Quinta do Lago South Course

The verdict

Quinta do Lago South is the course that taught the Algarve what resort golf could be. When William Mitchell laid it out in 1974 he introduced American standard greens, tees and bunkering to a region that had barely any golf at all, and the South quickly became the tournament course of the region, hosting the Portuguese Open eight times, including Colin Montgomerie's win in 1989. It is a par 72 of around 7,070 yards routed through tall umbrella pines, with lakes in play and the Ria Formosa wetlands shimmering beyond.

This is target golf in the best sense: generous off the tee where the pines allow, then precise and demanding into greens guarded by water and sand. Allied to the immaculate conditioning, the smart clubhouse and a resort that does luxury without fuss, it is exactly why so many discerning golfers return to Quinta do Lago year after year. For a winter sun or shoulder season trip with the family in tow, the South anchors the whole week.

The holes worth the trip

The South opens through the pines, the corridors wide enough to swing freely but with the trees ready to punish the genuinely wild drive. As the round develops the lakes come into play, and the course shifts from a driving test to a second shot test, asking you to flight the ball onto firm greens that fall away on the wrong side.

The par 3s are the signature, several of them played across water to greens that demand the right club and full commitment. There is no bailing out short on these holes; the player who trusts the yardage and swings freely is rewarded, the one who steers it finds the lake. It is the kind of golf that flatters a good ball striker and exposes a tentative one.

The closing stretch brings water and risk back into the equation, the sort of finish that has decided more than one Portuguese Open. Length is there from the back tees, but the South never relies on it; position, nerve over the water and a sharp short game are what bring home a good number. You leave understanding exactly why this course made the Algarve a golf destination.

Where to stay nearby

The natural base is the resort itself. Quinta do Lago and the neighbouring Vale do Lobo offer five star hotels, villas and apartments within a buggy ride of the first tee, with the beach, the marina restaurants and a clutch of further courses all on the doorstep. For golf, food and family in one tidy package it is hard to beat.

For a livelier base, the towns of Vilamoura and Almancil are close, adding more dining and nightlife and a wider choice of hotels, while still keeping the central Algarve's best courses within a short drive. Faro airport is barely 25 minutes away, which makes a long weekend genuinely easy.

Looking for a base? See our recommended hotels and resorts near Quinta do Lago.