Jon-Bxl

Hi last year a friend visited and I started this thread about golf companies

http://britishexpats.com/forum/showthread.php?p=9899036

Great info there - thanks again.

However I am having friends visit late April who want to golf, and I would love to take them to a lovely course within say 30 mins of CE - which is

1. great to play on - with
2. wonderful scenery and atmosphere and
3. a great golf club to tell yarns and replay each shot afterwards (as you golfers love to do !! )

There are so many to choose from, CE not excepted, so I am looking for expert guidance. Please can you recommend the ones you like the best - with a rough indication of price, only (full package rental and buggy etc) - or if you know the management contact details for deals that would be handy, please.

Within reason I don't think the budget is that important - but nothing too crazy please... the 3 points above are actually key.

I'd probably arrange through one of the companies on the thread above, but if its a good idea to double check directly, please let me know.


Thanks in advance

Jon

The Pope

Jon,

In spain

Costa Esuri
Isla Canela
Islantilla
El Rompido
La Monacilla
Bellavista

In Portugal

Quinta Do Vale
Castro Marim
Quinta Da Ria
Quinta De Cima
Benamor

Theres plenty to play there and I haven't even mentioned East Algarves number 1 course Monte Rei if your budget stretches that far...

Jon-Bxl

Thanks for this -but you see my problem, theres so much to choose from...!! (Thats a positive of course!)

Do you have a preference please (and roughly what should I budget for the average of the ones above vs Monte rei roughly)

I reckon they will play 1 perhaps 2 courses so want to pick the one that is most preferred.... or a favourite.

i.e If you had one day in the region - which would you choose, please?

Thanks
Jon

The Pope

Jon

Thats a tough one... I speak to clients every day and ask them what they like and the different opinions are amazing, it's all dependant on standard of the golf they play, the weather that day, the condition of the course that day....

To give you an example 2 very different groups played the same courses they gave different answers that same question only last week!

Group 1 - Single figure handicap's

Liked Esuri / QDV
Didnt Like Ria/Cima/ - (5 and half hour rounds) following hackers
Didnt Like Castro

Groups 2 - Mid 20 Handicappers

Liked Castro and Cima
Didnt like QDV (lost too many balls) & Esuri - too long

Most of the courses are in VGC at the moment and with this rain April they should be in good condition still, just check tho because they hollow tine in April !

The Pope

If it was my choice...

I would play Castro & Esuri.... best of both worlds....

One short and tight the other long and wide...(Matron!)

Mitto

Monte Rei is by far the best in the area, it comes at a premium (150 euros ish) which includes a buggy but the course, condition, service and all round experience will be the best you can find. It is usually very quiet so easy to enjoy your round.

I'm a big fan of Costa Esuri, Quinta Do Vale and even Castro Marim and all three offer different challenges. Esuri is quite long, especially the par 3's, Quinta is long and very tough (loads of water!) and Castro is short and fairly tight.

Depending on how many games you intend to play, Monte Rei would be my top choice, followed by Esuri.

AndyS

I really enjoy Esuri, El Rompido and QDV is a real challenge with all that water, but imho for a treat and the ultimate golf experience , from the moment you are greeted on arrival Monte Rei is unrivalled. Yes it is pricey but it is a great course and the whole experience is one that lives long in the memory (my friends still talk about their day there, which was three years ago) It may be be worth a call to see if they have any unofficial deals going on. I recall ringing them and being offered the chance to play in a comp with members, buggy and lunch for about Eur 120 (if memory serves). As others have said, there are so many good (and reasonably priced) courses, you would be hard pressed to pick a dud. Shame we lost the second course at Esuri, as that had the potential to become a real challenge, once it matured.

Jon-Bxl

Thanks Andy, mitto and the Pope

My friends are coming from USA+Europe and I really want to have them see the best as they may only golf once - whilst there for a long weekend. I want to hog their time around this as I don't golf. I'll see if their budget will handle this sort of amount. I'm sure it will, if not you've given me some good ideas.

I like to have them see a great clubhouse as well, at the end of the game, point 3 above, and I think ours in Esuri isn't as good as others... (sorry just IMHO) and we will probably pop there anyway for a quick drink, whilst waiting for a taxi into town. I have seen the ElRompido and QDV clubhouses and they are great. In fact I often go to QDV for a drink on their great terrace - just for the view.

Is there any update on the deal the 4 local clubs were trying to set up, where you could play on any once a member is one.. a sort of package deal?

Thanks all for the update

Jon

BILL AND CLAIRE

Hi Jon..The one that tics all your boxes in my opinion is Quinta De Cima..Millionare Golf..Great Views..

The Pope

Just a shame it takes over 5 hours to go round tho Bill..

A & M

Yes, we were puzzled too by the description of Cima as offering "millionaire golf". Normally that means to us quick play and not many other people on the course - maybe Bill means something else by the phrase? Certainly a great course, but like its sister course Ria, sadly afflicted by the "Algarve disease" (glacially slow play).

To our mind, though, Monte Rei certainly ticks the boxes of 1) great course (rated no. 1 in Portugal and no. 10 in Europe by one guide), 2) great views, 3) "millionaire golf" - never very full (because of the high price, probably), but in any event the tee times are 15 min apart so you rarely see anyone else on the hole you are playing.

A lesson other courses could learn - we walked off Vila Sol last week after taking 2.5 hours to play 9 holes; queuing on every tee, waiting to play every shot. We won't go back in a hurry.

The Pope

I hear this everyday... Cima upto 6 hours...

Germany have a different handicap system to the UK and allow players well over 28!.....

The Pope

http://www.1golf.eu/en/club/golf-clu...tenkirchen-ev/

54 For Men during the week and 28 at weekends.....!

mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

BILL AND CLAIRE

Most people dont lose as many balls as you
What was it 18 the last time you played there..
I know you found it funny, But taking out your
Snorkle and mask was bloody annoying..
I think you should stick to what your good at
what ever that may be..

The Pope