Benamor Golf Course

Benamor golf course carries one of the more unusual stories in Algarve golf. Sir Henry Cotton, the three-time Open champion who later shaped Vale do Lobo's Ocean course, was invited to design it in 1986, drawn to the site by an old church that still stands beside the clubhouse today. Cotton died before construction began, and it was architect Howard Swan who carried his original vision through to completion, opening the course in 2000 as the first ever built east of the Algarve.

The result is a gentler test than its neighbours, and that's very much the point. Two nines, both starting and finishing near the clubhouse, roll through olive, carob, and fig trees with the Serra do Caldeirão to the north and the Atlantic to the south. The front nine plays short and forgiving; the back nine tightens up and asks for more precision, particularly around the 13th, where a rivulet crosses the fairway. The old church reappears on the approach to the 18th, a quiet, memorable way to finish. This isn't a course built to punish. It's built to be enjoyed, and regulars come back precisely because a round here rarely feels crowded or rushed.

Facilities include a driving range, a resident academy, and a relaxed clubhouse restaurant with a genuine local, members'-club feel rather than a corporate one. For golfers based in Tavira who want a scenic, unhurried round without the crowds of the bigger-name courses, Benamor is exactly that.

Course Map