of 18-hole par 72 course, occupying a total area of 90 hectares and with a total distance of 6,560 meters. Every care has been taken to ensure the preservation of the existing wetlands, the typical vegetation of carob, olives and almond trees, and several lakes, occupying 13 hectares, providing mirrors of water and strategic reservoirs for watering purposes. With 5/6 tees per hole, wide and undulating fairways, extensive water obstacles and well positioned bunkers; Victoria will reward heroic and ambitious shots. Another major attraction is formed by an exceptional driving range and by an enormous putting green area of around 2,500m2. One extraordinary fact concerning Victoria is that the Palmer design team masterly created 18 greens with totally different shapes and sizes. This is one of the distinguishing characteristics of the course, and for which local knowledge will be an advantage.Facilities: ClubHouse, pro-shop, valet service, restaurant, bar, buggy bar in the course, putting-green, driving-range with bunker and chipping area. HCP limit: Men:28 Ladies:36 Laguna Golf Course comprises holes of widely varied playing conditions, a typical trait of American designer, Joseph Lee. This applies to both the opening nine holes, inaugurated in 1990, and the back nine, which were ready for play in 1993.Unlike the other Vilamoura courses, Laguna is located on relatively flat, open terrain. The basis of its modern design is its strategic placement of bunkers and water hazards, which demand accuracy of play.Facilities: ClubHouse, pro-Shop, restaurant, bar, buggy bar in the course, putting-green, driving-range with bunker and chipping area. HCP limit: Men.28 Ladies: 36 Vila Sol Golf Course earned high marks in its most challenging test, hosting the Portuguese Open in 1992 and 1993, when the invigilators were Europe´s top professionals. These golf stars heaped praise upon the excellent playing conditions and the quality of its greens, which they considered as good as the best in Europe. Narrow and undulating fairways surrounded by pine trees with a few dog legs which it makes very challenging of the tee. HCP limit: Men: 27 Ladies: 35

Hilton Golfe Centre   The resort comprises a golf centre, unique in Portugal, with over 190 square meters:   Pro Shop   Putting green   Putting simulator   2 golf simulators   Starting times reservations   Golf lessons with PGA qualified   Professional   Computer swing analyses   Club fitting   Bar service    Carvoeiro and the surroundings areas in the Western Algarve is a popular tourism destination which is currently positioning itself as an up-market golf destination at competitive pricing. Gramacho Golf Course   Nick Price, the former world Nr.1 player, has teamed up with the well-known golf course architect,

Ronald Fream, to create a uniquely designed 18 hole course with 27 varied greens that enable the golfer to play the same course several times with different greens and new challenges. Vale da Pinta Golf Course The Pinta Course is one of the best-designed courses in Europe. It is a Championship course with an exceptional layout designed by the famous American golf course architect, Ronald Fream, and inaugurated in 1992. It has earned a deserved reputation for the outstanding level of maintenance of the course, and its design, which makes it a challenge to golfers of all standards. The Pinta Course was 5 consecutive times host to the Seniors Tour. The fairways are Bermuda grass, while strategically positioned sand bunkers protect the greens, clad in Pen Cross Bent, and two ornamental lakes influence play at four different holes around the course.

Silves Golf   Silves is a serene spot, but the course is anything but the proverbial walk in the park. A drive at the opening hole has to flirt with two water hazards on both flanks. A heroic and straight shot will reward the player with an easy uphill approach. Silves encourages and rewards attacking play. The excellent condition, all year round, is ideal for low scoring. A relentless test in precision, this course has no peers. It is the "archetype" of man-sized parkland golf. Most holes offer a spectacular mountain and valley view, overlooking palm trees and olive groves.

Main Courses:	Par	Signature:	Distance from Resort (in km)	Link
Oceânico Pinhal	72	Robert Trent Jones	0,1
Oceânico Old Course	73	Frank Pennick	1,3
Vila Sol	72	Donald Steel	1,5
Oceânico Laguna	72	Joseph Lee	2,0
Oceânico Millennium	72	Martin Hawtree	2,8
Oceânico Victoria	72	Arnald Palmer	3,1
Vale do Lobo Royal	72	Sir Henry Cotton & Rocky Roquemore	6,1
Vale do Lobo Ocean	73	Sir Henry Cotton	6,1
San Lorenzo	72	Joseph Lee	6,3
Quinta do Lago South	72	William Mitchell	8,2
Quinta do Lago North	72	William Mitchell & Joseph Lee	8,8
Pinheiros Altos	72	Ronald Fream & Jorge Santana da Silva	9,0
Herdade dos Salgados	72	Pedro Vasconcelos	12,4
Quinta da Ria	72	William Roquemore Jr	14,6
Quinta de cima	72	Rocky Roquemore	14,6
Faldo Golf Course	72	Nick Faldo	17,3
O’Connor	72	Christy O'Connor Jnr	17,3
Vale da Pinta	71	Ronald Fream	33,2
Gramacho	72	Ronald Fream	34,1
Penina Championship	72	Sir Henry Cotton	38,4
Alto Golfe	73	Sir Henry Cotton	41,1
Benamor	71	Sir Henry Cotton	44,8
Monte Rei	72	Jack Nicklaus	51,0
Boavista Golf Course	71	Howard Swan	53,2
Parque da Floresta	72	Pepe Gancedo	65,5