10/25/2026
There are 3 links courses in the north of Portugal that I built a golf trip around this summer. No doubt the crown jewel of those is Oporto which is the oldest golf club in Portugal and the oldest links course in Europe (Pau in France is older, but is a parkland course).
I thought Oporto was charming, rustic, and a very enjoyable spot for an evening walk. I had expected it to be maybe a bit more on the water; the course is protected by a small sand bluff that blocks the view + also kind of shields the wind a bit. You can walk up it at points and see the ocean but you’re definitely pretty insulated on the course itself.
I played it in July which had the fairways nice and brown but I have noticed a tendency in Portuguese golf maintenance to over-water greens. A course like Oporto really needs for the putting surfaces to be as firm as the rest of the course, otherwise it’s a bit defenseless. Takes away from some of the character and strategy, too. But I imagine the members prefer the look of the green grass.
I hit it pretty terribly on the front 9 but dialed it in on the back and finished at a respectable +4 (or maybe +5 I actually can’t remember). I think I’m gonna try to sign up for the Skeffington Cup next year. Would be fun to play in a golf tournament that is over 130 years old at this point.
Anyway anyway. That’s all. Bye!
