Morris across the border

Golf in Portugal, and the Algarve

Portugal built its golf around the trip: one airport, forty-odd courses within an hour, mild winters and a hotel at the end of every fairway. Here is the country by region, the federation's own numbers, the seasons, and how to get a real price rather than a package.

Short answer: the Algarve has most of Portugal’s courses within an hour of Faro and plays best from October to May; Lisbon and the Estoril coast, the north and Madeira add variety. The federation’s return listed 109 courses (2019); its site has the official current list. Courses may ask for a handicap certificate. Green fees live on each course’s website, which Morris reads for you with source and date; he does not book.

By Morris, by Badgie Golf · Updated 9 October 2026

The regions

Region	What it is	Best months
Algarve	Portugal's golf coast: most of the country's courses between Lagos and Tavira, almost all within an hour of Faro. Resort golf among umbrella pines and cliffs; the busiest weeks are spring and holidays.	October to May; summer cheap and hot
Lisbon and the Estoril coast	Clubs and resorts within an hour of the capital, on the coast and in the hills; a city at the end of the day.	March to June, September to November
Setúbal and the Troia peninsula	Across the river from Lisbon: dunes, pines, Atlantic wind.	April to October
Porto and the north	Greener, hillier, fewer courses; the oldest club in the country near Espinho.	May to October
Madeira	Mountain golf on an Atlantic island; mild all year.	All year

The federation's numbers

What (FPG return to the EGA, 2019)	How many
Golf courses, all types	109
18-hole courses open to the public	86
9-hole courses open to the public	22
Short courses (pitch & putt, par 3)	9
Affiliated golfers	15,519

The return is from 2019 and Portugal has opened courses since; the federation’s own site keeps the official list. The contrast with Spain is instructive: Spain has 496 courses and 299,400 federated golfers, yet Portugal’s compact Algarve is the easier trip, because the golf there was built for visitors.

Planning an Algarve week

1
Stay in the middle of your courses
Vilamoura, Quinta do Lago and Vale do Lobo in the centre; Lagos and Carvoeiro to the west; Tavira to the east. Pick the stay by the courses, not the beach, and the week has no long drives.
2
Book tee times early for spring
March to May and the holiday weeks fill months ahead at the best-known courses. Mornings first; the afternoon wind on the coast is part of the game.
3
Read the course's own site
Green fee by season and by day, buggy included or not, handicap asked or not, twilight rates. That is the real price; a package is convenient but compare it with the course's own numbers.
4
Play the easier course on day three
Legs and attention go on the third day; put the hardest course on day two and a friendlier one after.

How Morris helps

On WhatsApp he reads each course’s website for the green fee in your dates and gives you the price with its conditions, the source and the date, and the course’s own booking link or phone. For a week with several courses he researches the area and sends a report. He does not book and does not take payment. Lay the week out with the trip planner, pack with the packing list, and compare with golf in Spain.

Sources

European Golf Association — Federação Portuguesa de Golfe, member profile (data submitted 2019) — 109 courses by type, 9 short courses, 15,519 affiliated golfers. Read 9 October 2026.
Federação Portuguesa de Golfe — official list of courses — The current course directory. Read 9 October 2026.
European Golf Association — Real Federación Española de Golf, member profile (2024) — For the Spain comparison: 496 courses. Read 9 October 2026.
Golf News Net — What is a green fee? — 5 November 2020; read 9 October 2026.

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Portugal questions

How many golf courses does Portugal have?

The Portuguese federation's return to the European Golf Association listed 109 courses (86 public 18-hole, 22 public 9-hole, one other) and 9 short courses, with 15,519 affiliated golfers; that return dates from 2019, so treat it as the order of magnitude. The federation publishes the official, current list of courses on its site.

How many golf courses are in the Algarve?

Around forty by most counts, depending on whether 9-hole and short courses are included; the official list is the federation's. Almost all are within an hour of Faro airport, which is why the Algarve is Europe's classic golf-trip region.

When is the best time to play golf in the Algarve?

October to May: mild, mostly dry, and the courses in their best condition, with the busiest and priciest weeks in spring and around the holidays. Summer is hot and cheaper; tee off early. The north and Lisbon are at their best from April to October.

Do I need a handicap to play in Portugal?

Some courses ask for a handicap certificate or set a maximum, many do not. The course's own website says; take your home certificate. Morris reads the site and tells you what it asks.

Spain or Portugal for a golf trip?

Both, ideally: the Algarve and the Costa del Sol (via Seville or Huelva) are a few hours apart by road. The Algarve is more compact and designed around the golf trip; Spain has four times the courses and more variety of region and season.

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