Is there any better location in the world for a round of golf in the Algarve? The pleasant year-long temperatures, easy to reach thanks to Faro Airport and with many hotels and restaurants to choose from, it’s a great place for a golf holiday.
Perfect for a golf break to Portugal located on the Western Algarve region with sandy beaches, lovely mountains, sleepy fishing villages and wonderful history. The golf course is on the edge of Alvor, a traditional fishing village between Lago and Albufeira. An easy drive west along the N125 from Faro Airport will have you on the golf course in under two hours.
Pestana Golf Resorts are very popular for golf in Portugal and the group has many hotels across top destinations around the globe. They have six golf courses in total, all in the south of the country and one of the most popular is Pestana Alto.
This course was designed by Sir Henry Cotton and is one of the most famous in Portugal. It has played host to several tournaments including the International Pairs and the Torneio de Golfe Algarve.
There are many reasons to book a round of golf at Pestana Alto, but one of the best is to challenge yourself on one of the longest holes in Europe. Known as ‘The Giant’ and the ‘Sir Henry challenge’, the par-5 16th is a monster, and you will have great fun trying to tame it.
Pestana Alto Golf is a course that challenges and delights in equal measure. The quality of the course and the surrounding area is excellent, with the front nine offering lovely views of the bay of Lagos and the back nine played against a backdrop of rolling hills.
The tree-lined fairways are mostly generous throughout, and the greens can be fast but tricky. However, some of the fairways are tight, and you must think before pulling out the driver on all the par-4 and par-5 holes as they can vary.
A straightforward par-3 gets the round started but gives little idea about what is in store as the round develops. In addition to the strategically placed bunkers, elevated greens, and dog-legs, there is one hole that captures the attention of every player, and that’s the par-5, 16th hole.
The hole plays to a massive 660 yards and players have little choice but to pull the driver out of the bag. If you can come away with a par from this hole, you can pat yourself on the back because it can be daunting.
The par-3’s are fascinating, and they have enough differences in length between them to make you think about club selection. For example, on the back nine, the opening par-3 plays to 121 yards whereas the second par-3 is 160 yards, which keeps you on your toes throughout the round.
Pestana Alto Golf is another great addition to the Pestana golf family, and you will enjoy a good round of strategic golf, with lovely views.
