12th–19th May
3 OGC Members and 1 Guest
Some golf trips are carefully planned sporting expeditions. Others become a week of golf, food, wine and gradually making peace with the fact that the wind is stronger than your golf swing.
This was somewhere in the middle.
Travel – Surprisingly Painless
We flew EasyJet from Gatwick to Lisbon, with flights costing approximately £250 per person return, including golf bags and cabin luggage.
There had been plenty of discussion beforehand around airport delays and the introduction of EES. We were mentally preparing for scenes resembling a zombie apocalypse crossed with Christmas Eve at Bluewater.
In reality? Nothing of the sort.
Our 9:40am flight turned out to be a decent option. Door-to-gate took roughly two hours (as expected) and was stress-free to a point. Whether that would have been the same at 6am remains a mystery best left unexplored. A later flight might have been even easier.
On arrival, we skipped the pre-booked transfer route and opted for an Uber. Cost: 125 Euros for the one-hour journey to Praia D'El Rey.
The Uber collection point in Lisbon airport car park can only really be described as organised chaos. At first glance, it appears impossible. Ten minutes later, you realise everyone somehow knows what they're doing except you.
Still, it worked perfectly and avoiding taxi waiting charges felt like an early victory.
Accommodation – Spacious, Comfortable but in Need of Fresh Air
The first lesson of the trip came immediately:
Check in at Resort Reception, NOT the hotel reception.
Trust us on this one.
Resort reception sits beside the Praia D'El Rey clubhouse and after a straightforward check-in process, we were whisked to our villa via shuttle.
Our three-bedroom villa with private pool was a five-minute walk away, one minute by shuttle, and was absolutely enormous.
Large terrace? Tick. Big living area? Tick. Fully equipped kitchen? Tick. Swimming pool? Tick.
Swimming pool temperature suitable for human use? Let's move on.
The villa itself felt slightly tired and probably hadn't seen much action during the quieter season. Fortunately, opening some windows and giving it a good airing transformed things quickly.
For reference, kitchen facilities were excellent — dishwasher, washing machine and everything needed if you wanted to self-cater.
Resort Life
We spent our first afternoon exploring and using the complimentary resort shuttle service.
The nearby market was perfectly usable but fairly limited if you're planning a week of self-catering luxury.
Alternative options include:
- Sweet-talking shuttle drivers
- Uber trips to larger supermarkets
- Accepting that beer and crisps count as essentials
No golf on arrival day turned out to be a blessing and allowed us to settle in properly.
Dinner was taken at the Marriott, where we opted for the buffet:
30 Euros each
15 Euros unlimited drinks package
Unlimited beer, wine and coffee for fifteen Euros felt almost suspiciously good value.
The white wine was perfectly drinkable.
The rosé appeared to have spent some time considering a career as red wine.
The sunset from the terrace, though, was spectacular.
Aside from the drinks package Rosé wine, we found an excellent option called Crasto - highly recommended blush.
Golf Day One – West Cliffs
Wednesday, 9am tee time.
West Cliffs immediately makes an impression.
The course was presented in outstanding condition and the views across the coastline are genuinely spectacular.
The challenge?
Wind.
Lots of it.
We played from the Yellow 55 tees (5,500m) which for our group of roughly 12–15 handicappers felt ideal.
The layout itself is demanding enough without trying to prove anything.
One thing to note:
Take a buggy.
Walking is possible, but on some holes there's a genuine concern the group behind may overtake you between tees and ask if you've packed a lunch.
The clubhouse was excellent too with fantastic views overlooking the course.
Evening – Óbidos
That evening we ventured into Óbidos via Uber (20 Euros) and immediately understood why everyone recommends it.
Beautiful castle walls. • Narrow cobbled streets. • Great bars. • Fantastic atmosphere.
Dinner was at Ja!mon Ja!mon, where the trick is very simple:
Order tapas gradually.
Ordering everything immediately would probably require medical assistance by course three.
Day two
Golf Day Two – Praia D'El Rey
If West Cliffs introduced us to Portuguese wind, Praia D'El Rey decided to fully commit to the experience.
Another 9am tee time and another stunning golf course.
The coastal stretch here is exceptional, and there were simply too many memorable holes to list individually.
At one point, the strategy genuinely involved aiming drives out towards the Atlantic and trusting the wind to bring them back onto land.
This feels wrong.
Apparently, it works.
We played the Blue 57 tees (5,700m), and once again, it felt spot on.
Difficult enough to challenge but not impossible.
