The 5 Best Links Style Courses in Portugal

[Vasco]

It’s common knowledge that links lovers can eat their heart out in the United Kingdom and Ireland. There’s just one downside with hitting the links there: the weather is not always your best friend. So what if we told you there is a way to play links style courses with sun all year round? Portugal is the place to be. Fair enough – the courses we list below are not all ‘real’ links courses (what is a true links anyway?), but they do have links characteristics. So put your puristic links views aside for a moment and enjoy a round of golf on the best links style courses in Portugal.

West Cliffs – 8.8/10

West Cliffs might be a fairly new course (Designed by Cynthia Dye in 2017), but it looks like as if it has always been there. The course, located a one hour drive from Lisbon, is the result of a long term study of the terrains conditions and characteristics to preserve the natural beauty and ecological balance of the site. The varied landscape and natural terrain was maintained as undisturbed as possible to create an unique and world class 18-hole seaside links golf course alongside the silver coast.

Troia Golf – 8.4/10

In the heart of the peninsula Troia (just below Lisbon), you’ll find one of Portugal’s most engaging and challenging golf courses: Troia Golf. Designed by American golf architect Robert Trent Jones Senior, Troia Golf was elected one of the best golf courses in world. The Troia Golf Championship Course is an 18-hole, par 72 course, 6.317 metres alongside the beach with a magnificent sea view.

Estela Golf Club – 8.2/10

The Estela Golf course is a links style course, situated on the stunning Minho coast of northwestern Portugal. The course was designed by Duarte Sottomayor, who started his career working with the world renowned Robert Trent Jones. Unlike the south of Portugal, where the summer can bring extremely high temperatures, at Estela the temperature rarely rises above 25ºC (80ºF). This all ensures excellent game conditions with good fairways and greens that are both firm and fast. From the back tees, the Estela course stretches over almost 6,300 meters (7,000 yards), with a par of 72. This is not a golf course for those strugling with the driver!

Praia d’El Rey Golf & Beach Resort – 8.1/10

With year-round sunshine, a championship links golf course, luxury accommodation, world-class services and a wealth of Experiences to enjoy, Praia D’El Rey sets a new standard of excellence for Golf & Beach Resorts. Set along a beautiful sandy beach, less than one hour from Lisbon, Praia D’El Rey Golf & Beach Resort is perfectly integrated in an area of protected natural landscape, amidst lush fairways and the raw beauty of the stunning sea views over the Portuguese coastline. Even though some of the holes are more of a woodland kind of course, we did not want not to keep this beauty from you!

Oitavos Dunes Natural Links Golf – 8.1/10

In 2001, the focal point of Quinta da Marinha was the Championship golf course Oitavos Golfe, designed by Arthur Hills to surround a 5-Star Hotel which opened in fall 2010. As the golf course became recognized internationally as a links experience, the decision was made to change the name to Oitavos Dunes to reflect the natural sand dunes, the impact of the Ocean and Scottish like playing conditions, which all contribute to the way many view Oitavos Dunes as a Natural Links Golf experience. Providing a true links experience, Oitavos Dunes’ setting is dramatic with magnificent views of the Sintra Mountains, the Atlantic Ocean and Cabo da Roca.