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Vila Sol Golf Course

Vila Sol has genuine championship pedigree. Donald Steel designed the original two loops in 1991, and within two years the course had hosted the Portuguese Open twice, first won by Ronan Rafferty, then David Gilford. A third loop, the Prestige, was added in 2000, and since 2004 the course has hosted the annual Sir Bobby Robson Celebrity Golf Classic, drawing footballing names back to Vilamoura year after year.

The course winds through a genuine pine forest rather than a landscaped approximation of one, and Steel built it without reshaping the land more than it needed. That restraint shows: narrow, tree-lined fairways demand accuracy over power from the very first hole, and the opening stretch is widely considered the toughest test on the course. The par-3 7th on the Prime loop is the hole most golfers remember, a downhill tee shot played back over water to a green that punishes anything over-clubbed. With three distinct nines to mix and match, no two visits play quite the same, and the variety keeps regulars coming back to find a new favourite combination.

Facilities include a full driving range, a resident academy, and a clubhouse restaurant with views over the 18th. Vila Sol sits at the heart of Vilamoura, making it an easy addition to a wider trip. For golfers who want proven championship pedigree without leaving the resort, this is one of the region's genuine originals.