Europe’s next big golf destination? What’s it like to play and stay in Madeira

At its highest points, Madeira scrapes the sky. Golfers who make the journey here see clubhouses emerging from the clouds, and walk through mist hanging low on the fairways.

Golf in Madeira is an evocative thing and it’s growing quickly, changing the Portuguese archipelagos’ present and future. The sport has been played here since the 1930s and there are three reputable courses ready to be discovered. With spectacular plans in place too, it could be the most exciting golf destination in Europe.

Visiting Madeira

Madeira and neighbouring island Porto Santo is a place of contrasts; for somewhere with a relentlessly relaxing pace of life, few places have a sense of drama like this intriguing island in the North Atlantic. A visit here only confirmed that it’s one of the most interesting developing golf tourism destinations there is.

This sense of spectacle starts way before the first tee, too. It’s apparent in the approach to the airport, with a runway which juts out into the sea, looking almost impossibly short. The whole island has a sense of theatre; an isolated rock piercing endlessly upwards, cliffs whipped by wind, buildings teetering on near vertical slopes. The landscape has made it popular with tourists looking for walking holidays, and now golf.

The climate makes it popular in the winter months as temperatures never really drop below 20 degrees, making it ideal for trips when home courses in the UK and Europe are frozen over. A flight to the capital city of Funchal takes around three and a half hours from London, with regular flights during the week.

There are already great holiday golf options in the form of Santo da Serra, Porto Santo and Palheiro golf clubs, and by the end of 2027 there are plans to open a new course designed by Sir Nick Faldo – Ponta do Pargo, which will stretch across a clifftop on a large 120 hectare site and promises to bring more spectacular golf to the island.

Golf in Madeira

Santo da Serra

The stunning 4th hole at Santo da SerraSanto da Serra

Currently, the most impressive option on the island is Santo da Serra, and it offers some of the most beautiful views you’ll find on any course. The first tee is 700 metres above sea level, with golfers teeing off in the morning mist. There’s an inviting downhill par-4 to start, with huge elevation changes across the course – something which turns out to be a common feature in all of the courses here.

Santo da Serra, redesigned in 1991 by Robert Trent Jones Sr and ranked inside the top 25 courses in Portugal, was a feature on the European Tour until 2015 in the Madeira Islands Open. There are three nines here, but it’s the Machico and Desertas courses that featured in the former tournament.

The first few holes on the Machico course are home to stunning holes straddling cliff faces, with tee shots over sudden drops facing golfers early on. The third is a par 5 that presents a challenging tee shot, before presenting a daunting shot over the abyss if you want to take it on in two.

After the early drama the course delivers its signature hole in the form of the sublime par 3 fourth hole. After the incredible start, the course settles down slightly, with plenty more elevation change as the course moves away from the sea. It’s more generous off the tee than other courses on the island, but with plenty of challenges for golfers of all abilities and a track that will live long in the memory.

Porto Santo

The view from the 11th tee box at Porto SantoPorto Santo

There’s a small matter of a journey over to the neighbouring island of Porto Santo (10 minutes on a small plane) or ferry (a more relaxed two hours) to play Porto Santo Golf Club, perhaps the most eccentric example of golf you can currently experience on the Madeira archipelago. There’s also a sandy beach here, unlike on the main island, giving another reason to visit.

The Seve Ballesteros design has six par 3s, six par 4s and six par 5s, but really it’s a story of two nines. The front nine is very good holiday golf – certainly challenging, but not the sort of spectacle you might expect from a Seve course – before things totally transform on the back nine.

The 10th and 11th hole are a brilliant duo, plotting their way around the same stretch of water. On the 10th hole par 5, the layup is as hard as going for the green, so you might as well take it on – clearly, this is a course that wants you to go for broke and have fun taking risks. Then, you’re faced with a short, characterful par 4 coming back – an iron and a wedge into a small and well protected island green for most.

The 14th hole at Porto SantoPorto Santo

If you can, get a matchplay going here and have it going down the 13th, 14th and 15th by the cliffs. The highlight is the 14th, which might be one of the most challenging holes in Europe. It’s a daunting dog leg right perched on the cliffs with whipping winds shoving the ball towards oblivion. Then there’s the small matter of hitting a small, elevated green with bunkers and ravine short and out of bounds right behind the fringe of the green, 10 yards long of the pin. Good old Seve.

Expect water everywhere, high winds off the sea, small greens and great fun at Porto Santo - just take a few extra balls out with you.

