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The Best 36-Hole Golf Resorts in Europe

All Square 5 min read • 29 Mar 2018

What could be better than playing a round at one of Europe’s top golf courses? How about 36-holes of world-class golf at the same venue. That is exactly what these ten marvellous golf resorts have to offer.

We take a look at ten of the best resorts with more than one course in Europe.

PGA Catalunya Resort (Spain)

A member of The European Tour Destinations portfolio, this world-class venue features a modern, stylish clubhouse and outstanding practice and coaching facilities.
The Stadium Course has been consistently ranked among the best ten golf courses in Europe since it was opened in 1999 and was recently voted #77 in the world, #3 in continental Europe and #1 in Spain.
Stadium Course - Be warned, however the beauty of the course can distract from the many dangers waiting to do serious damage to your scorecard.
Stadium Course - It is rare to find so many memorable holes on one course and despite the many ups and downs, tees are elevated and very few fairways are uphill.
Tour Course - Dominated by pine trees and lakes, the course is shorter and a little less difficult to play than the Stadium Course
Tour Course - Most of the holes feature wide fairways and strategically placed bunkers, which can be forgiving of a less than perfect shot.
Tour Course - Another feature sure to focus the mind is that it seems you are never far from a water hazard.

PGA Catalunya Resort is ideally located 50 minutes from Barcelona and just 15 minutes from Girona. There are two world-class golf courses at the resort. Opened to much acclaim in 1991, the European Tour originally built the Stadium Course to rival the PGA Tour’s offering at Sawgrass. They undoubtedly succeeded in that goal, with the layout consistently ranked among Europe’s finest courses. Host to multiple Tour events, the Stadium course should be on every golfer’s must-play list.

Somewhat overshadowed, the Tour Course is also a layout all golfers should experience.

While the Stadium was designed specifically with tournament golf in mind, the Tour Course with its constant challenges and spectacular holes will meet the expectations of all types of player.

Praia D’El Rey (Portugal)

West Cliffs Golf Links - The varied landscape and natural terrain was maintained undisturbed as possible to create an unique and world class 18-hole seaside links golf course alongside the silver coast.
West Cliffs Golf Links - Rolling sand dunes interspersed with coastal vegetation, while the pine groves overlook the ocean from above.
West Cliffs Golf Links - This privileged and exclusive location will mesmerise and challenge you to tame the forces of nature and perfect your game.
Praia D'El Rey - The 18-hole golf course was designed by the renowned American golf architect Cabell B.Robinson and was inaugurated on 14th June 1997.
Praia D'El Rey - Set among extensive pine forests and undulating dunes, with spectacular views over the Atlantic and the Berlengas Islands beyond.
Praia D'El Rey - Deep bunkers, sloping greens and sandy dunes contrast sharply with the lush fairways, making it the complete golfing challenge.

Praia D’El Rey has long been one of Portugal’s most exciting golf destinations. The opening of the Cynthia Dye designed West Cliffs last year has catapulted the area to a whole new level. Located an hour from Lisbon, on the breathtaking Silver Coast, the newly opened links looks set to become one of the best courses on the planet.

Rolling sand dunes interspersed with coastal vegetation make for an enchanting setting.

The miles of golden sandy beaches give plenty of room for more world-links, and that is exactly what you will find at Praia D’El Rey.

Set among extensive pine forests and undulating dunes the setting is equally spectacular. With views over the Atlantic and the Berlengas Islands beyond, a trip to the links will rival anywhere in Europe.

Quinta Do Lago (Portugal)

Nestled within the privacy and security of the Ria Formosa nature reserve, this unique Mediterranean resort allows you to live an active outdoor lifestyle all year round.
The South Course is a favourite among European tour players, the 6,500 metre par 72 is set among umbrella pines, lakes and wild flowers.
South Course - Designed in 1974 by William Mitchell, who introduced American-standard greens, tees and bunkers to the Algarve.
The North Course was totally redesigned in 2014, by the renowned architect Beau Welling, together with European Ryder Cup captain Paul McGinley.
North Course - Four sets of tees have been introduced on each hole to accommodate players of all levels.
The Laranjal Course - At 6,480 metres in length, the challenging course demands the highest level of concentration and accuracy.
Laranjal Course - Laranjal opened in 2009 and was voted Best Golf Course at the Portuguese 2011 Travel Awards.

The prestigious resort at Quinta Do Lago boasts three celebrated championship layouts, as well as exceptional practice facilities. The South Course on the 2000-acre residential estate is often considered the finest of the trio. It’s stunning backdrop of the Ria Formosa Natural Park making it a favourite among European Tour professionals.

Meanwhile, the par-72 Laranjal layout was voted ‘Europe’s Best Golf Venue’ for 2016. Situated in the grounds of an orange grove, the course poses a serious test for players of all abilities.

Meanwhile, Quinta Do Lago’s latest edition, the Beau Welling designed North Course, which opened in 2014, has only added to the resort’s fantastic portfolio of championship courses.

Dolphin watching, kayaking, watersports, horse riding, and scuba diving, are all available at the resort. There is also a selection of top quality restaurants.

