Morgado Golf Course

Morgado sits on the grounds of the NAU Golf and Country Club, also home to the Alamos Golf Course. If you make the journey, just north of Portimão, it’s worth playing both courses, and many golf holiday packages include rounds at both Morgado and Alamos as part of the deal.

There’s some pedigree to Morgado. It hosted the Portuguese Open in 2017, 2018 and 2019. As you’d expect, it’s a long course if you decide to play off the competition tees that measure 7035 yards.

If that’s too ambitious, fear not. Morgado is far less intimidating off the yellows, at 6433 yards and 5276 off the reds. Par is 73 and there’s a good mix of holes to play. Men require a handicap of 28 and ladies a handicap of 36 to play here. You may be asked to show your certificate upon arrival.

If you pick the correct tee box based on your ability, this golf course is very forgiving. There’s a lot of space, fairways are wide and hazards are not particularly hard to avoid.

The greens are large here too. In fact, they are some of the largest of any course found in the Algarve. That’s not to say they are easy, though. You’ll find that putts run very fast and very true.

The best holes at Morgado are found at the end of the front and back nine. The 14th is particularly interesting. A short 300-yard par-4 dogleg right allows bigger hitters to take the green on from the tee. But be warned: miss anywhere left of the green and you’ll be in the water.

Morgado Signature Hole

The 18th hole is Morgado’s signature hole. You’ll need a 200-yard tee shot to make the fairway, while bunkers will catch you out if you’re wayward left or right. You play onto an undulating green that’s slippery as anything. Getting a par here should be celebrated with a cold drink in the clubhouse.