The Old Course opened in 1969 and is the oldest course in Vilamoura. You may still see it called the Dom Pedro Old Course. In 2025 the Dom Pedro courses were rebranded as Vilamoura Golf under the resort’s owner, Arrow Global. The course itself has not moved. It is a tree-lined parkland round a few minutes from the marina, and it works well for golfers who prefer shape and placement to length.
The Old Course, Vilamoura green fees and tee times.
Tee times are sold through Vilamoura Golf, which manages the Old Course along with Pinhal, Laguna and Millennium. The resort’s booking email is booking@dompedrogolf.com, and the club’s phone line is +351 289 310 341. The new vilamouragolf.com site was not loading when we checked in October 2026, so email or phone is the reliable route. Golf directories list a handicap limit of 24 for men and 28 for women, which is lower than on the other Vilamoura courses. Soft spikes are required. The Old Course is the most requested of the four, so book it before the others. A multi-round arrangement across the group is worth asking about if you plan to stay a week.
INDICATIVE GREEN FEE · CHECKED NOVEMBER 2026From €215
Lowest 18-hole price shown by algarvegolf.net, a tee-time reseller, in November 2026. It notes that Old Course fees are dynamic and change daily; Vilamoura Golf does not publish a rate card online. Prices change by season and booking route, so confirm the current rate with the operator. Official rates ↗
The round, in perspective.
Frank Pennink, an English architect, designed the Old Course, and its feel is closer to an older British parkland than a modern resort course. Mature umbrella pines line most holes and give the round a sense of enclosure. It plays as a par 73 of about 6,840 yards from the back. It has rarely been a tournament course, but it staged the 1979 Portuguese Open, won by Brian Barnes. Accuracy matters more than distance. Pines block the line from the wrong side of the fairway, and greens are modest targets. A new clubhouse opened in late 2024 as part of a refresh that also gave the course its own monogram identity.
Make the trip work.
Use the Old Course as the centrepiece of a Vilamoura stay and fill the other days on its sister courses. The tighter handicap limit means higher-handicap golfers in a group may need to play Pinhal or Millennium that day. Book early-morning tee times between June and September. The marina is a short taxi ride away, so you can drop the car for evenings.
Faro airport is about 25 km east, usually 25 minutes by car along the A22 or the EN125. Taxis and pre-booked transfers are easy to arrange. The course is a few minutes inland from Vilamoura Marina. Loulé, the nearest inland town, is about 15 minutes north.
Vilamoura has many hotels within ten minutes of the course, from the Hilton Vilamoura and Tivoli Marina to apartment complexes around the marina. Several Dom Pedro hotels in the resort remain popular with golfers. For a quieter base, Quarteira’s seafront has simpler hotels and a long promenade. Quinta do Lago and Vale do Lobo are 20 to 25 minutes east if you want to split the week.
Make a trip of it.
Vilamoura’s other courses give you three more rounds without a long drive. Pinhal opened in 1976, designed by Pennink and revised by Robert Trent Jones Sr in 1985. Laguna is Joseph Lee’s flatter, lake-dotted course, and Millennium opened in 2000. Victoria, the Arnold Palmer course that long hosted the Portugal Masters, is next door. Off the course, Cerro da Vila has Roman ruins beside the marina, and Loulé holds a Saturday market.
Find your season.
Vilamoura golf runs all year. Winter and spring bring the most visiting golfers, with mild temperatures and the best course conditions. Summer is hot and mornings sell out first. Autumn, from late September to November, is a good-value window with warm sea temperatures.
Is the Dom Pedro Old Course the same as the Old Course Vilamoura?
Yes. The Dom Pedro golf courses were rebranded as Vilamoura Golf in February 2025. The Old Course, Pinhal, Laguna and Millennium kept their layouts, and older booking emails using the dompedrogolf.com domain are still published.
What is the handicap limit on Vilamoura’s Old Course?
Golf directories list 24 for men and 28 for women, and a home-club certificate is expected. Confirm the current limit when you book, because the club has not published it on a working official page.
Who designed the Old Course in Vilamoura?
Frank Pennink designed it, and it opened in 1969. That makes it the second-oldest course in the Algarve after Penina. Pennink also drew the original Pinhal course next door.
How far is the Old Course from Faro airport?
About 25 minutes by road. A round on arrival day is realistic if your flight lands before late morning, though most visitors save it for the first full day.
Last checked 10 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.
