Penina Championship: 2026 Access and Booking Update
On the plain near Portimao and Alvor, the Penina Championship course is Sir Henry Cotton's mature parkland, the first 18-hole course built in the Algarve and a layout woven from rice fields and a third of a million planted trees. Here is where it stands in 2026, and how to play it.
The news: the course that started Algarve golf
The Penina Championship course opened in 1966 as the first 18-hole course in the Algarve, designed by the three time Open champion Sir Henry Cotton, who built it on former rice fields and planted more than 360,000 trees and shrubs to give it the wooded, mature character it carries today. Into 2026 it remains a piece of living golf history, a par 73 of around 6,300 metres that effectively launched the Algarve as a golf destination.
The headline for 2026 is heritage. Penina staged the Portuguese Open many times across its history and was Cotton's own home course for years, a flat but cleverly defended parkland whose maturity, water and tree lined corridors stand in deliberate contrast to the newer, more dramatic Algarve layouts. It is the course that started it all, and it still plays as a proper championship test.
The course, and the access reality
What sets Penina apart is its age and its trees. Built on flat ground, the challenge comes not from elevation but from the tight, tree lined fairways Cotton created, the water that crosses and guards many holes, and greens defended by mature planting rather than modern contouring. It is a thinking golfer's course where position off the tee matters far more than length, a quieter, more traditional test than its flashier neighbours.
The access reality is friendly. The Championship course is part of the Penina Hotel and Golf Resort, so it is a resort pay and play layout where visitor booking is straightforward, usually in advance and often as part of a stay or a wider Algarve package. For the full design and access detail see the Penina Championship course profile and the Portugal destination guide.
How to play it in 2026
The Algarve is close to a year round golf destination, with the prime seasons in spring, roughly March to May, and autumn, roughly September to November, when the weather is warm and settled, while summer is hot and winter mild and popular with golfers escaping colder climates. For 2026 the practical approach is to book Penina ahead in the busy shoulder seasons, take a morning slot in the warmer months, and plan a careful, position first round given the trees and water.
Penina sits in the western Algarve within easy reach of Portimao, Lagos and the coast, which makes it an easy anchor for a multi round break that mixes the historic course with the region's newer names. Green fees sit in the mid range for the Algarve and move with season and package, so treat any quoted figure as indicative for 2026 and always confirm directly before booking.
Our take
Our take is that the Penina Championship course is essential for anyone interested in the story of European golf, a Sir Henry Cotton design whose mature trees, water and history give it a character no modern course can manufacture. It is a quieter, more cerebral test than the dramatic Algarve newcomers, and that is precisely its appeal.
For 2026 the advice is about respect and timing. Book ahead for spring or autumn, play it as a position first parkland rather than a bombing course, and pair it with the western Algarve's other golf, and you experience the course that gave the region its game.
Plan your Penina and Algarve golf trip
From the Penina Championship course to the wider golf of the western Algarve, tell us roughly when and who is travelling and one concierge arranges tee times and builds the trip, with no obligation.
Questions
Who designed the Penina Championship course and when did it open?
The Penina Championship course was designed by the three time Open champion Sir Henry Cotton and opened in 1966 as the first 18-hole course in the Algarve. Cotton built it on former rice fields and planted more than 360,000 trees and shrubs to create its wooded character. It plays as a par 73 of around 6,300 metres.
What is the Penina Championship course like to play?
Penina is a flat but cleverly defended mature parkland where the challenge comes from tight, tree lined fairways, water that guards many holes and greens protected by planting rather than modern contouring. It is a position first, thinking golfer's course and has hosted the Portuguese Open many times.
Can visitors play Penina in 2026?
Yes. The Championship course is part of the Penina Hotel and Golf Resort, so it is a resort pay and play layout where visitor booking is straightforward, usually in advance and often as part of a stay or a wider Algarve package. Spring and autumn play best, and you should confirm access and green fees directly before booking.
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Course facts, design history and access verified June 2026 from club, ranking panel and golf travel sources; conditions, access and green fees change, so always confirm directly before booking. Last reviewed June 2026.