4 nine-hole golf courses in the Algarve, Portugal
The Algarve is best known for its championship 18-hole layouts, but the region also has four 9-hole golf courses that are ideal for a quick round, an arrival or departure day, a game with the family, or easing back in gently. This page maps every 9-hole course in the Algarve and sets out what each one offers — par, length, green fees and handicap requirements.
Three of the four sit on the central Algarve coast between Albufeira and Carvoeiro; the fourth is on the historic Penina estate near Portimão. For the full picture, browse every golf course in the Algarve or read the Algarve golf guide.
Perched atop the ochre sandstone cliffs of Olhos de Água, this nine-hole par-33 course delivers dramatic Atlantic views on every hole. Designed by Sir Henry Cotton and attached to the Pine Cliffs Resort, it is best known for the Devil's Parlour — a par-3 played over the clifftop edge.
A compact nine-hole par-27 course above the cliffs near Carvoeiro, with sea views and a relaxed atmosphere that appeals to beginners and families. Dave Thomas's layout from 1990 is also popular with experienced players looking for a quick evening round.
A 9-hole, par-27 course of all par-3 holes set around the Balaia resort near Albufeira, ideal for beginners, families, and golfers wanting a relaxed afternoon round. The compact layout from 1974 is a low-pressure introduction to Algarve golf.
The Academy Course at Penina is a 9-hole par-35 layout designed by Sir Henry Cotton as a companion to the Championship Course. Situated within the Penina Hotel & Golf Resort, it serves as an accessible warm-up or beginner option on the same historic grounds.
Pine Cliffsis the most spectacular of the Algarve's 9-hole courses. Sir Henry Cotton laid it out in 1992 along the ochre sandstone cliffs of Olhos de Água, above Praia da Falésia, and at roughly 2,230 metres off the back tees it is also the longest nine on this list — a genuine par 33 rather than a par-3 track. Its signature hole, the Devil's Parlour, is a par 3 played clean across a gap in the cliffs with the Atlantic below.
A handicap certificate is required (maximum 36 for men and ladies) and green fees start at around €54. The course belongs to the five-star Pine Cliffs Resort, so it pairs naturally with a stay there. For a fuller schedule, it sits a short drive from the 18-hole layouts covered on our Albufeira golf courses page.
Vale de Milho is a compact par-27 course above the cliffs near Carvoeiro, designed by Dave Thomas and opened in 1990. Every hole is a short par 3, which makes it an excellent short-game and iron-play test as well as a relaxed round for beginners and families. There is no handicap requirement, and a full nine takes well under two hours.
Many visitors use it to warm up before tackling the longer Pestana courses nearby — Gramacho and Vale da Pinta — or as an easy evening nine. See the rest of the area on our Carvoeiro golf courses page, and if you are travelling without sticks, check where to hire golf clubs in the Algarve.
Balaia Golf Village near Albufeira is a 9-hole, par-27 course on which every hole is a par 3. It opened in 1974 and measures under 1,000 metres, so it is one of the most approachable places to play on the central Algarve coast — there is no handicap requirement and green fees start at around €45.
The course sits inside the self-catering Balaia Golf Village resort, which makes it a convenient warm-up on an arrival day or a low-pressure family round between longer games at the 18-hole Albufeira courses such as Salgados.
The Academy Course at Penina is a 9-hole, par-35 layout that Sir Henry Cotton designed as a companion to his 1966 Championship Course — the first purpose-built golf course in Portugal. At roughly 1,850 metres it plays as a proper short course rather than a par-3 track.
Green fees start at around €28, the lowest of any 9-hole course in the Algarve, and there is no handicap requirement, so it works well for higher-handicap golfers and beginners. It shares the historic parkland estate of the Penina Hotel & Golf Resort near Portimão — see more on our Portimão golf courses page.
A dedicated 9-hole course is the easy way to fit golf around travel days, non-golfing partners or younger players. If you would rather play a shorter round on one of the bigger courses, many 18-hole clubs also offer 9-hole and twilight green fees outside the peak summer months — availability is listed on each course page.
Two of the four 9-hole courses — Pine Cliffs and Penina — belong to resorts you can stay at; see all golf resorts in the Algarve. For clubs, trolleys and shoes on arrival, our club rental guide covers Faro Airport and delivery to your course or hotel.
