Quinta do Lago

Pines, lagoon light and three ways to play.

Quinta do Lago is the eastern corner of the Algarve’s Golden Triangle, a resort of umbrella pines, lakes and villas on the edge of the Ria Formosa Natural Park. It has three 18-hole courses, a serious practice set-up and hotels within a few minutes of each first tee. That makes it one of the easiest places in Portugal to plan a week of golf without daily drives. The South Course carries the history; the other two give you range.

Quinta do Lago green fees and tee times.

All three courses take visitor bookings online through the resort’s Golfmanager booking system, with a separate page for each course. Prices are dynamic and appear for your chosen date and time; the resort does not publish a fixed rate card. Golf directories list a handicap limit of 28 for men and 36 for women, so carry your certificate. Buggies are hired separately on every course, and electric and push trolleys are available. The South and North open from 7.00 am to 7.30 pm. The South is the hardest to get in high season, so book it as early as your plans allow. Tournament days, listed on the resort’s tournaments page, can take over a course for a morning.

The courses at Quinta do Lago.

South Course

Par 72 at about 6,500 metres, set among pines, lakes and wild flowers above the Ria Formosa. Recently renovated with work focused on drainage and sustainability. The World Golf Awards named it Europe’s and Portugal’s best course in 2024. This is the one most visitors want, so book it first and build the rest of the week around it.

North Course

Rebuilt in 2014 by Beau Welling with Paul McGinley in a €9 million project. Greens, tees, bunkers, irrigation, drainage and cart paths were all replaced. Four sets of tees on every hole make it the most adaptable course for mixed groups. Low-cut Bermuda grass around the greens lets you choose between chipping and putting.

Laranjal

Opened in 2009 on a former orange grove in the Ludo Valley, about 2 km east of the main resort. Par 72 over 6,480 metres, with five par 5s, five par 3s, five lakes and cork oaks. It won Best Golf Course at the 2011 Portuguese Travel Awards. Its golf reception opens at 6.45 am.

The round, in perspective.

William Mitchell designed the original Quinta do Lago course in 1974 and brought American-style greens, tees and bunkers to the Algarve. The South Course hosted the Portuguese Open eight times. The best-known edition was in 1989, when Colin Montgomerie shot 63 and won by 11 strokes. Ground conditions are firm, with sandy soils under the pines, and the routing borders the lagoon in places. The club highlights the 8th, 15th and 18th as the holes that test low handicappers. On all three courses, expect water, well-guarded greens and trees that punish wide misses. The Paul McGinley Golf Academy, founded in 2011, and a TaylorMade Performance Centre complete the facilities.

Make the trip work.

Play the South early in the trip, while you are fresh, and leave the North for the day you want a more forgiving round. Laranjal is a short drive away rather than a walk, so plan transport if you are staying in the main resort without a car. The driving range at Laranjal closes on Tuesday and Thursday mornings for maintenance, and earlier on Mondays and Wednesdays. If you are a group of mixed abilities, the North’s four tee sets give everyone a sensible yardage.

Faro airport is about 15 km away, normally 20 minutes by taxi or transfer. Taxis from the airport rank are straightforward. Within the resort, roads connect the South and North clubhouses; Laranjal is about 2 km east in the Ludo Valley. A car is useful for visiting other courses but not essential if you stay put.

Where it is.

Nearby: 1. Pinheiros Altos (1 km) · 2. Vale do Lobo (3 km) · 3. Pestana Vila Sol (8 km) · 4. The Old Course, Vilamoura (10 km) · 5. Ombria Golf Course (16 km) · 6. Salgados Golf Club (28 km) · Compare all The Algarve tee times

Somewhere to settle in.

The resort has two hotels: The Magnolia Hotel, a relaxed design hotel, and Conrad Algarve, the five-star option. Quinta do Lago also manages villa rentals across the estate, which suit groups who want a pool and kitchen. Vale do Lobo is next door if you prefer a beachfront base, and Almancil village has restaurants and supermarkets for self-caterers.

Make a trip of it.

Vale do Lobo’s Ocean and Royal courses are within ten minutes. San Lorenzo, the neighbouring course on the Ria Formosa, is a natural addition, and Vilamoura’s Old Course is about 25 minutes west. Off the course, walk the boardwalk trails into the Ria Formosa for herons and flamingos, or eat seafood in Olhão. Faro’s walled old town takes an afternoon.

Find your season.

October to May is peak golf season, with Algarve winter highs typically in the mid-teens Celsius and plenty of dry days. March to May brings the strongest demand and the highest prices. July and August are hot, and early tee times are worth paying for. The resort runs open competitions through the year.