Amendoeira Golf Club
Alcantarilha
Amendoeira Golf Club is one of the Algarve’s most complete golf venues, offering two contrasting 18-hole championship courses and a floodlit nine-hole Academy Course near Alcantarilha. With layouts created by Sir Nick Faldo and Christy O’Connor Jnr., it is an excellent choice for golfers who want variety across several rounds without travelling between different clubs.
The par-72 Faldo Course measures 6,578 metres and is the more rugged and strategic of the two championship layouts. Built across elevated Algarve terrain, it features significant changes in level, limestone bunkers, ancient olive trees and areas of natural scrub. Finding the correct position from the tee is essential, as golfers who simply chase distance can leave themselves difficult angles into the greens. It is a demanding but memorable test, particularly for confident players who enjoy thinking their way around a course.
The O’Connor Jnr. Course offers a striking contrast. Set within a fertile valley, it has a greener, more ornamental appearance, with mature palm trees, lakes and watercourses running throughout the layout. The fairways may look inviting, but the course’s length, large greens and subtly contoured putting surfaces provide plenty of challenge. Accurate approaches are especially important when water protects the preferred route towards the green.
Golfers can also play the nine-hole, par-three Academy Course, Portugal’s only floodlit nine-hole golf course. It is ideal for beginners, families or anyone wanting to sharpen their short game, with three teeing options creating different angles and challenges on each hole. Additional practice facilities include a driving range, putting greens and dedicated long and short-game areas, alongside professional coaching and TrackMan technology.
After golf, players can relax over food and drinks at the clubhouse or explore the surrounding Algarve. The historic city of Silves is known for its impressive hilltop castle, while Armação de Pêra offers sandy beaches, seafood restaurants and a relaxed seafront atmosphere.
Faro Airport
51km
England’s best golf tour operator 2026 winner
Time Zone:
GMT+0
Currency:
€ (Euro)
Temperature:
8°C - 32°C
Cost of a Beer:
£5
Cost of a 3-Course Meal:
£40
Hashtag Guide
About The Area
Alcantarilha is a small, traditional village in the central Algarve, but for golfers it punches well above its weight. Positioned just inland from Armação de Pêra and within easy reach of Albufeira and Vilamoura, it provides a quieter base with access to some of the Algarve’s most established championship courses.
The area is anchored by Amendoeira Golf Resort, home to two highly regarded 18-hole layouts: the Faldo Course and the O’Connor Jnr Course. The Faldo Course, designed by Sir Nick Faldo, offers a strategic inland test with desert-style bunkering, water features and subtle elevation changes that reward careful positioning. In contrast, the O’Connor Jnr Course is more forgiving off the tee but demands precision into well-protected greens. Just a short drive away, Salgados Golf Course adds coastal variety, with lagoons and wildlife shaping a flatter, wind-influenced layout close to the Atlantic.
Golf in this part of the Algarve is typically immaculately conditioned, with firm fairways, quick greens and a relaxed resort atmosphere. Tee times are well spaced, and practice facilities are among the best in the region, making it ideal for both group trips and more focused golf breaks.
Beyond the fairways, Alcantarilha retains traditional Portuguese character, with quiet cafés and local restaurants serving grilled sardines, cataplana seafood dishes and regional wines. The nearby beaches of Praia da Falésia and Praia Grande offer dramatic cliff-backed scenery and long coastal walks. For livelier evenings, Albufeira’s marina and Old Town are just 20 minutes away.
The prime months for golf are March–June and September–November, when temperatures are warm but comfortable. For golfers seeking championship Algarve courses without the bustle of larger resort towns, Alcantarilha provides balance, quality and easy access to the region’s best golf.
