Tróia Golf
On a narrow sandy spit between the Sado Estuary and the Atlantic, an hour south of Lisbon, Robert Trent Jones Senior found one of his favourite pieces of ground. Tróia is a genuine links, tight, firm and frequently fierce, where the architect used the peninsula's own sand as the principal hazard and produced a par 72 that punches far above its modest length.
Photo: Tróia Golf, contributor Adrian Sergi via Google.
The verdict
Tróia is a links of teeth. Robert Trent Jones Senior routed it along a slender peninsula where the fairways are pinched between pines, dunes and waste sand, and the wind off the ocean and estuary rarely lets up. It is tight and demanding, a course that asks for accuracy first and rewards the player who can keep the ball in play and flight it under the breeze. Trent Jones rated the short third among the finest holes he ever built, which tells you how highly he regarded the land.
For the travelling golfer it is the most distinctive course on the Lisbon coast, a wild, natural counterpoint to the manicured resort layouts nearby and a round that lives long in the memory. It suits the strong player who relishes a stern, exposed test and the romance of true links golf, reached by a short ferry across the Sado. Pair it with the courses around Comporta and Setubal and you have one of the most characterful golf trips in Portugal.
Tróia Golf at a glance
- Designers
- Robert Trent Jones Sr
- Founded
- 1980
- Type
- Links
- Par
- 72
- Length
- 6,317 m
- Green fee
- From €62
Designer, year, par and yardage verified June 2026 from the resort and course databases. Robert Trent Jones Senior designed the course, which opened in 1980 on the Tróia peninsula, playing about 6,317 metres, par 72. Green fees are indicative, from around 62 to 102 euros for eighteen holes based on recent published rates. Always confirm directly before booking.
The holes worth the trip
The course makes its intentions clear from the start: narrow fairways framed by pines and sand, with little room for error and a premium on finding the short grass from the tee. The land is naturally linksy, firm and rolling, and the ball runs a long way when it is dry, so judging the bounce becomes as important as the carry.
The short third is the celebrated hole, a par 3 Trent Jones counted among his best, played to a green ringed by trouble where anything off line is severely punished. The par 4s demand a drive threaded into the right portion of a tight fairway, the par 5s tempt and then defend, and the closing stretch back toward the clubhouse is exposed to the full force of the wind.
What stays with you is the intensity: a course that never relents, set on a beautiful and unusual piece of ground between estuary and ocean. Tróia is not for the faint hearted, but a round survived in a wind is among the most satisfying in Portuguese golf.
How to get on
| What to know | Detail |
|---|---|
| Access | A resort and visitor course; tee times booked in advance, with stay and play options through the Tróia resort |
| Green fee | From around 62 to 102 euros for eighteen holes depending on season and time of day (indicative) |
| Booking | Book ahead in spring and autumn, the prime seasons; allow time for the ferry crossing from Setubal |
| On the day | A walking friendly links with buggies available; the resort, beaches and marina are close at hand |
| Getting there | On the Tróia peninsula, reached by a short car or passenger ferry across the Sado from Setubal, around an hour south of Lisbon |
| Best months | April to June and September to October for the firmest turf and the kindest wind; midsummer is busier with beach traffic |
Access and indicative green fees verified June 2026 from recent published rates; they change without notice, so always confirm directly before booking with Tróia Golf or your trip planner. Check tee time availability.
Where to stay nearby
The Tróia resort offers hotel and apartment lodging beside the course with the beach and marina on the doorstep, an easy, self contained base for a golf and coast stay. Across the estuary, the working town of Setubal and the celebrated wine and seafood of the Arrábida region give a more authentic Portuguese flavour.
The fashionable village of Comporta and its surrounding courses lie a short drive down the peninsula, so a group can build a relaxed multi course itinerary that pairs Tróia's links challenge with the newer designs nearby, all within easy reach of Lisbon.
Looking for a base? See our recommended hotels and resorts near Tróia and Comporta.
Stay and play on the Lisbon coast
We arrange Tróia alongside the courses of Comporta and the Lisbon coast, secure the tee times and sort a peninsula or city base with the transfers and ferry. Tell us roughly when and who is travelling and one concierge costs it to the head, with no obligation.
Tróia Golf questions
Who designed Tróia Golf?
The course was designed by the American architect Robert Trent Jones Senior and opened in 1980. He used the natural sand of the Tróia peninsula as the main hazard and rated the short third among the finest holes he ever built.
What is the par and length of Tróia Golf?
Tróia is a par 72 of around 6,317 metres. It is not long, but the tight, tree and sand framed fairways and the constant wind off the ocean and estuary make it one of the most demanding courses in Portugal.
Is Tróia a true links course?
Yes. It sits on a sandy peninsula between the Sado Estuary and the Atlantic, with firm, rolling turf and natural sand hazards, giving it a genuine links character that sets it apart from the resort courses of the Lisbon coast.
How do you get to Tróia Golf?
The course is on the Tróia peninsula, reached by a short car or passenger ferry across the Sado Estuary from Setubal, around an hour south of Lisbon. Allow time for the crossing when planning a tee time.
How much does it cost to play Tróia Golf?
Indicative green fees run from around 62 to 102 euros for eighteen holes depending on season and time of day. Fees change by season and year, so always confirm current rates directly before booking.
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Designer, year, par and yardage verified June 2026; indicative green fees verified June 2026 from recent published rates. Last reviewed June 2026.