“I’ve been coming to Quinta do Lago for years and was thinking it might be getting a bit ‘long-in-the-tooth’. It is, after all, 50 years old!”

— David J Whyte

16th South is all downhill to the best view of Casa do Lago Restaurant, Ria Formosa and the Atlantic Ocean.

I enjoy coming back to a place I know. The same old roundabout greeted me with its famous squiggly ‘Q’ sign. I noticed the offices where Rita, the PR manager used to work. I wondered if she was still there. The familiar Algarve heat hit me!

The last time I was here was when Paul McGinley opened his golf academy. That was a decade ago! Before that, I brought the family and rented a small villa with pool. QDL is flexible that way. Plenty for everyone!

THE MAGNOLIA

This time I checked into the Magnolia, the resort’s ‘boutique’ hotel which reminds me of a 50s American motel. It sits just outside the resort but is still handy for all the courses & amenities not to mention other courses in the area such as Vilamoura, San Lorenzo and Vale do Lobo. For that reason, the Magnolia is popular with golf groups - not to mention its reasonable prices. If you’re looking for something ritzier there are options in & around QDL such as The Wyndham, The Conrad and the Hotel Quinta do Lago, all top 5-star.

We had lunch at the Magnolia then headed for our first round.

THE NORTH

“The North is one of many courses that would fair better if they were located somewhere else! ”

12 North makes good use of the lake which you’re bound to have to deal with...

The North is one of many courses that would fair better if they were located somewhere else! In this case, its ‘sisters’ are just so darned attractive! Nevertheless, it’s a good opening round with long fairways laced between umbrella pines and undulating terrain making for a steady test of length & accuracy while roomy enough for us average types.

Definitely a ‘buggy’ course, the North has seen significant improvements since I last played. McGinley had a hand in the recent remodelling a couple of years ago and it benefits from the high level of greenkeeping applied to all QDL’s courses. Water comes in most notably at the 12th, a long, trepidatious turn around a yawningly large lake leaving an unavoidable and unsettling leap to reach dry land.

THE SOUTH

16th South framed by a beautiful backdrop

The Portuguese Open’s been played on the South Course eight times now so it has the pedigree but it’s playable and enjoyable for every level of golfer. The terrain is flatter than the North and the ball seems to sit up better. There’s not a lot of trouble apart from the occasional tree that can mysteriously get in the way. But it’s the lovely movement, twists & turns and gradual rise & fall that keep you engaged. You could play this course again and again and never get bored!

It’s a long way but let’s just say, don’t leave it short. 15th South

There are lots of magical holes but the 15th & 16th spring most readily to mind, the 15th a par 3 fronted by a wide lake that takes at least a hybrid to cross. My favourite though is the 16th where on this occasion a tree blocked progress asking for a big fade/slice onto the picturesque green. It worked! Why is it that those kind of ‘flook’ shots stick so long in the memory?

My golf journalist buddy, Antoine from Paris performing a sandy escape at the 16th!

As per the North, the South has been here for 50 years but, like the entire resort, it’s only gotten better with time and the recent refurb has ensured it’s ‘still game’ after all these years. QDL got lucky BTW with timing when they had planned to carry out significant improvements throughout the resort. Along came the pandemic and most of the work was done during the downtime.

LARANJAL

Laranjal, QDL’s third and youngest course, is completely different from the other two. It's located 5 kilometres from the resort and was at one time actually an orange grove with a few citrus trees still dotting the periphery. There’s zesty movement throughout this truly delightful track and a fair few water hazards to add to the mix.

Looking at the scorecard, you realise they did an imaginative job with the limited land available. The course works in two loops but you don't notice. It seems to change direction continuously offering a completely different angle and set of circumstances on every hole.

We were the first group out in the morning, playing with the ducks and moorhens and sped around in less than 4 hours. This is the only one of the three courses that you can comfortably walk. The conditions are pristine.

