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Amendoeira Faldo Golf Course

Sir Nick Faldo has put his name on very few courses, and Amendoeira Faldo is the one he built to be a genuine talking point. Opened in 2008 during Portugal Masters week, it reimagines a classic strategic layout for the Algarve's terrain: cacti and wild herbs stand in for heather, crushed limestone bunkers replace English sand, and the whole course carries a desert-hued character unlike anything else in the region. In 2016, it was named Portugal's Best Golf Course at the World Golf Awards.

This is a course that punishes guesswork. The 1st is a testing, uphill risk-reward par 4 that sets the tone immediately, and the challenge rarely lets up: a meandering watercourse crosses several holes on the front nine, the 5th offers the bold option of driving straight across the resort's largest lake, and the back nine holds a handful of blind shots that will keep the clubhouse conversation going long after the round. It closes with a genuinely testing par-5 18th. Faldo built this for the thoughtful player rather than the big hitter, and it plays that way, rewarding careful positioning far more than raw distance. Confident mid-to-low handicappers will find plenty to enjoy; higher handicappers should come prepared for a serious test.

Facilities include a full driving range, a resident academy, and a clubhouse restaurant with sweeping views over both Amendoeira courses. Pairing this with its sister course, the O'Connor Jnr next door, makes for one of the most complete two-course golf breaks in the central Algarve.