Golf in Madeira
A subtropical garden island where the fairways climb above the Atlantic. Year round golf in the eternal spring of Funchal and the mountains, three championship venues, and how to plan it. Written for travelling golfers.
Photograph: Santo da Serra Golf Club, Jussi L., via Google
Why golf in Madeira
Madeira is golf with a view few destinations can match. A volcanic, flower covered island far out in the Atlantic, it offers a kind of scenery you do not get on the mainland: clifftop fairways that fall away to the ocean, mountain holes wrapped in cloud, and the warm, mild climate that has made the island a winter sun favourite for more than a century. Cabell Robinson's Palheiro clings to the hillside some 500 metres above the capital, Funchal, while Robert Trent Jones laid out a 27 hole course high in the mountains at Santo da Serra, long the home of the Madeira Islands Open.
For a travelling golfer it is a compact, easy and rewarding trip. Two championship venues sit on the main island within a short drive of Funchal, and Seve Ballesteros's course on the golden sand island of Porto Santo is a short flight or ferry away. Between rounds there are the famous levada walks, botanical gardens, the old town's restaurants and the Atlantic itself. Add a season that never really closes and a direct flight from much of Europe, and Madeira makes a relaxed, scenic golf break for couples and groups alike.
The island and its golf
Funchal and Palheiro
The capital is the natural base, a handsome amphitheatre of a city around its harbour, with Cabell Robinson's clifftop Palheiro course just above it in the historic Palheiro estate, the closest championship golf to the hotels.
Santo da Serra
High in the eastern mountains at around 700 metres, the 27 hole Robert Trent Jones course at Santo da Serra has long hosted the Madeira Islands Open, with vast views over the coast on a clear day.
Porto Santo
The neighbouring island, famous for its nine kilometre golden beach, is home to Seve Ballesteros's course of clifftop and links holes, a short flight or a couple of hours by ferry from Funchal.
The climate
Mild, subtropical and remarkably even all year, which is why the island fills with golfers when northern Europe is cold. The mountains are cooler and cloudier than the sunny south coast around Funchal.
Beyond golf
The levada water channel walks, the Monte cable car and toboggans, the botanical gardens, Atlantic seafood and the island's celebrated Madeira wine fill the non golfing days easily.
More to come
The island has announced plans to expand its golf offering over the coming years, including a new mountain layout, so the trio of established courses is set to grow. We will profile each as it opens.
The courses that matter
Palheiro Golf
Madeira's signature course, a Cabell Robinson parkland design threading maritime pine and botanical woodland in the 200 year old Palheiro estate, perched some 500 metres above Funchal with the Atlantic far below. Beautifully maintained and dramatically routed, it is the round every visiting golfer remembers.
Santo da Serra
A 27 hole Robert Trent Jones layout built at around 700 metres in the eastern mountains and established in 1937, with three nine hole loops, the Desertas, Machico and Serras. Long the host of the Madeira Islands Open, it offers huge ocean views and a genuine championship test in the cool mountain air.
Porto Santo Golfe
Seve Ballesteros's course on the golden sand island of Porto Santo, mixing an American style inland layout of lakes and length with spectacular clifftop holes above the Atlantic. A short flight or ferry from Madeira, it pairs naturally with the island's famous beach for a relaxed second leg.
Designers, founding years and host history verified June 2026. Course profiles are added across the site as the directory grows. Always confirm visitor access and fees directly before booking.
When to go
| Season | Conditions | Verdict |
|---|---|---|
| March to May | Warm, green and the island in flower | Our pick, comfortable golf and the gardens at their best |
| June to September | Warm but rarely extreme, busiest months | Reliable golf, book Palheiro and hotels ahead |
| October to November | Mild and settled, the autumn shoulder | Excellent value and quiet tee sheets |
| December to February | Mild winter sun, occasional mountain cloud | A popular winter golf escape, the south stays green |
The mountain course at Santo da Serra runs several degrees cooler than the coast and can sit in cloud, so a clear day is worth waiting for. The south coast around Funchal and Palheiro is the sunniest part of the island.
Indicative costs
| Item | Indicative 2026 | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Marquee green fee | Around €80 to €120 | Palheiro the dearest, Santo da Serra and Porto Santo a little lower |
| Buggy and clubs | Extra per round | Hire clubs available, a buggy is wise on the hilly courses |
| A week, all in | Around €1,400 to €2,500 per person | Several rounds, four to five star hotel, transfers, excluding flights |
Indicative third party figures for the 2026 season, shown to set expectations only. Madeira is good value for a winter sun golf trip. We are a guide, not an operator, and never quote our own pricing. Always confirm directly before booking.
Getting there and around
Madeira is served by its own airport, Madeira International, named for Cristiano Ronaldo, a short drive east of Funchal with direct flights from across Europe and a famously dramatic clifftop runway. Once on the island a hire car or a private driver makes sense, since the roads are steep and winding and the two main courses sit on opposite sides of Funchal. Porto Santo is reached by a short flight from Madeira or by the ferry, which takes a couple of hours, so an overnight there works well around a round on Seve's course.
Where to stay
Funchal is the obvious base, with the famous Belmond Reid's Palace and a range of cliffside and harbour hotels putting Palheiro a short drive uphill and the old town's restaurants on the doorstep. For a quieter stay, the Palheiro estate itself has accommodation beside the course, and on Porto Santo a beach resort lets you combine the golf with the island's celebrated sands. Book the winter sun months well ahead, and let one planner line up the golf, the transfers and the Porto Santo leg.
Plan your Madeira golf trip
Tell us the courses you want and roughly when. One concierge costs the whole trip to the head and replies within one working day, with no obligation.
Madeira golf questions
When is the best time to play golf in Madeira?
Madeira plays all year thanks to its mild subtropical climate. Spring and autumn are the most comfortable, summers are warm but rarely extreme, and winters stay green, which is why the island is a popular winter sun golf escape. The mountain course at Santo da Serra, around 700 metres up, runs cooler and can be cloudy, so a clear day there is worth waiting for.
Which golf courses are there in Madeira?
Three. Palheiro Golf is Cabell Robinson's clifftop parkland above Funchal. Santo da Serra is a 27 hole Robert Trent Jones layout in the mountains, long the host of the Madeira Islands Open. Porto Santo Golfe, by Seve Ballesteros, sits on the neighbouring golden sand island. More courses have been announced for the coming years.
How much does golf in Madeira cost in 2026?
As an indicative guide for 2026, a green fee at the leading courses runs roughly 80 to 120 euros, with Palheiro the dearest. Buggies and clubs are extra, and multi round and resort packages bring the cost down. Madeira is good value for a winter sun golf trip. Confirm directly before booking.
Related
The Tee Sheet
Atlantic and winter sun golf openings, Madeira and Portugal tips and the booking windows worth moving on first. Every other week.
Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Course designers, founding years and host history verified June 2026. Last reviewed June 2026.