Espiche Golf lies in open country west of Lagos, about ten minutes from the town and inside a protected natural area. Three local entrepreneurs found the site more than 20 years ago and wanted a course that sat into the landscape instead of reshaping it. The course opened in 2012, with views over vineyards towards the Monchique hills. Its timber-and-stone clubhouse, opened in 2014, came third in Golf Inc. magazine’s worldwide Clubhouse of the Year awards. From here, Sagres and the wild Costa Vicentina are only about half an hour further west.
Espiche Golf green fees and tee times.
Book online through Espiche’s Golfmanager tee sheet, linked from the Book Now button on the club website, or contact golf reception on +351 282 688 250 or reception@espichegolf.pt. Reception opens daily from 07:30 and closes between 18:00 and 19:00, depending on the season. Espiche does not publish a rate card, so check the price for your date on the booking page or ask reception. The club’s fact sheet sets handicap limits of 28 for men and 36 for ladies, appropriate golf clothing is required at all times, and soft spikes are compulsory. Societies and companies can arrange their own tournaments, and the clubhouse takes private events. Overseas and annual memberships are offered for regular visitors.
The round, in perspective.
South African architect Peter Sauerman designed an 18-hole par 72 of 5,890 metres from the white tees, 5,496 from the yellows and 5,009 from the reds. Native plants were kept between the holes, and lakes and streams act as both hazards and wildlife habitat. Narrow fairways reward accuracy from the tee, while the greens are wide and rolling and protected by bunkers. They are sown with Sea Island paspalum, and the fairways and tees are Bermuda. The ground moves more than the yardage suggests. Golfbreaks notes that the par-5 1st drops about 80 feet from the tee before rising back to the green, the 3rd is a 450-yard par 4 uphill all the way, and the par-5 10th narrows near the green. The club calls its approach ‘Nature Golf’, with water saving and native planting built into course care.
Know before you go.
Handicap
Men 28, ladies 36
Shoes
Soft spikes only
Buggies
Fleet of 45; electric and pull trolleys too
Reception
Daily from 07:30
Make the trip work.
Espiche has a full driving range with grass and mat bays, plus a practice putting green and a short-game area, so you can warm up properly. Men’s and ladies’ club sets, in left- and right-handed versions, are available to hire, along with 45 buggies and electric or pull trolleys. The club says the layout is enjoyable to walk, but the drop at the 1st and the climb at the 3rd show how much the land moves, so a buggy is worth thinking about in summer. A buggy bar serves snacks and drinks on the course. Afterwards, the Gecko Restaurant in the clubhouse looks out over the course and the reserve.
Faro airport is roughly 95 km east, about an hour by car on the A22. From Lagos, follow signs for Vila do Bispo and Sagres, turn right into Espiche at the next roundabout, then follow the orange Golfe signs until the club sign appears on your right. The address is Sítio dos Matos Brancos, 701-N, 8600-114 Espiche. Lagos railway station is the nearest rail link.
There is no hotel at Espiche yet. The club refers to a future hotel and residential development, and Espiche Golf Village is selling plots beside the course, but no opening date is published. Most visitors stay in Lagos, ten minutes east, or in Praia da Luz, the beach village just south of Espiche. Golfbreaks pairs the course with Palmares Signature Apartments, overlooking Palmares, and Tivoli Lagos in the town centre. The villas of Bela Colina at Boavista are also a short drive away and put a second course on the doorstep.
Make a trip of it.
Boavista is about ten minutes east on the edge of Lagos, and Palmares overlooks the bay at Meia Praia, so the three make a natural western Algarve trio. Penina and Alto Golf near Portimão are within about half an hour. Away from golf, the cliffs at Sagres and Cabo de São Vicente, the southwestern tip of Europe, are about half an hour west. The wide beaches of the Costa Vicentina natural park begin just beyond.
Find your season.
Espiche is open all year, and golf reception opens at 07:30 every day. Spring and autumn are the most popular months for golf in the western Algarve. The 8th West Algarve Golf Trophy starts here on 25 November 2026 with a round and a welcome cocktail at the clubhouse, before moving to Palmares and Boavista, as listed by the organiser, teetimes.pt.
South African architect Peter Sauerman, working with the three founders who found the site. The course opened in 2012 as a par 72 of 5,890 metres from the white tees, with Sea Island paspalum greens and Bermuda fairways.
Can visitors play Espiche Golf?
Yes. Espiche sells tee times to visitors and also has members. Book through the online tee sheet or golf reception, carry a handicap within 28 for men or 36 for ladies, and wear soft spikes. Reception opens from 07:30 every day.
What is special about the Espiche clubhouse?
Built on a hill above the course and opened in May 2014, it uses stone, timber and glass and was designed for energy efficiency. It took third place in Golf Inc.’s Clubhouse of the Year 2015, New Construction category, and houses the Gecko Restaurant.
Is there a driving range at Espiche Golf?
Yes. The practice ground has a full-length range with both grass and mat hitting areas, plus a putting green and a short-game area beside the clubhouse. Rental clubs are available for left- and right-handed men and ladies.
Last checked 11 November 2026. This is an independent planning guide, not a first-hand review or a booking service. Check live availability, access, fees and travel details with the operator before booking. Airport suggestions are starting points for route planning.