In the early morning dew, Laranjal is a zesty test on every hole

An interesting feature is the greenside aprons which force you to fly all the way onto the green no matter how far out you are. And there are a lot of the greens with false fronts so, although it’s not a difficult course, it’s the approaches that make it all the more challenging.

The biggest drama is reserved for the last. The 18th is a twisted dogleg that winds between two large lakes. It’s a lengthy par 5 so you could break it down but any element of ‘going for it’ will bring water into play.

The 18th twists between two large lakes making for the most dramatic of finishing holes.

I could happily say the Laranjal is my favourite of the three as it’s so different from the others but sorry, the top slot stays with the South - although Laranjal is a fabulous addition!

THE CAMPUS

Any of you who know me will know I’m not the sporty type! We took a spin around the Campus, QDL’s latest addition and I considered, if only momentarily, even I could take to doing a bit of training. The Campus brings all sorts of activities into play and has helped put the pep back into Quinta do Lago. Padel's perennially popular, tennis too. Kids have all sorts of camps for football, rugby, tennis & golf while professional teams show up for winter training. Their motto here is ‘Be Elite, Whatever your Level’. There’s hope for me yet!

PERSONALITY CULT

Quinta do Lago has long been popular with soccer celebs such as Frank Lampard, Michael Owen and Alan Shearer. Dragons' Den star Peter Jones owns a villa while Chris Evans and Holly Willoughby are regulars. The addition of the new Campus sports facility seems to be attracting a younger set of top athletes so if you’re going to put your considerable sports earnings into real estate, QDL is the place to do it!

Real estate at QDL looking onto both North & South is nothing if not discreet.

Some of the villas overlooking the golf courses are simply outstanding as is no doubt their cost. We took a look at apartments for rent at around €600 per night. I used to get an entire holiday for that! It’s the ability to mix the high-end residents with us ‘normies’ that make Quinta do Lago such a great, all-encompassing destination.

RESTAURANTS

João Carraco, the in-house mixologist conjures up a super-citrusy concoction

There are no less than 14 restaurants within the estate and they cover just about every type of dish you could wish for.

We started at Bovino Steakhouse with João Carraco, the in-house mixologist whetting our appetite with a super citrusy concoction. The main meal was all the better for it matched with some impeccable wine!

Bovino finds the perfect wine to pair with your steak

Casa do Lago is QDL’s al Fresco restaurant. I didn’t eat there this time but have fond memories of its delightful lakeside setting with fabulous fresh seafood, salads and grilled meats.

Next, we tried Umami, the 13th restaurant in Quinta do Lago and definitely lucky for us diners presenting robatayaki or robata cuisine, seafood, veg or meat done over a hot charcoal barbecue. You can have sushi and sashimi accompanied by Sake-infused cocktails for the full experience.

WHEN TO COME

Take note, the months of May and October are busy with groups not necessarily from QDL but from the surrounding areas of Vilarmura eager to sample arguably the best courses in the area.

SEAL THE DEAL

QDL isn’t your typical Algarve guys’ golf getaway. For that, Vilamoura and Western Algarve might suit you better. But for those that want top quality golf in an impeccable environment with supreme levels of service, this is probably the best deal on this coast!

The Magnolia offers good package prices with golf on the North and Laranjal but you need to add on at least two rounds on the South course to feel really satisfied. My ideal 5-day getaway with 4 rounds would be North and Laranjal along with two on the South to savour one of the best courses on the Algarve, if not all of Europe!

DRIVER of DISTINCTION

In a delightful twist to my tale, I waited on my transfer from QDL to Faro Airport to be picked up by ex-tour pro Antonio ‘Tó’ Rosado who’s now working as a driver for one of the upmarket car firms. Tó did well on the Sunshine Tour in South Africa before returning to his native Algarve. Tó knows a lot of the golf guys in Madeira so it was great to chat with him.

Some Things Never Grow Old