Overseas Spotlight: An idyllic golf trip to Portugal

With its wide variety of culture, history and entertainment added to a plethora of first-class golf courses, it’s little wonder that Lisbon is proving an increasingly popular destination for UK golfers.

A combination of some of Europe’s most-renowned golfing venues, a fantastic, healthy lifestyle and short flight times have made it a must for players seeking an overseas break, and golfers now have added reason to visit the Portuguese capital following the recent introduction of an exciting new brand.

Launched last spring, ORIZONTE – Lisbon Golf brings together six well-established but unsung layouts to the south of Lisbon in the Costa Azul region, and one further 9-hole course in Oeiras, just 15 minutes from the city centre.

Not only have the seven clubs set aside any rivalries to work together to deliver the best-value golf in Portugal with its wide range of golf passports, they’ve also teamed up with local accommodation providers to offer the complete package for visitors seeking the ideal golf break at an attractive price. Among the courses on offer is Quinta do Peru Golf & Country Club, a stage for several European Challenge Tour events; the 7,000-plus yards challenge of Santo Estevão, Aroeira, venue for the Portuguese Open in 1996 and 1997, and two more challenging courses set within ancient cork oak forest at Ribagolfe, a host to the European Tour qualifying school since 2009. With the British pound having strengthened by more than 10 per cent against the euro in the last year, there’s some outstanding value for golfers to enjoy this season, including ORIZONTE’s new ‘All-in-One’ breaks which offer a three-night unlimited golf break from just £155 per person.

Providing the base for my Costa Azul holiday were the coastal towns of Caparica and Sesimbra and the excellent Costa Caparica and Sesimbra Spa hotels. Both towns overlook the Atlantic and provide a genuine holiday feel and place to relax along with several good hotels, well-priced restaurants, a number of bars and a breathtaking stretch of beach to explore.

Golfers can choose from a selection of three and five-round passports and enjoy golf across the stunning layouts, with prices starting from around £109 per person for a three-round package.

First stop for me was Quinta do Peru do Peru Golf & Country Club, located 30 minutes’ drive from Lisbon city and framed by the Arrábida Natural Park. With a beautifully-crafted design by Rocky Roquemore, the course is rated in the Top 100 Courses in Continental Europe in Golf World magazine ranking (2014) and it’s easy to see why.

Opened in 1994, the parkland layout meanders through lofty pines and provides a 6,640-yard test, with astute bunkering and quick greens that will offer a good examination to any putting stroke. There are a number of standout holes but the tricky par-five 13th and spectacular par-three 16th – which requires a 190-yard carry over water – will live long in my memory.

Designed by Frank Pennink (of the Old Course and Vilamoura fame) and opened in 1973, Aroeira I was affectionately christened the ‘Wentworth of Lisbon’ by the UK Press, and deservedly so.

Played through tall avenues of pine forest and surrounded by wildlife and nature, the golf course plays to 6,650 yards and demands accuracy and placement off the tee in order to maximise opportunities to hit the greens in regulation.

Opened in 2000 and designed by Donald Steel, Aroeira II compliments its older sister well and visitors will discover a course that possesses a few more thrills and spills along the way. At more than 7,000 yards from the tips, the course bares its teeth with water in play on nine holes and large, undulating greens testing the putter to the max.

Ribagolfe was next on my itinerary – and was every bit as good as I hoped for. Featuring 36 holes, the Ribagolfe experience is akin to millionaire’s golf, with not a house to be seen and each hole sheltered from the view of the others.

Hailed as the ‘Valderrama of Portugal’, Ribagolfe I is a layout that would grace any European Tour event, with superb oversized greens and a length of 7,370 yards from the back tees.

A shorter test than its sibling but still measuring more than 6,800 yards, Ribagolfe II is more forgiving with wider fairways and landing areas. The huge, moderately contoured greens, however, provide a stiff test.

Located close to Ribagolfe, Santo Estêvão is the newest course in the Costa Azul region. Playing up to more than 7,000 yards, stand-out holes include the third, with a drive over the first of the course’s two lakes; the demanding par-four seventh and picturesque 11th.

The region’s climate offers the opportunity for all-year-round golf with autumn and winter temperatures particularly attractive for UK golfers.

With the historic city of Lisbon nearby and a choice of 10 UK and Ireland airports offering direct services to Portugal’s capital, an ORIZONTE golf break has so much to recommend it. But don’t just take my word, go see for yourself.

*This article was originally published in The Golf Paper’s debut edition on 8 April

Tagged Golf Abroad, Golf Trips, Lisbon, Overseas Spotlight, portugal, Spotlight