Sesmarias / Lagoa/ Gramacho Golf

[widge]

WIdge, I know that this has been said many times but who on earth ever pays the rack rate.

All over the Algarve there are agencies /shops where you can get discounts ( Carvoeiro has its own golf shop that we have used ).

Gramacho is not the only golf course in the Algarve, two weeks ago we paid 25euros/ round not too far from Carvoeiro.

Gramacho is more of a vehicle for property sales than a " golf course ".

Oh you are a tease EMM........................come on share with us where & how you get the best deals. I was offered 20% off the rack rate and haggled it to 50% that's still €45 a round not €25 !!!!!

[EMM]

I just ring around to see who is offering the best rate, they always start with the rack rate.
We have had very good deals at Alvor and the Morgado courses.

If it is too high we just do not play.

We have virtually given up on the two Carvoeiro courses not just because of the price although we did pay 30Euros this time last year but because they are no longer an enjoyable experience, 4 hour + rounds etc.
We were behind one group in October who were taking ages, they turned around to us when we suggested they let us through that they were not out to play golf but to enjoy themselves and that we ( and all those behind us ) would just have to wait .

We have made bookings at Pestana( they take card details ) and on arrival discover that they have lost the booking or changed the T time.

[sunman]

hi Widge, and anybodyelse who's interested in local golf bookings, it's a fairly simple system here & generally all the courses follow the same broad framework;

HIGH SEASON is when golf fees are most expensive, we get lots of visitors & societies from UK & Ire mostly but others come too, mostly from Germany

High Season(s) are from Mid February till mid June; then Mid September till late November; the courses can be very busy in these times and fees are highest

LOW SEASON is Dec, Jan & early Feb, late June, July, August & early September; courses are generally quiet and cheaper; 'Summer Specials' can be very good, offering two players with buggy deals at very good rates

Gramacho and Pinta courses are owned by the Pestana Group, who also own Silves Golf, Alto Golf and now Vila Sol too; if you want a full golf package you can go to their website & book golf and hotel packages at very good rates

Morgado and Alamos courses are owned by the CS Group who also own Salgados; they also do golf and hotel packages online

for regular visitors and residents Pestana and CS both offer annual membership; circa €2,000 for unlimited golf on their courses (plus buggies if required);cheaper deals if based on one course and discounted husband and wife packages. Palmares is introducing membership too but the rumour is of a higher price.

Palmares has recently reopened after major redevelopment, 18 holes so far, soon to be 27; I'm yet to play it but I hear that the course and views are incredibe

Penina is still same old Penina, golf packages with the hotel, relatively expensive most other times

there's more further afield which I'm sure most folks know about.

With the usual caveat that I have no axe to grind, Richard Ballington at Algarve Golf UK (based in Ferragudo) has an excellent relationship with the golf Directors at Pestana and CS, and offers good rates at any time of the year to visitors; there are of course lots of other agents on the web.

http://www.algarve-golf.co.uk

sunman

[widge]

for regular visitors and residents Pestana and CS both offer annual membership; circa €2,000 for unlimited golf on their courses (plus buggies if required);cheaper deals if based on one course and discounted husband and wife packages. Palmares is introducing membership too but the rumour is of a higher price.

Hi sunman,

I have lived here 7 years and play Pinta & Gramacho regularly. I have been a pay & play member based at Alto as neither Gramacho or Pinta offer this facility. Membership at Gramacho & Pinta is only available to villa owners on the course or on payment of €30,000 deposit + annual fees significantly above €2000 per annum. I agree with EMM Pestana Group are hoteliers who appear to have little expertise in running golf courses.

[sunman]

for regular visitors and residents Pestana and CS both offer annual membership; circa €2,000 for unlimited golf on their courses (plus buggies if required);cheaper deals if based on one course and discounted husband and wife packages. Palmares is introducing membership too but the rumour is of a higher price.

Hi sunman,

I have lived here 7 years and play Pinta & Gramacho regularly. I have been a pay & play member based at Alto as neither Gramacho or Pinta offer this facility. Membership at Gramacho & Pinta is only available to villa owners on the course or on payment of €30,000 deposit + annual fees significantly above €2000 per annum. I agree with EMM Pestana Group are hoteliers who appear to have little expertise in running golf courses.

Hi Widge

I see your 7 years and raise you 19

over the years I've been a member at Palmares, Pestana and Morgado.

we'll have to differ in opinion about Pestana, I think Rui Gago is quite commercial and entrepreneurial compared with a lot of Golf Directors along The Algarve. Joining Pestana from Gramacho or Pinta is hampered because original founding members who bought properties on those golf courses had golf rights written into their purchase agreements & that can't be easily undermined.
Vila Sol has only just come on stream but what you can do is join either Alto or Silves and pay about €1400 to only play on those courses OR pay €2000 to be able to play on all their 5 courses, Pinta and Gramacho included

[widge]

for regular visitors and residents Pestana and CS both offer annual membership; circa €2,000 for unlimited golf on their courses (plus buggies if required);cheaper deals if based on one course and discounted husband and wife packages. Palmares is introducing membership too but the rumour is of a higher price.

Hi sunman,

I have lived here 7 years and play Pinta & Gramacho regularly. I have been a pay & play member based at Alto as neither Gramacho or Pinta offer this facility. Membership at Gramacho & Pinta is only available to villa owners on the course or on payment of €30,000 deposit + annual fees significantly above €2000 per annum. I agree with EMM Pestana Group are hoteliers who appear to have little expertise in running golf courses.

