Palmares Ocean Living & Golf

From hillside pines down to the dunes of Meia Praia.

Palmares sits on a hill at Odiáxere, between the Bay of Lagos and the Alvor estuary, about ten minutes from Lagos. It has 27 holes in three loops of nine, and most tees look out to the Atlantic. The ground falls from parkland near the clubhouse to sand dunes beside Meia Praia, so one round can feel like two courses. The summer of 2026 brought a renovation of all three loops. The clubhouse, by the Pritzker-winning RCR Arquitectes, opened in 2020 and was named World’s Best Golf Clubhouse in 2025.

Palmares Ocean Living & Golf green fees and tee times.

Book online through the Palmares Golfmanager portal, or contact the golf desk on golf@palmaresresort.com or +351 282 249 880. Ask which two loops your 18 holes will use if you want to be sure of playing the Praia nine. Prepaid bookings can be changed or cancelled without penalty up to 15 days before play in January, February, July, August, November and December, and up to 30 days before in March to June, September and October. After that, changes and no-shows are charged in full, and cancellations must go by email to reservationspalmares@palmaresresort.com. Golf directories list handicap limits of 28 for men and 36 for women. Soft-spiked golf shoes or flat-soled trainers are accepted; metal spikes, sandals, denim and athletic wear are not.

The courses at Palmares Ocean Living & Golf.

Alvor nine (holes 1–9)

The most sheltered loop, starting among trees near the clubhouse and dropping through a valley towards the estuary. Three holes run along the valley floor, followed by a par 3 close to the water’s edge. The finish climbs back up to the clubhouse, so take a buggy if the heat is up.

Lagos nine (holes 10–18)

Three par 3s, three par 4s and three par 5s, with the course’s two water holes and a six-hole run without a single par 4. It begins in parkland and ends in a more links-like stretch heading for the beach. The Signature Apartments sit beside the 10th.

Praia nine (holes 19–27)

The dune holes by Meia Praia, with four holes along the shoreline including two par 3s and two long par 5s. Trains on the Lagos line pass close by. It is the most exposed of the three loops, so wind off the bay shapes club choice here more than elsewhere.

The round, in perspective.

Frank Pennink designed the original 18-hole members’ course, which opened in 1975 and already included links holes in the dunes. Robert Trent Jones Jr. and his firm, RTJ II, rebuilt the site in 2011 and added a third nine. Alvor (holes 1 to 9) is parkland with tree-lined fairways and a descent into a quiet valley. Lagos (10 to 18) mixes parkland and lakes before turning towards the sea, and is the loop where lakes come into play. Praia (19 to 27) is pure links among dunes, with the Algarve railway line running alongside parts of the course. In 2026, RTJ II’s Bruce Charlton widened fairways, added short grass around greens, rebuilt bunkers and resurfaced tees. The club aims to cut the irrigated area by about a fifth.

Know before you go.

Cancellation

15 or 30 days ahead, by month; then full charge

Handicap

Men 28, ladies 36 (directory listings)

Shoes

Soft spikes or flat trainers; no metal spikes

Dress

No denim, vest tops, beachwear or athletic wear

Make the trip work.

Spring is the expensive season here: the reseller’s March to May price is about half as much again as December’s. In winter the club advertises its own special with a shared buggy included, running until 15 March, and the reseller lists a winter rate with a buggy at €105, so compare both with the standard rate before paying. The 30-day cancellation window in spring and autumn is stricter than at many Algarve clubs, so fix flights first. Leave time before your round for the range, a 300-yard practice ground set in a natural valley, plus the new short-game area and putting green.

Faro airport is about 50 minutes east by the A22 motorway, which has electronic tolls. Lagos town and its marina are about 10 minutes away, Alvor about 20. Lagos is the western end of the Algarve railway line from Faro, though a car or transfer is still the easy way to reach the clubhouse. The beach at Meia Praia is five minutes down the hill.

Where it is.

Nearby: 1. Boavista Golf & Spa (7 km) · 2. Espiche Golf (10 km) · 3. Pestana Carvoeiro: Vale da Pinta & Gramacho (13 km) · 4. Amendoeira Golf Resort: Faldo Course (25 km) · 5. Salgados Golf Club (28 km) · 6. The Old Course, Vilamoura (47 km) · Compare all The Algarve tee times

Somewhere to settle in.

The resort has two places to stay. The Beach House Hotel is a boutique hotel of 20 rooms, two of them suites, with a saltwater pool, and it is aimed at adults. The Signature Apartments are 37 one- to three-bedroom flats next to the 10th hole, with balconies over Lagos Bay and Meia Praia. The resort sells Stay & Play packages that combine either with green fees. A JW Marriott, the brand’s first in Portugal, is due in 2028. Lagos old town has many more hotels.

Make a trip of it.

Boavista sits on the western edge of Lagos, and Espiche is a few minutes further west near Luz. Penina, Henry Cotton’s first Algarve course, and the Morgado and Álamos courses near Portimão are within half an hour east. Away from golf, walk the cliff paths and sea stacks at Ponta da Piedade south of Lagos, or the boardwalk through the dunes and salt marsh of the Ria de Alvor.

Find your season.

The western Algarve is mild through winter, and the club’s winter offer runs to 15 March. The Almond Blossom Tournament ran from 28 to 31 January in 2026, so check the events page before booking late January. July and August are hot but cheaper than spring; book an early tee time.