Alto Golf Course
Course information & details
Description:
Alto was the last course Sir Henry Cotton ever designed, and it shows a different side of him than the wide, forgiving layouts he's known for elsewhere. Opened in 1991 across two valleys near Alvor, this is a tight, technical test built for golfers who can shape the ball both ways, not muscle their way around.
Small, elevated greens and well-placed bunkers punish anything loose, and the fairways rarely give a second chance on a mis-hit. The front nine opens with sea views toward the bay of Lagos before the course tucks into rolling terrain on the back nine, building toward its most famous moment: the par-5 16th, known as Sir Henry's Challenge, reputed to be one of the longest par 5s in Europe at well over 500 metres. It's a genuine three-shot hole for most golfers, and a fitting climax to a round built on precision rather than power. This isn't a course that overwhelms with scale, it wins you over with craft, and regulars keep coming back specifically because it demands more thought than most Algarve rounds.
Facilities include a driving range, a resident academy, and a clubhouse restaurant with views back over both valleys. Alto sits close to Alvor and Portimão, making it an easy, low-key addition to a wider Algarve trip for golfers who want a proper technical test without the crowds of the bigger resort courses.
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Details
18
70
5432 m / 5975 yd
5178 m / 5696 yd
4671 m / 5138 yd
Bermuda
Penn Links
Bermuda
Gents < 28 | Ladies < 36
Facilities
n/a
Sir Henry Cotton
Hotel, S.A.
Rui Gago
Rob Cheney and Paul Tipper
Miguel Grosso
Information
Everyday from 7:45am to 8:00pm
Everyday from 7:45am to 8:00pm
Yes
Yes
No
With Restaurant and Snack bar
Without GPS
Manual and Electric
n/a
Tony Bennett (TB), Kevin Parry (KP)
Yes
Up to 16 years old
Tecnical
Totally
Sloping fairways
If Essential
16th
2 Ponds that come into play, plus lateral ditches
With Pines and other varieties
Few but nothing to acute
Typical UK style designed course
Directions:
Via Infante (A22) - Portimão Exit-5 and take road south into the town. After the third roundabout keep to the left hand side and go down and through a short tunnel. Keep straight on and about 1 km later road curves to the left and feeds into another road. Keep straight and on the third roundabout with fountain turn right into a dual carriageway going west. At the next roundabout turn to the right and the course entrance is about 0.4 kms on the right side off a smaller roundabout.
GPS:
Lat:
Lon:
Directions from: Ok
