Madeira
A Winter Golf MUST!
The island of Madeira has so much to offer the golfer who wants to banish those WINTER blues.
A winter climate that is so conducive to enjoyable golf. Shorts and shirt, a very slim chance of any rain, excellent golf and all the amenities, restaurants, hotels and hospitality you would expect.
Hotels
Excellent hotels overlooking the harbour of Funchal which is 20/25 minutes from the airport.
Lots of hotels to recommend, The Royal Savoy Palace, a wonderfully opulent hotel with a modern feel. As of December it will have a Boutique hotel/room option (The Reserve) within the hotel itself to accommodate different types of client under one roof, clever concept.
The NEXT hotel is part of the same Savoy chain with a real modern feel about it. Quite chic, using all the modern technologies to enhance your stay, self service, check in, use of an app to navigate your stay there.
https://www.savoysignature.com/en/
Other options away from the centre of Funchal, but close enough to enjoy the Capital is the Galo Resort Hotel by Sentido.
A dramatic setting from which to relax and enjoy all Madeira has to offer. The food here in the Atlantis restaurant was absolutely superb.
https://www.galoresort.com
Golf
As I write this on the 11th November 2023 @ 10:30 am the temperature will be in the low 20s celsius. Perfect for golf.
At present there are three golf courses to play, two on the main island of Madeira and one on Porto Santo island, which is either a very short flight, 20 minutes or a two hour ferry crossing. It is perfect for a day trip to take in three golf courses.
Palheiro Golf Course
Both mainland golf courses are situated high above Funchal. Palheiro Golf course is extremely playable, with some lovely holes with fantastic vistas.
The greens were very good on the day I played as were the fairways. The tee beds needed a bit of attention and tidying up as do some of the cart paths. Take those aside though you will have a wonderful round of golf finished off with amazing views from the club house balcony and high end restaurant standard food.
Santo de Serra Golf Course
This is the golfing gem of the island. 27 wonderful holes, the course was in prestine condition ( they have a very sophisticated irrigation system using sustainable water sources) with views you will find hard to better anywhere in the world.
I could keep throwing superlatives at the course it was that good. Santo de Serro Golf Course is worth the golfing trip to Madeira alone. You wouldn’t be disappointed.
Again the clubhouse and the food were of a very high standard.
Porto Santo Golf Club
As previously said to get to this golf course involves a short flight or a two hour ferry crossing (there and back).
The golf course is a Seve design so the traditional six par 3s, six par 4s and six par 5s. The back 9 from hole 13 to 16 provide amazing dramatic scenery. The framing of the holes around this part of the course is a wonderful tribute to the master that was Seve.
Porto Santo Island is more rocky and volcanic than mainland Madeira which is very green. Porto Santo Golf Course stands out as one of the few grassy parts of Porto Santo Island. This has to be taken in to account in terms of the look and feel of the golf course. It is a little more ‘rugged’ than the other two and may on the face of it seem a little scruffy! As long as you keep in your mind that the terrain isn’t conducive to a golf course you realise how good the course is.
Again your round would be completed by some lovely food and hospitality in the spacious clubhouse.
Golf in the future
There are plans afoot for two more golf courses, one on the main island which will have a dramatic cliff side backdrop and the other one on Porto Santo which would make a massive difference, going to Porto Santo for a one night, two round excursion makes complete sense.
Madeira itself!
I believe Madeira is a place you could quickly fall in love with.
Relaxed, friendly, tranquil, amazing climate, and on and on and on!
There are excellent restaurants here, lots of further activities outside of golf, whether it’s:-
Tobogganing down a hill in a whicker basket ( great fun)
Cable car ride
An abundance of fantastic walks in to the mountains of Maderia
Water sports
Dolphin and Whale trips
So much to do on this small island.
So…..Madeira as a Winter Golf destination!
Yes is the answer, hard not to enjoy, wonderful people, extremely safe, hotel and restaurant choices are very good.
The golf (you will get the gist that Santo de Serra is my favourite) is very enjoyable.
Access, plenty of flights from the UK during the winter months.
We look forward to providing you with further information.
Yours in golf
Paul
