The natural hues of green and blue make Madeira the ideal setting for a round of golf. Considered a real golf paradise, Madeira is fast becoming the definitive choice for both amateur and professional golfers alike.
Madeira has the best that life has to offer. The temperature is mild and stable all year round. Its unspoilt natural environment offers fresh air, unforgettable walks and breathtaking scenery. The food is rich in flavour and seeped in tradition. There are endless ways to spend unforgettable holidays here, just a few hours’ flight away from Europe.
Situated close to the famous gardens of Quinta do Palheiro, which date back to the beginning of the nineteenth century and are famous for their wide range of exotic flora, the Palheiro course offers fabulous views over Funchal bay, the sea and the Ilhas Desertas in the distance.
The par-72 course was designed by the architect Cabell Robinson, a former assistant of Robert Trent Jones, who had already done work in Portugal and took care to make the most of the hills, mountain peaks and deep valleys that are a typical feature of the Madeira landscape, in order to provide golfers with an exciting and competitive round.
At the Palheiro course, there are five par-3, nine par-4 and four par-5 holes, including the final hole which leads up to the beautiful clubhouse, built in the Madeira style and offering golfers the chance to relax and enjoy the unforgettable panoramic view over the city of Funchal.
Characteristics and Services:
- Inauguration year / 1993
- Author/architect / Cabell Robinson
- Professional length / 6086 m
- Men's championship length / 5859 m
- Ladies' championship length / 5448 m
- Number of holes in course / 18
- Par of the course / 72
- Driving Range
- Putting green
- Chipping area
- Clubs hire
- Buggies
- Trolleys
- Electric trolleys
- Individual lessons
- Group lessons
- Golf clinic
- Main events / Palheio Open, Anniversary Salver
This course, designed by Robert Trent Jones Jr and inaugurated in September 1991, offers fantastic panoramic views over the ocean and is one of the most breathtaking mountain courses in Europe. It has hosted the Madeira Open since 1993 and has received fulsome praise from European Tour professionals and the specialist press.
Because it is built on very irregular terrain at an altitude of 670 metres above sea level and in an area of profuse vegetation, the realisation of this project required a huge effort in every sense. Nonetheless, Trent Jones succeeded in giving the 27 holes, (the third nine-hole loop was opened in October 1998) a logical, interdependent design. One of the most spectacular holes is hole number 4 (on the Machico course), a par 3, where the drive to the green is played over a ravine filled with very dense vegetation. The whole course provides players with most extraordinary views.
Characteristics and Services:
- Inauguration year / 1991
- Author/architect / Robert Trent Jones Snr.
- Professional length / 6241 m + 2911 m
- Number of holes in course / 18 + 9
- Par of the course / 72
- Driving Range
- Putting green
- Chipping area
- Buggies
- Trolleys
- Individual lessons
Spreading out over the idyllic island of Porto Santo, the layout of the course was planned in such a way as to blend harmoniously with the landscape and to respect the island’s ecosystems, taking advantage of the native plant species and the various lakes already existing there.
It is an extensive and demanding course set in a spectacular landscape, one that is capable of attracting not only professional players, but also less experienced golfers, being divided into two different areas.
The southern course comes close to the traditional style of the best American courses, with a number of lakes and the island’s long beach as a backdrop. It calls for a good and accurate long game. The abundance of strategically placed lakes is a good test of any golfer’s power of concentration.
The northern course is enhanced by the island’s high cliffs and combines the best features of British links courses with spectacular scenery, providing an unrepeatable challenge for golfers. Amongst its most impressive holes are numbers 13, 14 and 15, which run along the cliff top and allow players to enjoy magnificent views over the sea as they contemplate the jagged shoreline.
Characteristics and Services:
- Inauguration year / 2004
- Author/architect / Severiano Ballesteros
- Professional length / 6434 m
- Men's championship length / 5984 m
- Ladies' championship length / 5357 m
- Number of holes in course / 18 + 9
- Par of the course / 72
- Driving Range
- Putting green
- Chipping area
- Clubs hire
- Buggies
- Caddies
- Trolleys
- Electric trolleys
- Individual lessons
- Group lessons
- Golf clinic
- Main events / Madeira Open-European Tour