Sir Henry Cotton's first Algarve course against the one Pestana calls his last, 15 minutes apart near Portimão. A long, historic par 73 or a shorter, cheaper par 70? Here's how Penina and Alto Golf compare.
Between Portimão and Alvor, 15 minutes apart, sit two courses linked to the same man: Sir Henry Cotton, three-time Open champion. Penina was the first 18-hole course built in the Algarve, in 1966. Alto Golf, opened in 1991, is described by its operator Pestana as the last course Cotton designed. Their names may be linked, but they play very differently.
Penina Championship: where Algarve golf began
Penina's Sir Henry Cotton Championship Course was built on former rice paddy fields, which explains its streams and water hazards on flat ground. It is a long course: par 73 and 6,273 metres from the white tees. The back nine alone is par 38, because four of its five par 5s come in pairs. With slope ratings of 138 from the whites and 137 from the yellows, it is one of the more demanding courses in the western Algarve.
The club says the course has hosted the Portuguese Open ten times. Its signature hole is the par-3 13th, with a lake on the right, which the club notes was voted one of the best 500 holes in the world. You need a handicap certificate, with a maximum of 28 for men and 36 for ladies.
Penina has not published a visitor price list since 2024/25, when its online rates ran from €85 to €121. Check our Penina green fees page for current prices before you book.
Alto Golf: shorter, cheaper, more welcoming
Alto Golf in Alvor was inaugurated in 1991. Today it is a much shorter course than Penina: the current official scorecard shows par 70 and 5,432 metres from the white tees. Its 16th hole was once famous as a 600-metre-plus par 5, one of the longest holes in Europe. It has since been shortened, and the longest hole is now the par-5 18th at 506 metres.
Alto is also the more welcoming of the two for higher handicappers: its official scorecard sets a handicap limit of 36 for both men and ladies. It has a driving range and golf academy.
Pestana's published prices are €73 in December, January and June to August, €109 in November, February, May and September, and €131 in March, April and October. Twilight rounds from 3pm are €45 (current Alto Golf green fees).
Which one should you play?
Play Penina for the history and the challenge. It is a long, flat championship course where the Algarve's golf story began. It suits lower handicappers who want a proper test. Play Alto Golf if you want a more relaxed, shorter round at a lower price, if your handicap is above 28, or if you are fitting golf around a beach holiday in Alvor. Being so close, they also make an easy pair for two days' golf.
Where to stay
Penina has its own five-star hotel, the Penina Hotel & Golf Resort, which scores 8.5 on Booking.com. Hotel guests pay reduced green fees, and the "Best Available Rate for Golfers" room offer includes a free round every day. Alto Golf has no hotel of its own, but Alvor's beach hotels are only a few minutes away. Our guide to hotels near Penina Golf Resort covers both.
Both courses are about 75 to 80 km from Faro Airport by road. A pre-booked transfer is the easiest way to get there with your clubs if you are not hiring a car.
Want the numbers side by side? Open the course comparator, read Penina Championship vs Resort, or see every course nearby on our Portimão golf courses page.
