Castro Marim Golf & Country Club

Castro Marim Golfe & Country Club sits at Sítio Lavajinho, outside Castro Marim in the eastern Algarve. The heart of the club is golf: three separate nine-hole courses, The Guadiana, The Atlantic (Atlântico) and The Grouse, which are combined into 18-hole rounds such as Grouse with Guadiana or Atlântico with Guadiana. Mixing the loops keeps the golf varied for anyone playing here more than once.

The courses

The Guadiana and Atlântico nines are the older and more established pair, laid out by the Bristol architect Terry Murray. Pine trees frame many of their fairways. Their defining features are quick, true-rolling greens, several of them raised and guarded by bunkers, along with elevated tees and dogleg fairways cut through canyon-like ground.

The Grouse is the newest of the three and has a different character. It is more open, with fewer trees and rolling terrain, and it offers long views out over the inland hills. Despite being the youngest nine, the club describes it as having matured well.

Wildlife on the fairways

The estate supports plenty of wildlife. Golfers may come across wild boar, rabbits and a range of birds, and partridge are especially common in winter. Some property owners have even reported glimpsing the rare Iberian lynx on The Grouse during early-morning rounds.

Academy and lessons

The academy is run by Peter O'Connor, son of the Ryder Cup player Christy O'Connor Senior. He has worked as a golf professional in Ireland, the Bahamas, Germany, Italy and Portugal, and he coaches every level, from complete beginners to low-handicap players. The programme covers golf clinics, group sessions and short-game coaching. There are also individual lessons of half an hour or an hour, multi-lesson packages, and on-course playing lessons over nine or 18 holes, with green fees charged separately.

Practical information

Tee times can be booked through the club's website or by contacting the golf bookings team directly. The site offers hole-by-hole guides and scorecards for each nine, and regular players can take out a subscription. Beyond golf, the club has a restaurant, hosts events and weddings, rents out holiday villas, and sells villas and individual building plots. It suits golfers of all abilities, from visitors wanting a varied round in a natural setting to those planning a longer golfing stay with lessons.