Our weekend in golfing paradise: Dunas Course at Terras da Comporta and Troia Golf

Portugal is a household name in the golf travel world with huge numbers of sun-seeking golfers heading to both the Algarve and Lisbon region each year. The quality of golf, accommodation options, and off-course activities in these destinations is fantastic and every so often a new addition makes an appearance to re-shuffle the pack.

In October 2023 the hotly anticipated Dunas course at Terras Da Comporta officially opened and excitement in the Golfbreaks office (particularly the European sales team) reached a fever pitch. The initial imagery looked fantastic and unlike anything we had seen in continental Europe (think Pinehurst North Carolina). We knew we had to get over there swiftly to see it for ourselves.

We had planned a short trip and Lisbon is the perfect location for that at just over 2 hours flight time from London. We closed our laptops at 2 pm on Friday and landed in Lisbon by 8 pm that evening. Once we landed, we picked up our hire car and eagerly got on the road. We based ourselves in Troia Marina which is a 1-and-a-half-hour drive from Lisbon airport.

Staying in the marina gives you several hotel options to suit your needs and budget. We stayed in the Troia Design Hotel, a modern five-star hotel right on the Marina front, with a casino on-site to keep you entertained.

We made our trip in February, an off-peak period of the year in Portugal but a welcome escape from the rain of the UK and I’m happy to say we were rewarded with perfect golfing conditions (20 degrees and sunny). Although off-peak, there were still several restaurants open within a 200-metre walk of the hotel (Italian, steak restaurants, typical Portuguese) and in peak season I can imagine this is a bustling and fun place to spend your evenings.

Importantly, the marina provides the perfect place to base yourself if, like us, you are hoping to tick off two of the best but slightly out-of-the-way courses the country has to offer.

Now on to the main event, the golf.

It's fair to say that Comporta is not the easiest golf course to reach in Portugal, but it is definitely one of the best golf courses near Lisbon. Located an hour and 20 minutes from Lisbon airport and just under 2 hours from Faro airport, but my gosh it's worth the effort. Staying in Troia Marina was the perfect base as you are only 30 30-minute drive from the golf course, this is where speaking to experts who can arrange the perfect golf tour for you comes into its own.

When you arrive at the resort you're welcomed at the gate, and you begin a five-minute drive through the resort before being greeted at the car park by concierge service who take your bags before loading them onto buggies. There are big plans for the overall resort with accommodation options in progress and other leisure facilities to create a one-stop shop for those looking to combine their relaxation time with athletic endeavours and nature.

At the time of writing, the main clubhouse is yet to be completed but we were shown the plans and location overlooking the 18th hole which promises to be spectacular and in keeping with the resort's natural style. They do however have a fully operational check-in area, pro shop, and restaurant area all within a stone's throw of their magnificent practice facilities.

The practice facilities are truly second to none: a stunning grass driving range cast amongst sandy waste areas and tall pines, a chipping area with bunkers to practice from and a vast passing green with some wicked slopes to prepare you for the course.

The Dunas course at Comporta was designed by David McLay Kidd who has also designed Bandon Duners, the Castle course at St Andrews and Queenwood in Surrey to name a few. McLay Kidd is known for his bunkering and undulating, fun green complexes and Dunas does not disappoint on those fronts.

With five sets of tees, one must choose wisely as the course ranges from 4200 yards to 7200 yards for the pros. We played it off the 62 tees which measured around 6600 yards which I would say presented a fair test whilst being playable.

The course starts gently with a 400-yard downhill par 4 followed by a par 5 around the corner before really showing its teeth at the par three third. Measuring a huge 255 yards off the backs and asking you to carry a vast waste area, making a bogey 4 is not to be sniffed at here.

The whole course is truly magical, but it comes alive on the back 9 with perhaps the signature hole; the downhill par 4 13th. This hole begs you to take out the driver and give it all you've got before challenging you with an iron shot into a double-tiered green.

This is followed up by perhaps my favourite par 3 on the course. Playing 185 yards into what feels like a bowl of trees, I flushed my 6 iron with a hint of draw past the flag and two putted for par. The finish to the course is equally special with the cute par 3 17th before finishing with a long uphill par 4 which in the future will be overlooked by a spectacular clubhouse.

New courses don’t come around too often in Portugal, but every member of our group finished their round raving about it and wanting to play it again! Not only does it look fantastic both on camera and to the naked eye with tall pine trees and sandy waste areas present throughout, but I was surprised by the level of undulation on the course.

Many of the tee boxes are set above the fairways which sweep both right and left across the 18 holes. It has a high level of playability for all abilities, provided you select the right tees, as you are offered generous landing areas. Even if you misplace your drive, you're likely to find it in the sandy waste areas and be faced with a challenging but achievable second shot. It's hard to speak highly in enough of this course but it must go on your bucket list within Portugal.

Not to be forgotten, as until recently this was the best course in the area by some way is Troia Golf course. Consistently ranked in the top five golf courses in Portugal, Troia is a true test located only five minutes from where we were staying in Troia Marina.

Opened in 1980, Troia was designed by Robert Trent Jones Senior who utilises the sea views, the brilliant sand-based turf and the natural fauna he had at his disposal. The course is located on a spit of land between the Atlantic with the Sabo estuary with stunning views in each direction. It is a little more “rustic” than its new neighbour Comporta, but that adds to its charm.

Facilities are more basic here, but the real attraction is the golf course which has hosted the Portuguese Open and we could all see how this would be a test, even for those right at the top of the game.

Full of confidence following a day at the relatively forgiving Comporta, we tackled Troia off the white tees which measured the course at around 6,900 yards. Although not scarily long I really would advise you to pick your tees carefully as this is a different test to the course we had played the day before; tight lines off the tee, bunkers to swallow your ball at any opportunity and probably the smallest greens (but incredibly true) I’ve ever played. This is a precision course!

The course kicks off with a relatively straightforward par 5 before a stern test of a par 3, 190 yards to an angled and petite green. Like Comporta, the course comes alive at the 3rd hole. Trent Jones Senior included the 3rd in his all-time 18 holes and it’s hard to disagree. It fits perfectly into the land, running up the edge of the beach. It doesn’t look too tough from the tee, but a sneakily cambered fairway will pull your ball off to the right before asking you to hit one of the larger greens on the course. This is then followed up by a devilish par 3, only 150 yards in length but if missed to either side almost impossible to make par.

I found myself chipping back into position on regular occasions and found the small greens elusive, but it was one hell of a challenge. The par 3 11th in particular, keeps you honest with a green that can only be five yards wide at most.

The final stretch is a wonderful collection of holes, all asking different questions about your game. 16 is a long par 4, ever so slightly right to left, taking you back towards the water, 17 is a delightful par 3 adjacent to the sea with stunning views of the Arrábida Mountain behind you, and the 18th is a true brute of a finishing hole. A par 5 left to right dogleg which demands a fade off the tee (obviously I hit a draw!) and an elevated green to catch anything remotely short.

Overall, Troia is a stern test but thoroughly enjoyable if you like the challenge of piecing together a round and plotting your way around a course. My advice, play off the yellow tees!

Wow, what a trip! It’s important to note this trip should not be mistaken for the Algarve as it offers something completely different. You have to work a little harder for your golf and plan logistics carefully, but that’s exactly what we are here to do for you.

Both courses are absolute plays and as close to “links golf” as you will find in Portugal. Those who make the journey will not be disappointed. Oh, and watch out for the next set of developments at Terras Da Comporta as they plan to open a second course in 2025.