Evening – Peniche
Peniche divided opinion.
The Uber there became memorable immediately, thanks to four grown men attempting to fit into a Fiat Panda.
Comfort levels were low. Entertainment levels were high. At 9 Euros, none of us felt able to complain.
We stopped at the craft beer venue, No.1 Bar, reportedly the town's first bar after the revolution, and sensibly avoided the 12% option.
Following this came a seafood feast at Rocha, where portion sizes could best be described as "optimistic".
Our waiter also seemed more excited than we were.
We probably wouldn't rush back to Peniche itself, although nearby Baleal looked far more appealing and is firmly on the list next time.
Golf Day Three – Royal Óbidos
Wind gusts: approximately 40mph
Golf swings: increasingly experimental.
Royal Óbidos may actually have been our favourite purely from a layout perspective.
Absolutely stunning holes throughout and perhaps the strongest course architecture of the week.
Once again, we played the Blue 55 tees (5,500m), and once again, it felt spot on. Don't be embarrassed to play these tees; they suggest them for a reason. Yellows would have been an option, but not in these winds.
The clubhouse terrace looked excellent, although sadly remained enclosed because otherwise tables may have ended up somewhere near Porto.
This also happened to be the final day of our internal competition:
The LAV Golf Cup
"We're Flushed."
Editor's note:
I won.
Day Three Evening – Back to Óbidos
That evening we returned to Óbidos, which had already made a strong case for being the unofficial fifth member of the trip.
We started with a couple of bottles of rosé at a pretty courtyard bar/café that appeared to be more of a local venue than a tourist trap. Great setting, lovely atmosphere and, at 14 Euros a bottle, very dangerous value.
Dinner followed at Petrarum Domus, and this was the food highlight of the week. The restaurant was fantastic, the service was excellent, and every dish landed well across the group. I had the octopus, which was melt-in-the-mouth perfect, while everyone else was equally enthusiastic about their food.
The wine also deserves a mention. We ordered a dry white — or, as our now highly advanced Portuguese had it, “vino blanco seco”. The bottle was Arinto, and it was exceptional. So good, in fact, that it has now become one of those wines I’ll be trying to track down back home, probably with far less elegance and a lot more Googling.
Final Round – The Return to West Cliffs
By our final round, we knew the course better and that familiarity paid off.
Despite even stronger winds, the Scramble pairs format created a brilliant day with plenty of laughs.
Personally, there was also an eagle on the short par four 9th.
No further comment required.
Food, Wine and Going Out in Style
We had moved the final tee time to an earlier slot, which opened up a rather civilised wine-fuelled afternoon in what was the nicest of the three clubhouses.
The plan was simple:
Watch the FA Cup final.
Enjoy a few drinks.
Relax after golf.
I say "watch" — by the end of the afternoon, we're not entirely sure anyone could confidently tell you who actually won.
The final evening itself was kept simple, with dinner back at the Marriott Hotel for convenience. We opted for the à la carte menu this time, and the food was excellent.
The final bill, however, raised a few eyebrows.
After some reflection and a brief internal investigation, we concluded this had very little to do with the food itself and considerably more to do with:
- Wine
- Beer
- Port
- Espresso Martini
- Ginja
For those unfamiliar, Ginja is a Portuguese liqueur made from Morello cherries and falls firmly into the category of "this tastes harmless" right before you order another one.
As final evenings go, we did things properly.
We went out in style.
Going Home
Our final day involved a 5pm flight, which turned out perfectly.
We booked a taxi through reception (160 Euros) and despite arriving three hours early at Lisbon airport, we cleared customs in around twenty minutes.
I did, however, manage to leave my jacket behind.
Fortunately, the resort has arranged its return for £35, which actually felt remarkably reasonable.
Some people bring home souvenirs.
Others outsource them via courier.
Would We Go Back?
Absolutely.
100%.
Outstanding golf courses • Beautiful scenery • Fantastic people • Great food • Excellent value.
Óbidos alone is worth seeing, while the golf speaks for itself.
For serious golfers and mid-handicappers, it's difficult to fault.
Beginners? Possibly a little tougher, especially when the Atlantic decides to join your round.
Cost Breakdown (Per Person)
Villa with breakfast included
£499
Four rounds of golf with buggies
£480
Flights including golf bags
£250
Approximate total before food and drinks:
£1,229 per person - Prices may vary
Worth every penny.
You can view these courses as well as our other international options on the OGC Plus page on this website. OGC can arrange accommodation and tee times on your behalf.
