Penina Hotel & Golf Resort

Opened in 1966 and designed by Sir Henry Cotton, Penina's Championship Course was the first golf course built in the Algarve and remains one of the region's most respected layouts. The course has hosted the Portuguese Open eleven times and is a regular stop on the European Seniors Tour, which speaks to its pedigree and year-round conditioning. Originally built on rice paddies, the 6,869-yard par 73 is largely flat but plays much tougher than the yardage suggests, thanks to mature trees and dense woodland lining every fairway. Miss the short grass and you're often blocked out or forced to chip sideways, so accuracy off the tee matters more than distance here.

The fairways are generous enough if you keep it straight, but the tree corridors tighten your margin for error and punish anything offline. Greens are typically well kept and often run true, even outside peak season, so approach shots need to be precise, especially on the longer par fours where you're coming in with mid-irons. The Championship Course rewards strategy and course management over raw power, and it's a layout that improves with repeat play as you learn where to aim and where to avoid. If you're a mid-handicapper who hits it reasonably straight, you'll score well here. If you spray it, the trees will punish you all day.

The standout hole is the par-4 7th, a 339-yard risk-reward test where water cuts across the fairway in the driving zone. Conservative players lay up short of the hazard and accept a longer iron into a small, undulating green, while aggressive hitters can take on the carry and leave themselves a wedge or short iron. Right, here's the thing with the 7th: if you're anything like me, you'll walk off either feeling like a genius or wondering why you didn't just lay up. It's the kind of hole that separates cautious golf from bold golf, and it often decides matches in competition.

Another highlight is the short par-3 13th, often talked about as one of the resort's standout short holes, with water guarding the front of the green and no margin for a miss short. The hole demands a confident strike and the right club, especially when the wind picks up off the coast.

Signature Hole: Hole 7, Par 4, 310 metres (339 yards), SI 16

The 7th combines risk with reward. Many golfers play short of the water that cuts across the fairway, leaving a longer iron into a small, undulating green. Those who take on the driver can find themselves with a much shorter club in, but run the risk of finding water.

The nine-hole par-35 Resort Course sits alongside the Championship Course and offers a shorter, more relaxed test that's ideal for warming up, cooling down or playing a quick evening loop. The course makes full use of a central lake and shares the same tree-lined character as the Championship layout, so you still need to keep it straight to score well. It's a solid option for higher handicappers who want to build confidence before tackling the main course, or for experienced players who want to work on specific parts of their game without committing to a full 18.

The Resort Course also works well for mixed-ability groups where some players want a gentler round, and it's short enough that you can play it twice in an afternoon if you're keen. It's a great shout for your first afternoon if you've travelled that day and want golf without the full Championship demand. Expect the same tree-lined feel, with the lake bringing a couple of proper decision points rather than just scenery. For mixed groups, it's an easy way to keep everyone involved and still finish in time for a relaxed dinner on site. The pace is quick, the atmosphere is low-pressure, and it's walkable for all ages and abilities, which makes it a smart choice when you want golf without the grind.

The nine-hole par-30 Academy Course, previously known as the North Course, features 18 tees and plays as a proper executive layout with multiple lakes and sand hazards. It's more than just a pitch-and-putt, this is a genuine short course that tests your wedge play, bunker skills and putting under pressure. The Academy Course is perfect for beginners finding their feet, juniors learning the game or low-handicappers who want to sharpen their scoring clubs before heading out on the Championship Course.

You can play it in under two hours, which makes it a great option for early mornings or late afternoons when you want to squeeze in extra holes without the commitment of a full round. Don't underestimate it, the lakes and bunkering put a premium on distance control, especially if there's any breeze. It's ideal for beginners, but it also doubles as a sharpener for better players who want to dial in wedges and short irons before taking on the tighter lines of the Championship. The course is well maintained, the greens hold their pace, and it's a proper test of your short game rather than just a warm-up facility. If you're serious about improving your scoring, this is where you'll see the benefit.