Is Quinta Do Lago The Most Complete Golf Resort In Europe? I Visited For The First Time To Find Out

Having recently read about a number of sports teams staying at the Quinta do Lago resort in the Algarve, Portugal, I was excited to go and try it out for myself recently. For the unaware readers, this southern region of the country has a number of world class golf destinations and Quinta do Lago is unquestionably one of the best because it has everything you could want from a golf break. Situated within 2,000 acres of the picturesque Ria Formosa Natural Park, the resort has three excellent courses to experience, as well as a whole host of other indoor and outdoor activities to enjoy. Not to mention high quality food of which I will get to later…

South

Travel to the resort is very easy with it being a quick transfer from Faro Airport in roughly 15-25 mins or so. It is on this drive you will see flashes of flowing fairways and greens which give you an inkling of what’s to come on the North and South courses.

We start with the latter which opened for play in 1974. The work of American architect William Mitchell, the course has hosted the Portuguese Open eight times with high profile winners like Colin Montgomerie. The front nine weaves through the parkland trees nicely before transitioning into a challenge-filled back-nine. The last four holes in particular will test your ability to keep your score going, starting with the stunning par-3 15th over a lake. All I will say here is, if in doubt, go long.

Moving to 16, this is one of the most picturesque holes I’ve played. You are faced with a deceptive tee shot before the hole bends to the left revealing a stunning and dramatic view out to the green, seemingly surrounded by water. If you get your drive in the fairway, find the dance floor with your second and take a par.

17 is a straight and reasonably long par-5 whilst 18 is a tricky dog-leg left par-4 to finish. Concluding on the South course, it does an excellent job at being playable for a variety of levels, whilst also having a Tour pedigree as well, which is not an easy thing to do from my experience.

North

Right next door to the South sits the North which I found to be an extremely enjoyable place to play. Right away I should say it is best suited for buggies or carts because if you are walking then there are some long treks between holes and you have to criss-cross the road several times. Redesigned in 2014 by Beau Welling and Paul McGinley, the investment brought precision and strategy to the fore, especially off the tee.

I found the importance of finding the fairway was vital because whilst it isn’t particularly long, the green surrounds and bunkering means you have to be hitting your approach from the fairway to avoid trouble and keep a score going. Speaking of bunkering, it is excellent with the bunkers on the par-3’s being of particular note because of their depth and size.

Notable holes to mention include the par-4 12th which wraps around a water hazard in a similar fashion to the 18th at TPC Sawgrass, 14 and 16 are two short and lovely par-3’s putting a premium on a clean strike and correct club selection. Finally I really like 18 being an attackable par-5 to finish, just be wary of going right off the tee as there is a huge modern house there! I know the South has the Tour proven pedigree, but I actually thought the North was more intricate and therefore harder for me, especially off the tee. The green complexes are tricky, especially if you get in the wrong spot or the pin is in a tough spot. I must say the latter was definitely the case when I played it!

Laranjal

Now completing the trio is the Laranjal. I unfortunately didn’t get to play this on my whistle stop trip, but several of my Golf Monthly colleagues have played it a lot and filled me in on what I was missing. I guess I will have to get back to Quinta as soon as possible to play it!

Located two kilometers from the resort, it is routed through orange groves and designed by Portuguese architect Jorge Santana da Silva. It opened in 2008 and has gone from strength to strength, with the greens in particular ranking as some of the best in the Algarve. The design itself winds around trees and water hazards throughout the round culminating in a double dogleg par-5 with ponds seemingly everywhere!

If you don’t feel like the courses have scratched your golf itch then you also have a cool mini golf course at the resort as well as the Quinta do Lago Performance Center in partnership with TaylorMade where you can get lessons and a custom fitting. I for example got a putting lesson and my technique was inconsistent to say the least! But I am committing to the new grip the instructor suggested.

Other Activities

The Campus

If golf isn’t for you but you live an active lifestyle, I recommend heading down to The Campus, a high-performance centre used by rugby teams like the British & Irish Lions, and football teams as well. There are tennis and padel courts, a high performance gym, swimming pools, as well as rehabilitation facilities like the hydrotherapy pool and recovery suite. I definitely needed these with my ailing back! There is also The Bike Shed which is for cyclists to enjoy, as well as large fields for football and rugby too.

Food

With all these activities to choose from, you will undoubtedly need to refuel and you have got plenty of options with 14 bars and restaurants to choose from. I got to experience two of these starting with Casa Velha which served up sublime local and international cuisines and the second establishment was Bovino. I admit, I’m not a huge steak guy but this steakhouse experience was incredible. The cuts were delicious as were the sides and just about everything else - a brilliant meal.

Accommodation

There are also several accommodation options to choose from as well. The Conrad Algarve is for those wanting five-star elegance, there are luxury rental villa options, and I finally got to stay at The Magnolia Hotel. It features a cool, Miami style with style and comfort throughout the different rooms, suites, and cottages. Location wise it is a short hop away from the resorts main attractions and there is plenty to do at the hotel as well a heated outdoor salt-water pool, tennis court, cocktail bar, spa and cinema.

Essentials

How to get there

Faro Airport is well served by flights across the UK, and is just a 20-minute drive from Quinta do Lago. The Magnolia Hotel offers guests transfer services.

Where to play

North course Course stats: par 72, 6,725 yards

South course Course stats: par 72, 7,040 yards

Laranjal Course stats: par 72, 7,083 yards W: quintadolago.com

Where to stay

The Magnolia Hotel W: themagnoliahotelqdl.com