Palheiro

Palheiro Golf ClubJames Hogg

Upon arrival at Palheiro Golf Club, the first thing you’re hit with is a remarkable view across Funchal and the coast. It’s one of the best you’re likely to find anywhere on the island, and it’s not surprising that the fantastic clubhouse has won World's Best Panoramic Clubhouse award at the World Golf Awards.

It’s also home to a fantastic restaurant on site, and the golf club has big plans for development, like many places on Madeira, with a new driving range and on-site hotel on the way.

The course itself begins with a narrow par four, and remains tight off the tee throughout most of the beautiful opening section of the course.

If you can, play with someone who knows the course or use an app to preview holes. It’s a tough tee shot course in places, especially if you don’t know where you’re headed. Many raised greens cut into the mountainside. Like many things in Madeira, it has flair in buckets.

James Hogg

Expect blind tee shots aplenty, downhill par 3s which are a key feature, and rolling fairways. You can rack up big drives here downhill and down breeze, but it’s very tight off the tee in places with white stakes lurking.

After visiting and playing all three courses currently in operation, it’s clear that it’s one of the most interesting developing golf destinations in Europe, with plenty of charm and excellent dining options to discover off the course too.

Madeira golf passes are available for golfers looking to play all three of these courses. Players can choose to play three rounds from €310 (£259.67) or five rounds from €450 (£376.95). Find out more here.

Food and drink

Palheiro Golf Club is owned by Blandy’s - a fortified wine family that has played its part in shaping the island for more than two centuries. Blandy’s Wine Lodge is a museum, tour and tasting experience in the middle of Funchal – a great way to learn more, and try a few different styles.

The wine itself is an ever-present in restaurants all over the island, from more affordable spots all the way to stunningly elegant restaurants featured in the Madeira Michelin Guide.

It’s served as an aperitif as soon as you sit down at O Lagar – a big, family-friendly place specialising in tender meat skewers and serving affordable, crowd-pleasing dishes celebrating rustic food from Madeira’s past. Diners are bussed in here from all over the island and it was packed even on a Monday night, with a traditional folk group performance in the evening, which had the restaurant clapping along together. A quiet meal out, this is not.

The rich variety of restaurants in Funchal, though, means Madeira is also served at stunningly elegant places like Audax - where, simply put, I enjoyed one of the best meals I’ve ever experienced.

The five dish tasting menu and wine pairing is full of inspired takes on Madeira classics like humble Sopa de Trigo soup, transformed into something more than worthy of Michelin guide status by chef César Vieira and the restaurant’s fantastic team. It’s a truly exceptional place.

As is Avista, also in Madeira's Michelin Guide and one of the most romantic spots you’ll find on the island. The outdoor courtyard is found in the Les Suites at The Cliff Bay hotel and has a beautiful view across the bay of Pirates.

The menu here is based around a sharing concept with an elevated dining experience and sophisticated takes on mediterranean cuisine.

Steaks and aged meat are the stars here and the focus on the menu from Chef Júlio Pereira at Kampo in the heart of Funchal, but the fish dishes are no afterthought. In fact, the tuna ceviche was unbelievably fresh and one of the most delicious starters I’ve ever had. The desserts, or ‘sweet moment’ dishes, are also a knockout – try the dark chocolate with salted caramel and tangerine. If you can, book a spot at the counter by the kitchen and see the dishes served before you.

Hotel

Quinta da Bela Vista

As the name suggests, the stunning view across Funchal and the sea is the defining characteristic of the Quinta da Bela Vista – an impressive boutique hotel in Funchal that was the base for my visit.

The spacious gardens and relaxed atmosphere give the hotel a peaceful feel, with excellent dining options to boot. There’s a compact fitness centre with a hot tub and sauna, as well as a large outdoor pool and a small cafe for drinks taking in the view nearby.

The main manor house at Quinta da Bela Vista was built in the 1840s, and nowadays this is the spot for the hotel’s elevated dining experience, with a bespoke menu changing every day. The main restaurant and small, charming bar are found near the lobby, doubling as the spot to enjoy an excellent buffet in the mornings, with excellent fresh smoked salmon and cooked breakfast options, as well as a comprehensive selection of pastries.

Helpful staff are also on hand to help organise other experiences across Madeira – including journeys on the sailboat of Quinta da Bela Vista, the Gavião Madeira, for snorkeling, diving, and fishing trips.

For more information head to visitmaderia.com

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