Castro Marim Golf Course

The raised tees and fast, bunker-guarded greens of the Guadiana nine set the tone at Castro Marim Golfe & Country Club. This is golf that rewards a clear plan from the tee, particularly where the fairways turn through the pines and canyon-cut doglegs ask for shape as well as distance. Guadiana and Atlântico, both designed by Terry Murray, have the more enclosed feel, with mature pine-lined holes and greens that demand a confident pitch or putt from the right side. Grouse changes the view and the challenge. Its rolling, open ground gives wider sightlines towards the inland hills, with fewer trees and a greater emphasis on judging the lie and breeze. The three nines create 27 holes of useful variety over a stay, and winter partridge are part of the backdrop on the mature courses. Early rounds on Grouse can also bring sightings of rabbits, birds and wild boar. Coaching is available for every standard, from short-game sessions to on-course lessons with Peter O’Connor, whose professional work has taken him from Ireland to the Bahamas, Germany, Italy and Portugal.

Villa accommodation makes it easy to settle into the rhythm of a golf week, with private pool options and daily maid service. The clubhouse restaurant, bar and terrace cover breakfast, lunch and dinner every day, giving the group a straightforward place to regroup after 18 holes, while non-golfers are equally welcome. Castro Marim itself is nearby, with its Moorish castle providing a worthwhile break from the course, and the beaches of the eastern Algarve are close enough for an afternoon away from the fairways. Faro Airport is around 30 minutes by car, while Seville International Airport is approximately an hour away, a useful alternative for golfers travelling from different parts of the UK and Ireland.