Praia d'El Rey vs West Cliffs
Two courses, one stretch of Portugal's Silver Coast, minutes apart and an hour north of Lisbon. Cabell Robinson's 1997 original mixes pine forest with true oceanside golf; Cynthia Dye's 2017 West Cliffs runs through raw dunes and has climbed Europe's rankings ever since. Here is the honest head to head, with our verdict up front.
Photograph: West Cliffs Golf Course, West Cliffs Ocean and Golf Resort, via Google
The verdict
On architecture alone, West Cliffs wins. Cynthia Dye's 2017 layout, the first Dye family course in Portugal, was cut through a wild ridge of coastal dunes and scrub with the Atlantic in view from almost everywhere, and it has been climbing the European rankings since the day it opened. It is the boldest, most memorable single round on the Silver Coast: huge natural sand, heaving fairways, and a closing run that stays with you. If you can play only one, play West Cliffs.
But the contest is closer than the rankings suggest. Praia d'El Rey, Cabell Robinson's par 72 of 7,003 yards from 1997, offers the more varied day: a front side that winds through umbrella pine, then a turn for home along the shore where the holes play through genuine duneland with the Berlenga Islands offshore. It is more sheltered when the wind blows hard, usually a touch cheaper, and it anchors the more established resort. The real answer is the one the geography insists on: stay once, play both, and let the third day at Royal Obidos settle any argument.
Head to head
| Praia d'El Rey | West Cliffs | |
|---|---|---|
| Designer and year | Cabell B. Robinson, opened June 1997 | Cynthia Dye, opened June 2017, the first Dye design in Portugal |
| The course | Par 72, 7,003 yards; pine forest early, then open linksland and oceanside holes with views to the Berlenga Islands | Par 72, around 6,930 yards; a raw dunescape with Atlantic views from nearly every hole and serious natural sand |
| Standing | A fixture among Portugal's leading resort courses for nearly three decades | Ranked among the top courses in continental Europe and widely rated the best modern course on the Silver Coast |
| Green fees | Indicative 2026 from roughly 108 euro, rising with season and tee time | Indicative 2026 around 190 euro public in high season, online times from about 109 euro in quieter windows |
| Character | Variety and charm; two courses in one, more shelter on windy days | Drama and scale; exposed, firm and unrelenting when the Atlantic wind is up |
| Requirements | Handicap certificate required, men 28, ladies 36 | Resort course, booking ahead essential in high season |
| Who it suits | Mixed groups, repeat Portugal visitors, anyone who wants ocean golf without a beating | Course collectors and better players chasing the Silver Coast's marquee round |
Course facts and indicative fee ranges verified June 2026; fees move with season and demand, so always confirm directly before booking. Check tee time availability.
Who should pick which
Pick Praia d'El Rey if
You want the rounded Silver Coast experience: a warm up through the pines, a back nine on the ocean, a resort that has hosted golf trips since the nineties, and a fee that usually undercuts its famous neighbor. It is the friendlier of the two in a strong wind and the better single round for a mixed ability group. Read our full Praia d'El Rey course guide.
Pick West Cliffs if
You collect great modern courses and want the Silver Coast's headline act. Cynthia Dye's dunescape is the round people fly in for, ranked among the best in continental Europe, and at around 190 euro in high season it still undercuts the elite fees of the Algarve and Spain. Bring your game when the wind blows. Read our full West Cliffs course guide.
Plan your Silver Coast golf trip
Both courses, Royal Obidos and the right base, an hour from Lisbon. Tell us roughly when and who is traveling, and one concierge builds the tee times and costs it to the head, with no obligation.
Praia d'El Rey vs West Cliffs questions
Is Praia d'El Rey or West Cliffs the better golf course?
On pure architecture, West Cliffs. Cynthia Dye's 2017 design through raw coastal dunes an hour north of Lisbon has climbed into the upper reaches of Europe's course rankings and is the most acclaimed modern course on the Silver Coast. Praia d'El Rey, Cabell Robinson's 1997 course next door, answers with a more varied round, pine forest on the way out and genuine oceanside holes on the way home, and it remains one of Portugal's most loved resort courses. Most visiting golfers should simply play both; they are minutes apart.
How much are green fees at Praia d'El Rey and West Cliffs in 2026?
Indicative 2026 rates put West Cliffs at around 190 euro public in high season, with online tee times from about 109 euro in quieter windows. Praia d'El Rey generally sits a touch under its neighbor, with rates from roughly 108 euro depending on season and time. Both flex heavily by month and by booking channel, so always confirm directly before booking.
Can you play both courses on the same trip?
Yes, and you should. The two courses sit minutes apart on the same stretch of the Silver Coast near Obidos, about an hour north of Lisbon, and share the same resort area, so one base covers both. Add the Seve Ballesteros designed Royal Obidos a short drive away and the Silver Coast becomes a genuine three round golf trip.
When is the best time to play the Silver Coast?
The shoulder seasons are the sweet spot. April to June and September to November bring warm days, manageable wind and the courses at their firmest, which is when West Cliffs in particular shows its best. High summer is busier and breezier in the afternoons; winter golf is entirely playable and the best value of the year. Always confirm conditions and rates for your dates.
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Course facts and indicative fees verified June 2026. Last reviewed June 2026.