Quinta do Lago golf guide: the Algarve's flagship resort
Three courses in the Algarve's Golden Triangle — the Portuguese Open–hosting South, the acclaimed rebuilt North, and inland Laranjal. The courses, booking, when to go, and the cluster around it.
Quinta do Lago is the Algarve's flagship golf-and-lifestyle resort — a 50-year-old five-star estate in the 'Golden Triangle' near Faro, set beside the Ria Formosa nature park amid umbrella pines and lakes. Its three courses are led by the Portuguese Open–hosting South, and it's consistently rated among the best resort golf on continental Europe.
Unlike the members' clubs elsewhere in our guides, this is straightforward resort golf: visitor tee times are bookable online, buggies and academies are on site, and the mild Algarve climate makes it a year-round destination. Here are the courses, how booking works, when to go, and the eastern-Algarve cluster around it.
Where
Almancil, central Algarve ('Golden Triangle'), near Faro, Portugal
Courses
Three: South (flagship), North & Laranjal
Nearest airport
Faro (FAO) ~20–25 min; ~2.5–3 hrs' drive from Lisbon
Best time
Peak spring (Mar–May) & autumn (Sep–Nov); mild winter escape
Access
Resort golf — visitor tee times online; handicap certificate required
Nearby
Vale do Lobo, San Lorenzo, Vilamoura, Monte Rei
The courses
South Course
William Mitchell · 1974 · 18 holes · Resort parkland · par 72
Eight-time host of the Portuguese Open
The flagship, and the reason Quinta do Lago is a household name in European golf. William Mitchell's 1974 design brought American-standard greens, tees and bunkering to the Algarve, and it has hosted the Portuguese Open eight times — the stage for Colin Montgomerie's record 63 in 1989. Pine-lined and strategic, its back nine loops around water, with the 8th, 15th and 18th the holes most likely to card a big number.
North Course
Beau Welling (with Paul McGinley) · Reopened 2014 · 18 holes · Resort parkland · par 72
World Golf Awards 'Europe's Best New Golf Course 2014'
Originally opened in 1988 and completely rebuilt by Beau Welling — in consultation with former Ryder Cup captain Paul McGinley — reopening in 2014 after a multi-million-euro redesign. It was named Europe's Best New Golf Course that year and is now, for many visitors, the equal of the South. Home to the Paul McGinley Golf Academy.
Laranjal
Jorge Santana da Silva · 2009 · 18 holes · Resort parkland · par 72
Set inland among old orange groves ('laranjal' means orange grove), a few minutes from the main resort. Jorge Santana da Silva's 2009 design is more rolling and open than the two original courses, and a favourite of many who play all three. It won Best Golf Course at the 2011 Portugal Travel Awards.
How to play Quinta do Lago (booking & rules)
This is resort golf, not a members' club — visitor tee times across all three courses are bookable online, with golf reception open from early morning to evening daily. Buggies, trolleys and clubs are rentable, there's a full pro shop and practice area, and the Paul McGinley Golf Academy is on site. An official handicap certificate is required to play (unless you're out with one of the resort's teaching pros), and a standard dress code applies: collared shirt, tailored trousers or shorts, and golf shoes.
The Algarve is mild year-round, which is the whole point — but the sweet spots are spring (March–May) and autumn (September–November), when the weather is warm without the peak-summer heat and the courses are at their best. Winter is mild and one of Europe's most reliable cold-season golf escapes; high summer is hot and busy.
Getting there
Quinta do Lago is one of the easiest big golf resorts to reach: Faro (FAO) airport is about 20–25 minutes away by car, with direct flights from across the UK and northern Europe. It sits beside Almancil and Vale do Lobo in the central Algarve; from Lisbon it's roughly a 2.5–3 hour drive.
How to play it
Quinta do Lago anchors the Algarve's densest golf cluster — pair it with neighbouring Vale do Lobo and San Lorenzo in the Golden Triangle, the Vilamoura courses a short drive west, and, for a contrast in the quieter eastern Algarve, the Jack Nicklaus Signature course at Monte Rei. A week here can string together several of continental Europe's best resort courses without a long transfer between them. Our Algarve golf guide covers the wider region.
What to pack
The kit this trip demands
The Algarve is warm, bright and buggy-friendly — pack for sun and heat rather than links weather:
Do you need to stay at Quinta do Lago to play golf there?
No. It's resort golf, not a members' club — visitor tee times across all three courses are bookable online by anyone. Staying on the estate is popular but not required.
Which is the best course at Quinta do Lago?
The South is the historic flagship and eight-time Portuguese Open host, but the rebuilt North (reopened 2014, named Europe's Best New Golf Course that year) is its equal for many visitors, and inland Laranjal is a favourite of golfers who play all three. Ideally, play all three.
Do you need a handicap to play Quinta do Lago?
Yes — an official handicap certificate is required to play, unless you're out with one of the resort's teaching pros. A standard dress code (collared shirt, tailored trousers or shorts, golf shoes) also applies.
What's the best time to play Quinta do Lago?
Spring (March–May) and autumn (September–November) are the sweet spots — warm but not peak-summer hot. Winter is mild and one of Europe's most reliable cold-season golf escapes; high summer is hot and busy.
How do you get to Quinta do Lago?
Faro (FAO) airport is about 20–25 minutes away by car, with direct flights from across the UK and northern Europe. It sits beside Almancil in the central Algarve; from Lisbon it's roughly a 2.5–3 hour drive.
