Comporta Dunes Course
The most talked about new course in Europe sits an hour south of Lisbon, in the wild dunes and pine of Comporta. The Dunas Course at Terras da Comporta is David McLay Kidd at his most natural, a par 71 stretching to about 7,267 yards, opened in 2023 and named World's Best Golf Course at the 2024 World Golf Awards. This is destination golf of the highest order.
Photo: Terras da Comporta via Google.
The verdict
Comporta has been Portugal's worst kept secret for years, a stretch of rice paddies, umbrella pine and white sand beaches that the Lisbon set has long treasured. The Dunas Course, McLay Kidd's first in mainland Europe, gives it a links to match the setting. Opened in 2023, it runs through genuine dunes on the edge of the Sado estuary, and it announced itself immediately by taking World's Best Golf Course at the 2024 World Golf Awards.
It is a par 71 that reaches about 7,267 yards from the tips and shrinks to around 4,200 from the front, the kind of width and tee flexibility McLay Kidd favours so that everybody plays the same exhilarating course at their own length. Firm, sandy, framed by indigenous scrub and shaped to follow the land rather than fight it, the Dunas is the rare new build that feels as if it has always been here. For travelling golfers it is a genuine reason to fly to Lisbon.
Comporta Dunes Course at a glance
- Opened
- 2023
- Designer
- David McLay Kidd
- Type
- Links
- Par
- 71
- Yardage
- About 7,267 yds
- Green fee
- From ~185 euros
Designer, opening year, par and yardage verified June 2026 from Terras da Comporta and leading course databases: the Dunas Course is a David McLay Kidd par 71 of about 7,267 yards from the back tees, officially opened in October 2023 and named World's Best Golf Course at the 2024 World Golf Awards. Indicative green fees sit around 185 euros, with seasonal booking rates reported from about 132 euros in summer to higher figures in the prime spring and autumn windows for 2026. Fees are indicative and seasonal, so always confirm current rates directly before booking, and note a valid handicap is required.
The holes worth the trip
The Dunas is wide, fast and uncluttered, the McLay Kidd signature, with fairways that funnel the brave line toward the better angle and greens that ask for thought rather than brute carry. The sandy base means the ball runs, so the ground game is alive and the round changes completely with the wind off the estuary.
Holes weave through the dunes and the native vegetation, each following the natural fall of the land, and the variety of tees, from about 7,267 yards down to 4,200, means the course delivers the same drama whether you hit it 280 or 180. The bunkering is rugged and natural, the visuals are huge, and there is a constant temptation to take on more than is wise.
It is golf to be savored rather than survived: firm, strategic, and generous enough that a good player can attack while a higher handicap still has room to enjoy the spectacle. The World's Best award was no accident, and the Dunas now sits at the very top of any Lisbon area golf itinerary.
How to get on
| What to know | Detail |
|---|---|
| Access | Open to visitors daily; a valid handicap certificate or card is required |
| Green fee | Indicative around 185 euros; seasonal booking rates from about 132 euros summer to higher in spring and autumn, 2026 |
| Booking | Book online through Terras da Comporta or with a golf travel specialist; demand is high, so book well ahead |
| On the day | Buggies and a practice area are available; firm, sandy links turf rewards a low ball flight in the wind |
| Getting there | Comporta, on the Sado estuary, about one hour south of Lisbon by road |
| Best months | April to June and September to October for the firmest turf and the best playing weather |
Access and fee guidance verified June 2026; the course is new and very busy, rates are seasonal, so always confirm directly before booking and reserve early.
Where to stay nearby
Comporta itself has become one of the most coveted boltholes in Portugal, with design led hotels, beach houses and villas scattered through the pine and dunes; it is the natural luxury base for a round at the Dunas. The pace is barefoot and unhurried, the beaches are vast, and the dining is excellent.
Lisbon is an hour north, so many golfers split a trip between the city and Comporta, pairing the Dunas with the established links of the Lisbon coast for a varied and high end week.
Looking for a base? See our recommended hotels and resorts near Comporta Dunes Course.
Build a Comporta and Lisbon golf trip
We secure the hard to get Comporta Dunes tee times, pair them with the best of the Lisbon coast and book the lodging around them. Tell us roughly when and who is travelling and one concierge costs it to the head, with no obligation.
Comporta Dunes Course questions
Who designed the Comporta Dunes Course and when did it open?
The Dunas Course at Terras da Comporta was designed by David McLay Kidd and officially opened in October 2023, his first course in mainland Europe.
What is the par and length of the Comporta Dunes Course?
It is a par 71 links stretching to about 7,267 yards from the back tees and shrinking to around 4,200 yards from the front, running through the dunes on the edge of the Sado estuary.
How good is the Comporta Dunes Course?
It was named World's Best Golf Course at the 2024 World Golf Awards within a year of opening, and is widely regarded as one of the finest new courses in Europe.
Can visitors play the Comporta Dunes Course?
Yes. The Dunas Course is open to visitors daily with a valid handicap, but demand is very high, so book well in advance. Indicative green fees are around 185 euros and vary by season, so confirm before booking.
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Designer, opening year, par and yardage verified June 2026; indicative green fees verified June 2026. Last reviewed June 2026.