The course study
Overview
The Old Course at Vilamoura is the original — the course that put this stretch of the Algarve on the European golf map when it opened in 1969 and still the most architecturally complete of the five Dom Pedro courses. Frank Pennink's design was commissioned by Lusotur, the developer that built Vilamoura from scratch out of farm land in the 1960s, and it is one of the few Algarve courses routed through genuinely mature umbrella-pine and cork-oak woodland rather than planted-in-the-last-decade pine belts. The trees are the course's single strongest defensive feature and the reason the Old Course still plays smarter than many far newer Algarve layouts.
The course has hosted the Portuguese Open multiple times — Seve Ballesteros won here in 1984 — and was restored under Martin Hawtree in 2014–15 with the greens re-built to modern USGA specs and the bunkering reshaped to Pennink's original drawings. The conditioning today is genuinely strong year-round, and the Old Course remains the golf-purist's choice among the Vilamoura rotation. The other four Dom Pedro courses (Pinhal, Victoria, Millennium, and Laguna) have their places, but this is the one that matters architecturally.
The experience
The Old Course is a classical tree-lined parkland round in the best sense — the trees dictate strategy on almost every hole, the greens are small and firm, and the appeal is cumulative rather than dramatic. Visitors who arrive expecting Nicklaus-era signature holes or modern-resort theatre leave disappointed; visitors who engage with Pennink's design thinking — short, strategic par-4s; precise approach lines; tree-framed doglegs — leave talking about it for days.
Pace of play is generally good (four hours in season, closer to three-and-a-half in winter) because the course is compact and the routing is logical. The tree cover is the densest in the Algarve, which means the course plays significantly cooler than Quinta do Lago or Vale do Lobo in summer — worth noting for July and August itineraries. Walking is entirely feasible and rewarding, particularly in the cooler months. The clubhouse is older and less photogenic than the Quinta do Lago equivalents, but the atmosphere is noticeably more golf-focused and less resort-polished, which regulars consider a feature rather than a bug.
Routing & design
Pennink routed eighteen holes through genuinely mature umbrella-pine and cork-oak woodland — unusual for the Algarve, where most courses sit in younger, planted-in-the-last-thirty-years belts — and the trees define the course's strategic character throughout. Corridors are narrower than at Quinta do Lago and dogleg lines are tighter than at Vale do Lobo. The routing is a classical two-nine layout starting and ending at the clubhouse, with the front nine working through the denser inland pines and the back nine opening through more cork-oak terrain.
Elevation change is gentle — nothing more dramatic than the rise to the 9th green and the drop through the 12th — and the overall character is thoroughly traditional. Greens are small (5,600 square feet average after the 2014 re-build), firm, and set on natural plateaux that reward the high approach over the run-up. Bunkering is old-school flashed-sand, positioned to Pennink's originals rather than to modern shaping. Total yardage of 6,254 reads short, but the tree corridors and small greens push the effective playing difficulty closer to 6,600 in typical conditions.
Key stretches
Holes 3–5 — the first pine corridor
The dogleg par-4 3rd through framed cork oaks, the strategic par-4 4th (the course's most architecturally distinctive tee shot), and the downhill par-5 5th. Three holes that establish Pennink's identity and reward positional golf from the first club.
Holes 8–10 — the back-nine pivot
The long par-4 8th, the climbing par-5 9th to a plateau green, and the testing par-4 10th through the densest pine stretch on the course. Three holes where Pennink's tree work is most visible and where the round's strategic rhythm peaks.
Holes 15–18 — the Pennink finish
The drivable short par-4 15th, the par-3 16th into a crowned green, the par-5 17th with a reachable second, and the long par-4 18th back to the clubhouse. A genuinely strong closing four that balances short-game decisions against the round's longest full-length tee shot.
Signature holes
The best holes on the Old Course are architectural rather than photographic. The dogleg par-4 4th is a masterclass in Pennink's tree-framing — the drive must thread between two old cork oaks to leave a clean approach, and the hole rewards precision over power every time. The par-5 9th climbs through pines to a green set on a natural plateau. The short par-4 15th is a Pennink-era drivable with a green tucked behind a cross-bunker that rewards the brave. And the par-4 18th, finishing in front of the clubhouse, is the longest full-length par-4 on the course and the hardest driving hole in the round.
Hole by hole
Pennink's framed dogleg
A dogleg par-4 that requires a tee shot threaded between two old cork oaks to leave a clean approach. The safe line right leaves a blind second over trees; the smart play is committed down the left. Pennink at his most typical.
The plateau-green par-5
A climbing par-5 through mature pines to a green set on a natural plateau. The hole rewards an aggressive second; the approach into the crowned green rejects anything under-hit. The highest point on the course and one of its best natural set-pieces.
The drivable Pennink-era short
A short par-4 with a green tucked behind a cross-bunker. The brave drive at the green leaves a short pitch; the conservative lay-up leaves a fuller wedge into a small target angled away from the approach. One of the Algarve's best preserved short par-4s.
The long closer
The longest full-length par-4 on the course and the hardest driving hole in the round. A fairway bunker pinches the drive on the inside; the approach is one of the longest of the day into a green set in front of the clubhouse terrace. A genuine closing test.
