Quinta do Lago North Course
When the smart money in the Algarve talks about the best conditioned course on the coast, it talks about the North. Beau Welling tore it up and rebuilt it from the ground in 2014, working with Paul McGinley, and the result is a modern resort course of immaculate Bermuda turf, sweeping waste bunkers and umbrella pines, set in the protected wetlands of the Ria Formosa. It is the connoisseur's choice at one of Europe's great golf resorts.
Photo: Quinta do Lago via Google, contributor Mark Howson.
The verdict
The South Course made Quinta do Lago famous, but the North is the course that shows what the resort can do when it starts again with a clean sheet and a serious budget. Beau Welling's 2014 redesign, shaped with Paul McGinley, replaced a tired layout with a strategic, beautifully maintained modern course, and it was named Europe's Best New Golf Course that year. The Bermuda fairways run firm, the greens are quick and true, and the sandy waste areas give it the look and feel of a links transplanted into the pines.
For the travelling golfer this is the easy yes of an Algarve trip. It sits within a short drive of Faro airport in a resort packed with restaurants, hotels and three quality courses, the weather is reliable from autumn through spring, and the North gives you championship presentation with four sets of tees so every standard of player gets a fair game. Pair it with the South and Laranjal and you have one of the best golf weeks in Europe without changing your base.
Quinta do Lago North at a glance
- Redesigned
- 2014
- Designer
- Beau Welling, Paul McGinley
- Type
- Resort parkland
- Par
- 72
- Yardage
- 6,714 yds
- Green fee
- From €159
Redesign, designers, par and yardage verified June 2026; the North Course was completely rebuilt in 2014 by Beau Welling with Paul McGinley and plays par 72 at around 6,714 yards from the back tees, with four sets of tees on every hole. It was named Europe's Best New Golf Course at the 2014 World Golf Awards. Indicative 2026 green fees start from around 159 euros and rise in peak season. Always confirm directly before booking.
The holes worth the trip
What strikes you first is the conditioning. The North plays firm and fast in a way few resort courses in southern Europe manage, the Bermuda fairways tight and running, the low cut surrounds inviting the bump and run that the redesign was built to reward. This is a thinking player's course dressed as a holiday round.
Welling's strategy shows in the sandy waste areas that frame many holes, giving the eye a links like jaggedness against the green of the pines and asking you to choose a line off the tee rather than simply aim down the middle. The lakes of the Ria Formosa come into play on several holes, most memorably where a long iron or layup decision has to weigh water against the green, and the undulating greens repay anyone who studies the slope before putting.
The genius of the rebuild is its fairness. With four tees on every hole the North can be a gentle, generous round from the forward markers or a genuine examination from the back, so a mixed ability group can all enjoy the same beautifully presented course on the same morning. That, as much as the polish, is why it has become the smart pick at Quinta do Lago.
How to get on
| What to know | Detail |
|---|---|
| Access | A resort course open to visitors, bookable directly or through the resort and golf packages |
| Green fee | From around 159 euros, rising in the spring and autumn peak, with multi round and resort packages available in 2026 (indicative) |
| Booking | Book ahead in peak season; staying at the resort or buying a package usually secures the best tee times and rates |
| On the day | Buggies are widely used; the resort has practice facilities, a clubhouse and restaurants, with the South and Laranjal alongside |
| Getting there | At Almancil in the central Algarve, around 20 minutes from Faro airport |
| Best months | October to May for the most comfortable golf, with spring and autumn the peak playing seasons |
Access and indicative green fees verified June 2026; they change without notice, so always confirm directly before booking with Quinta do Lago or your trip planner. Check tee time availability.
Where to stay nearby
Quinta do Lago is a destination in itself, with the five star Magnolia and Conrad hotels, the Hotel Quinta do Lago and a wealth of villas and apartments within the gated resort, so you can stay, dine and play without leaving the estate. The Boavista and the restaurants around the lake make for easy evenings between rounds.
Next door, Vale do Lobo offers more resort accommodation and two further courses, and the wider central Algarve adds Vilamoura and a string of championship layouts within half an hour, so a base here puts the best golf on the coast within an easy drive.
Looking for a base? See our recommended hotels and resorts at Quinta do Lago.
Stay and play at Quinta do Lago and the Algarve
We build the Algarve week around Quinta do Lago's North, South and Laranjal, add Vale do Lobo and Vilamoura, and sort a resort base and transfers from Faro. Tell us roughly when and who is travelling and one concierge costs it to the head, with no obligation.
Quinta do Lago North questions
Who designed the Quinta do Lago North Course?
The North Course was completely redesigned in 2014 by the American architect Beau Welling, working with the former European Ryder Cup captain Paul McGinley, in a reported nine million euro rebuild. The work won Europe's Best New Golf Course at the 2014 World Golf Awards.
What is the par and yardage of Quinta do Lago North?
The North Course plays as a par 72 of around 6,714 yards from the back tees, with four sets of tees on every hole so it can be set up from under 5,000 yards for shorter hitters. Bermuda fairways and low cut surrounds give a firm, modern playing surface.
How much does it cost to play Quinta do Lago North?
Indicative 2026 green fees start from around 159 euros and rise in the spring and autumn peak, with resort and multi round packages available. Fees change by season and year, so always confirm current rates directly before booking.
Can visitors play Quinta do Lago North?
Yes. Quinta do Lago is a resort course open to visitors, with tee times bookable directly or through the resort and golf packages. It is one of three courses at Quinta do Lago, alongside the South Course and Laranjal.
Which is better, the North or the South Course at Quinta do Lago?
The South Course is the historic championship layout and former Portuguese Open host, while the North is the modern, immaculately presented redesign. Many visitors play both; the North is generally seen as the more playable and the South as the sterner test.
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Redesign year, designers, par and yardage verified June 2026; indicative green fees verified June 2026. Last reviewed June 2026.