The first thing you see when you land at Funchal Airport in Madeira is a head shot of Cristiano Ronaldo but I can assure you that this stunning island has much more to offer than just a homage to their favourite son.
Madeira is renowned for its stunning natural volcanic landscapes, storied history and its local cuisine, especially Madeira wine, but it is also home to three breathtaking golf courses.
If Ronaldo ever fancies taking up golf when he does eventually retire from professional football, he need only look at his homeland as the perfect setting for a golfing oasis.
Madeira as a golfing destination shows no signs of standing still with the Sir Nick Faldo design at Ponta do Pargo on course for a 2026 opening.
Situated on the westernmost point of Madeira’s main island, this stunning design is perched high on the clifftops, boasting spectacular panoramic views of the Portuguese archipelago, drifting out to the Atlantic Ocean.
Faldo said: “Building on a site with such natural beauty is a golf course designer’s dream. It is one of those sites that you could walk a million times and still find yourself lost in the scenery. I walked the land and was instantly playing the course in my mind; I cannot wait to get a club in my hands.”
It is set to be a links course like never before and will become the fourth course in Madeira alongside Palheiro Golf, Club de Golf Santo da Serra and Porto Santo Golfe, three courses which were played on a recent visit to the island in the North Atlantic Ocean.
Palheiro Golf, Club de Golf Santo da Serra and Porto Santo Golfe are already an iconic and prestigious three-ball in Madeira after the island was named ‘World’s Best Emerging Golf Destination’ for its trio of acclaimed courses.
At the subsequent World Travel Awards, Madeira was crowned ‘World’s Leading Island Destination,’ only further establishing its place at the pinnacle of the golf and tourism sectors.
Palheiro Golf
The Cabell B Robinson-designed Palheiro Golf opened in 1993 and sits within the magnificent Palheiro Estate, which is more than 200 years old. The course borders the five-star Hotel Casa Velha do Palheiro and meanders through a pristine environment of maritime pine and botanical woodland, garnished with lush, sub-tropical vegetation.
And, at nearly 1,640ft above sea level, the location enjoys dramatic views of Madeira’s mountainous skyline and the vast Atlantic Ocean, as well as – nestling below, just 10 minutes away – the island’s capital, Funchal.
The par-72, 6,656-yard course takes full advantage of Madeira’s hilly terrain, with abrupt ridges and deep valleys. It is listed inside continental Europe’s top 200 in one benchmark course ranking, and the presence of a splendid hotel, secured a spot for Palheiro in the top 80 in two recent ‘best European golf resort’ lists.
As a test of golf, Palheiro Golf is tight off the tee with accuracy taking priority over distance as you need to find the right sections of the sloping fairways to have the ideal approach into the greens.
The par-3s are both strong fun and the tee boxes are often perched at a height looking down on a small green, making club selection of paramount importance.
In 2024, Palheiro Golf scooped the title of ‘World’s Best Panoramic Clubhouse’ for its sweeping vistas of the golf course, Atlantic Ocean and the city of Funchal.
Golfers can relax in the Hotel Casa Velha do Palheiro, a 220-year-old chateau that stands as a serene sanctuary, enveloped by the renowned Palheiro gardens and the magnificent 72-par Palheiro golf course. It is the perfect retreat to relax, revel in the gardens’ beauty, and explore the 150 hectare Palheiro Nature Estate.
www.palheironatureestate.com/palheiro-golf
Porto Santo Golfe
A short, 20-minute flight – or a two-and-a-half hour cruise – will cover the 27 miles between Madeira and the archipelago’s eastern-most island, Porto Santo, home to Porto Santo Golfe, which hosted the Madeira Islands Open between 2009 and 2011.
Laid out by Severiano Ballesteros, the 7,036-yard course, which opened in 2004 and was built to environmentally conscious standards, comprises two distinct nines, spanning an area from sand dunes to basalt cliffs.
The US-style southern route is dotted with lakes, requiring a long, precise game; while the northern route is atop yet more fantastic cliffs, near a stunning beach, also called Porto Santo. The signature hole is undoubtedly the 200-yard, par-three 13th, which requires a shot over a gorge to reach a cliff-top green.
When the wind blows, and boy can it blow this course can get firm and fast and presents more of a links challenge than a long parkland test.
Until the new Faldo course is built, Porto Santo provides the best panoramic views of Madeira’s coastline with many holes perched on top of cliffs.
Porto Santo is an iconic island with plenty of post golf activities to be enjoyed including a jeep tour which meanders around the island’s cliff drops and steep, curving roads.
http://www.santodaserragolf.com/
Clube de Golf Santo da Serra
Robert Trent Jones Snr’s 1991 redesign of Santo da Serra – which dates originally from 1937 – created a spectacular 27-hole complex in a beautiful natural landscape, with views of Porto Santo and the bay of Machico, where Portuguese navigators first landed in 1419.
The Machico and Desertas nines form the 6,825-yard championship course, on which the European Tour’s Madeira Islands Open was held on 10 occasions – Des Smyth won the tournament in 2001 before Michael Hoey claimed the title in 2011.
The third and fourth on the Machico are regarded as the signature holes, sitting atop cliffs more than 2,200ft above the Atlantic.
It’s not often that you get to play at a DP World Tour venue or former DP World Tour venue in this case but it’s easy to see why this was a long time host of the Madeira Islands Open. It’s a ball strikers paradise.
The par-5 2nd is an early treat with a dramatic elevation drop from the tee to the fairway which is guarded by a large lake, but the green is reachable, providing a great risk, reward hole early in the round.
After being battered and bruised by the gale force winds upon the cliffs of Porto Santo, this was a welcome chance to open the shoulders and play some front foot golf.
The clubhouse, perched above the practice putting green, provides stunning views of the surrounding terrain.
Madeira Island Golf Passport
Providing holders with an unrivalled golf experience on the island, the Madeira Island Golf Passport is available to both individuals and groups and can be booked on a three or five-round basis.
Costing €280 per person for three rounds and €410 for a five-round package, the standard passport – which is valid for a two-week period – includes golf at Clube de Golfe Santo da Serra and Palheiro Golf and free golf course transfers to and from your hotel.
There is also the opportunity to book tee times directly with the clubs prior to travel, while golfers can upgrade to Madeira’s premium golf passport, which includes return ferry travel to Porto Santo and 18 holes on the island’s acclaimed golf course.
https://madeiragolfpassport.com/
For more information visit: http://www.visitmadeira.com
Leave a comment