An ocean drive on the Algrave (From Hampshire Society)

An ocean drive on the Algrave

2:22pm Thursday 2nd April 2009

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If your local club has been quieter than usual during golf’s leaner months of late winter and early spring, I may well be able to tell you why.

The chances are the regular fairway faces have joined a constant stream of golfers who head for Portugal’s popular Algarve to top up with a bit of sun and lush green fairways.

The Algarve is packed with sun and beach-seeking holidaymakers throughout the long summer but, as the blistering temperatures drop a notch or two, they are replaced with an army of eager golfers.

Suitcases are outnumbered by golf bags on Faro Airport’s arrivals carousel during the winter and early spring as pairs, couples, golf societies and club groups head for the wonderful courses dotted around the Algarve.

I was lucky enough to test two of the best with a colleague – the famous Ocean and Royal courses of Vale do Lobo.

Anyone who has ever thought of swinging a club abroad will have heard of glorious Vale do Lobo, which has been attracting golfers since it opened in the early 1960s.

Until then the area had mainly been home to farmers and fishermen. It was only after the establishment of Vale do Lobo, its five-star Dona Filipa Hotel and the first golf course, that Faro International Airport was opened.

The expanding resort now covers about 450 hectares, has a 2km private beach, more than 1,500 villas and apartments – 20 per cent of them house permanent residents – one of the largest tennis facilities in Portugal and 15 different restaurants.

The resort is so big that moving around without a vehicle would be difficult. But Vale do Lobo has its own security company and staff are never more than ten minutes away with their handy circuit bus.

A lot of people playing golf stay at Vale do Lobo, but many more come from the surrounding tourist areas and put the venue top of their play list.

Such is the popularity of Vale do Lobo that course marshals spend a lot of time shepherding players along to prevent congestion.

Buggies, you would think, would help the situation but most of the time they have to be kept on the paths. Therefore we quickly learned to take a few clubs in hand when our ball was on the opposite side of the fairway to save traipsing all the way back to change an iron.

The front nine holes take you around the inland part of the course before the tenth heads out towards the wonderful coastline.

Breathtaking views come into play on the 11th and 14th greens, which are no more than a putt from the beach and the par three 15th runs alongside the golden sands.

For the record, my partner won the match with an outrageous putt on the 18th after zigzagging his way up the fairway and making the most of ‘free drop’ rules – no bad feelings there, then!

Among Vale do Lobo’s top attractions is the Wellness Centre. Apparently Cristiano Ronaldo made the most of the facilities as he kept a low profile from the press following his part in Wayne Rooney’s sending off in the 2006 World Cup.

We paid a visit after a tough day on the course and made the most of the relaxing facilities, which included treatment rooms, saunas, steam rooms and pool. A Swedish massage restored the aching muscles ready for play on the Royal Course the following day.

The Royal – probably the more popular of the two courses, which have both staged top events such as the European Tour’s Portuguese Open – offers golfers a very different game.

It is characterised by undulating tight fairways set amidst pine trees and beautiful lakes.

Golfers travel to the Algarve just for the privilege of standing on the famous 16th tee – one of the most photographed holes in world golf – and taking on the par three across the russet cliffs.

With our match tied my colleague went home with the series title – courtesy of his scrambled par on the Ocean’s 18th and a fluke hole-in-one in a warm-up match on the crazy golf park.

FACTFILE
Low fares airline Monarch flies to Faro from Gatwick. Fares, including taxes, start from £46.50 one way (£82.50 return).

Passengers on scheduled flights can avoid airport queues by checking in online between seven days and four hours before departure. For more information visit monarch.co.uk l Accommodation at Vale do Lobo starts from 80 euros per day in a standard one bedroom, one bathroom apartment in low season (November to February).This includes a Resort Card offering 50 per cent discount on golf green fees, as well as other discounts in the spa, restaurants and shops.

l Vale do Lobo offers various three or seven-night golf or spa packages. For example a seven-night golf holiday costs from 693 euros per person including accommodation, car rental, breakfast, three rounds on the Ocean Course and two rounds on the Royal Course. A three-night Royal Spa pampering package costs from 402 euros per person and includes accommodation, breakfast, unlimited use of spa facilities and daily treatments.

l For more information visit valedolobo.com, or call 00 351 289 353 333.

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