Practical information
Vilamoura is the single most concentrated golf destination in the Algarve — five courses within ten minutes of each other, plus the fishing marina, beach, and full resort infrastructure — and the Old Course is usually the first one visitors book. Tee times fill earliest of the five Dom Pedro courses and should be booked four to six weeks ahead in peak season. The resort offers multi-course packages that bring the effective green fee down meaningfully; if the itinerary allows, playing three of the five Dom Pedro courses over the stay is usually better value than a single round plus rack rates elsewhere.
The course plays year-round with the best conditioning October to May. Summer is genuinely cooler than the corridor norm thanks to the tree cover but mid-afternoon tee times are still best avoided. Buggies are standard and included with most package rates. A handicap certificate is nominally required but rarely checked. Smart casual dress code. The clubhouse serves a serviceable Portuguese-focused lunch and the pro shop is better stocked than most of the Dom Pedro venues.
Who it suits
- —Golf purists who value architectural heritage and tree-framed strategy over modern theatre.
- —Groups booking a multi-round Vilamoura package — this is the anchor round the others are built around.
- —Summer visitors who want cooler on-course conditions than Quinta do Lago or Vale do Lobo can offer.
- —Players who enjoy small, firm greens and a premium on precise iron play.
Planning notes
- —Book the Old Course first if playing multiple Dom Pedro courses — tee times fill earliest across the five.
- —Take the multi-round package if staying three nights or more; effective green fees fall 25–35% compared to walk-up rates.
- —Walk in cooler months — the tree cover and compact routing make it the most walkable championship course in Vilamoura.
- —Plan an inland dinner at São Gabriel or Willie's — the course deserves a smarter evening than the standard marina default.
- —Pair the Old Course with Victoria (the Arnold Palmer design and European Tour host) for a two-round Vilamoura day that balances classical and modern.
Where to stay
Vilamoura's accommodation sits in a different lane from the Quinta do Lago / Vale do Lobo luxury tier. The Tivoli Marina Vilamoura is the traditional resort hotel on the marina and the closest to the marina restaurants; the Anantara Vilamoura Algarve is the more modern five-star option and the strongest spa-and-pool combination in the area. The Dom Pedro hotels themselves — Lagoa, Marina, and Portobelo — are functional three-to-four-star options that are heavily discounted when bundled with golf packages.
For a more polished base, the Hilton Vilamoura sits ten minutes inland and offers stronger rooms and facilities than the Dom Pedro stock. For something different, Conrad Algarve in Quinta do Lago is fifteen minutes away and is the region's best destination hotel — worth considering if the trip is mixing Vilamoura courses with rounds at Quinta do Lago or San Lorenzo. For groups, the villa stock in Vilamoura itself is extensive and reasonably priced compared to Quinta.
Anantara Vilamoura AlgarveFive-star, on-resort
The strongest modern five-star in Vilamoura. Strong spa, two pools, and ten minutes from the Old Course. The right call for couples and pairs wanting polished service.
Tivoli Marina VilamouraFour-star marina hotel
Directly on the marina and walking distance from the restaurants. The traditional Vilamoura base and strong for groups who want night-time atmosphere near the rooms.
Hilton VilamouraFour-star inland resort
Ten minutes inland from the marina. Stronger pool and grounds than the marina hotels and the right call when the trip is golf-first rather than nightlife-first.
Where to eat
Vilamoura's marina is the practical dining base. Willie's Restaurant in the old town is Vilamoura's long-standing fine-dining room — a one-Michelin-star kitchen under Willie Wurger since the 1990s — and still the serious dinner in the area. On the marina itself, Emo Gastrobar handles the polished modern dinner, Akvavit is the Scandi-leaning option, and Le Bateau is the reliable all-rounder for a relaxed evening with a view over the yachts.
For a proper lunch, Maria's on the marina is the local-favourite grill. The beach clubs at Praia da Falesia — Moon Beach Club and Purabeach — handle the long Saturday lunch scene. Inland, the Almancil restaurant cluster is fifteen minutes away and includes Adega Vila Lisa for traditional Portuguese and São Gabriel for the Michelin-starred dinner. Vilamoura has more variety at lower prices than Quinta do Lago, which is one of its under-recognised strengths.
Willie's RestaurantMichelin, European
Vilamoura's long-standing fine-dining room under Willie Wurger. One Michelin star and still the serious dinner in the area. Book ahead in season.
Emo Gastrobar, Vilamoura marinaModern Portuguese
The polished modern dinner on the marina. Strong wine list, sharing plates, and the best post-round dinner atmosphere in the area.
Maria's, Vilamoura marinaGrill, local
The local-favourite grill on the marina. Grilled fish, rice dishes, and reliable service. The practical lunch or relaxed dinner option.
São Gabriel, AlmancilMichelin, Portuguese
Fifteen minutes inland in Almancil. A two-Michelin-star modern-Portuguese kitchen and the most serious dinner reservation within twenty minutes of Vilamoura.
The verdict
The golf-purist's Algarve round and the architectural pick of the Vilamoura five. Not the most glamorous day the region offers, but the one that still plays best shot-for-shot and the course most regulars return to most often. A thoroughly deserving top-twenty Portugal ranking.