Hi Widge

I see your 7 years and raise you 19

over the years I've been a member at Palmares, Pestana and Morgado.

we'll have to differ in opinion about Pestana, I think Rui Gago is quite commercial and entrepreneurial compared with a lot of Golf Directors along The Algarve. Joining Pestana from Gramacho or Pinta is hampered because original founding members who bought properties on those golf courses had golf rights written into their purchase agreements & that can't be easily undermined.
Vila Sol has only just come on stream but what you can do is join either Alto or Silves and pay about €1400 to only play on those courses OR pay €2000 to be able to play on all their 5 courses, Pinta and Gramacho included

Yes but you forgot to mention the €30,000 entry fee. See here

http://www.pestanaproperties.com/user/f ... a_2011.pdf

Regards

widge :

[sunman]

hi Widge,

I'm not one to get into peeing contests or spats & I try not to comment on anything I don't know about for the sake of it, I like to add to people's knowledge base to enhance their Carvoeiro lives, so this will be my last comment on this.

I can absolutely assure you that you can approach Alto or Silves Golfe and pay a one off annual fee of €2,000 to play unlimited golf on all 5 Pestana courses.

You can do the same at Morgado, gaining you playing rights at Morgado, Alamos and Salgados.

Palmares has just reopened, you can do the same there, I don't know the exact fee but I understand that it's a little more than the others.

I have at least 25 friends who have joined Pestana, 20 at Morgado and a handful at Palmares, I've done the same myself at all 3 in the past.

It's basically a personal numbers game; I work on playing 80 rounds per year, twice a week for 40 weeks lets say, that works out at €25 per round. I have friends who come regularly and although play a little less they still do the deal as it works out as value. Others come and pay guest rates, the flexibility of cheap winter golf and summer specials give them what they want, and others join Golf for Greys to get good rates on a wider variety of courses.

Rather like air bookings it's slightly more difficult to get exactly what you want in the very busy times but for at least 8 months a year it works fabulously.

If you, or anyone else would like more details on these packages (it's not secretive, the courses like to get regular customers to play in the quieter times) I'm happy to pass contact details on if you PM me.

happy golfing

[EMM]

For the permanent resident or the regular /long term visitors then Sunman is probably right ( providing of course you can afford it ).

For the rest of us it is a case of shopping around,

We probably play est 20 times year in the Algarve at an average cost certainly under 50 euros/round ( incl buggies ).

Therefore what Sunman suggests is just not viable.

We have looked at the various schemes offered and would need to play probably at least 50 to make it worthwhile.

Do the menbership rates incl a buggie or is that extra ??

[sunman]

For the permanent resident or the regular /long term visitors then Sunman is probably right ( providing of course you can afford it ).

For the rest of us it is a case of shopping around,

We probably play est 20 times year in the Algarve at an average cost certainly under 50 euros/round ( incl buggies ).

Therefore what Sunman suggests is just not viable.

We have looked at the various schemes offered and would need to play probably at least 50 to make it worthwhile.

Do the menbership rates incl a buggie or is that extra ??

actually EMM you bring up something I forgot to mention; there is a halfway house where you can pay a much reduced fee, something like €500 and then pay a reduced green fee each time you play which is low in low season and a bit higher in high.

like I say, it's a personal numbers game; the full €2000 is great value if like me you play a lot, the cost comes down to near €20 a round; if you play 40 or so times then the halfway house idea works out well; if you play 20 like you then picking off the best rates is probably the best idea, particularly in the summer when all the summer specials and twilight deals are on. And keep an eye on the G4G website, they have some great value days.

[LICY]

We stay at Gramacho in an apartment over looking the 18th fairway. it is lovely but then we do not go out to the bars and in any event we would drive. we Tend to go for up to a week. we have stayed for most months of the year and not noticed problems with flies.
end of the day what sort of holiday are you looking for - golf then you are probably equally as happy with jumping in the car to get to a club. as for Lagoa I have not heard of anyone having a holiday there. I woluld suggest if you want to walk to bars and restaurants that you stay in the centre of Carvoeiro. we stayed in Sesmarias for several years opposite the tennis club and I do not recall nuisance dogs.
have a great time we love Carvoeiro. licy

[dodger]

The whole of the Algarve needs to take a reality check on their stupid green fee prices.

My pal was out there last week,day off they went along to the Faldo/O'Connor track who they had emailed 3 weeks prior and quoted 125euro plus 40e for a buggy.

They phoned again last week and were quoted the same and were again quoted the same when they went in to the clubhouses face to face.

Now they haggled, seeing as there was a total of 7 cars in the 36 holes complex car park, and eventually got 70 euro per person INCLUDING a buggy per pair.

No wonder we have turned our back on out annual trip to the Algarve and are heading to Czech Republic this year.

[widge]

The whole of the Algarve needs to take a reality check on their stupid green fee prices.

Agreed - supply outstrips demand on many courses & they are pricing themseves to bankruptcy !

[snaj1]

Hi
Thanks for all the advice...and chuckles re the golfing fees. Fingers crossed we should find something in and around Sesmarias.
We nearly changed our holiday at the weekend to the Silver Coast of Portugal (after watching Coach Trip) but we are not
sure about the weather up there in September.

Thanks for the PMs regarding villa rentals.

Regards
Snaj