Terre Blanche (France)

Architect Dave Thomas was sensitive to the fact that this course is located in exquisite surroundings.
Even the brief ride from the entry gates—of stone, naturally—to the clubhouse is picturesque.
Le Riou course offers vertiginous views over the Provencal villages.
Calling for a large variety of strokes, it requires a strong and experienced game strategy.
Le Chateau course stands out for its spectacular water features.
Each year in September Le Chateau Course hosts the ‘French Riviera Masters’, the only Senior European Tour championship in France.

As locations go, you couldn’t get much better than Terre Blanche. Situated on the edge of the French Riviera, the two Dave Thomas courses, Le Chateau and Le Riou, enjoy 300 days a year sunshine.

A true golfer’s heaven, the Château is consistently ranked among France’s top ten golf courses. It’s easy to see why. Opened to much acclaim in 2000, the undulating course stands out for it spectacular water features and immaculate year-round condition. Carving its way through dense woodland, the Chateau is a course that requires brains, not brawn.

Le Riou, whilst not reaching the same standard as its sister course, is also a great track and plays host to an annual LET Access Tour event. This course offers great views of the nearby Provencal villages. Strategy again takes precedence, with the undulating terrain sure to test your shot-making abilities. Although the easier of the two courses, Le Riou is certainly no pushover. It is, however, a lot of fun to play!

Golf du Médoc (France)

A must-visit destination combining golf, gastronomy, wine tasting and relaxation between the estuary and the ocean for the most pleasant of stays.
The Châteaux course was voted Best Golf Course in France in 2014 by the World Golf Awards.
Le Chateau Course - It adheres to the purest tradition of the Scottish ‘links’.
Le Chateau Course - The wide fairways bordered by heathers, gorses and brooms carry the players through unspoiled nature.
Les Vignes Course - It is embedded in a landscape typical of the region, where the aesthetics of the heath and the maritime pines enrich the architect’s design.
Les Vignes Course - The long pars punctuated by elaborate greens and the judiciously placed obstacles demand thought and precision from the player.
The great diversity of situations of play, the quality of the course and the charm of its setting will satisfy the needs of even the most demanding of golfers.

Nestled in the heart of 200 hectares of countryside, Golf du Médoc Resort offers two of France’s most beautiful courses. The original layout, the Châteaux Course, opened for play in 1989. The handiwork of Bill Coore, the Chateaux is a timeless course with a distinctive links feel. Located just outside Bordeaux, each hole pays homage to the region’s famous vineyards. All eighteen varieties can be sampled in the clubhouse.

A former host of the 1999 French Open, the Châteaux Course was voted France’s best golf course at the 2014 World Golf Awards.

The second layout, “Les Vignes”, is also a top track, which regularly ranks in the country’s top 100 layouts. A tree-lined opening gives way to splendid heathland, with water also coming into play on several holes.

Real Club El Prat (Spain)

Greg Norman designed 45 holes in this idyllic setting with the visionary approach of creating a fusion of playability and aesthetic beauty.
The Club dates back to 1912 when Barcelona Golf Club was set up in Pedralbes as an initiative from some golf amateurs in Barcelona’s aristocracy and nobility.
Over time, with the city’s expansion, the Club was forced to make its first qualitative leap to new facilities in 1954, to El Prat de Llobregat.
The distinctive seal of Real Club de Golf El Prat has reached its maximum splendor in the sporting area.
An excellence illustrated on ten different occasions when the Club played host to the Open de España.

Real Club de Golf El Prat is located just outside Barcelona, in the beautiful region of Costa Brava. Originally named Barcelona Golf Club, the prestigious institution moved to its new home in the Llorenç del Munt l’Obac Natural Park in 2003. Despite the move, the club continues to boast some of the best golf in all of Spain. There are an extraordinary 45 holes of golf at the resort, all of which are built to USGA stadium specifications. With this in mind, each of the layouts offers a long and fairly wide challenge, with plenty of room to open your shoulders.

The venue holds the rare feat of hosting the Spanish Open at two different venues, with Europe’s best returning to compete in the event three years ago.

Scandinavian Golf Club (Denmark)

The Scandinavian Golf Club provides discerning golfers with a choice of 36 holes, designed by Robert Trent Jones II which are laid out in 200 hectares of forest separated by streams leading into natural ponds.
The Old Course is designed with the fundamental element that accuracy from the tee counts more than length.
The Old Course - The Robert Trent Jones II Golf Course Architects preserved the natural beauty of the 200 hectares (around 500 acres) of surrounding forest nature and wildlife.
The Old Course - The bent grass greens are single-cut to increase speed and give a smooth roll.
The New Course demands accuracy from the tee but the long hitter can really test his skills on some of the holes.
The New Course - A carefully selected mixture of earth, sand and compost are spread around the tees, greens and fairways to create the perfect foundation.
The New Course - The course can absorb up to 100 millimeters of rain per hour and still be playable. What’s more, the water is recycled in the lakes and used to irrigate the course.

It’s hard to believe that Denmark’s top golf facility was formerly a military base.

The Scandinavian Golf Club is located just 25 minutes outside the capital Copenhagen and is home to two of Europe’s finest layouts. The resort boasts the rare feat of having two courses ranked in the Top 70 Courses in Continental Europe.

Robert Trent Jones Architects were the mastermind behind both layouts. The Old Course, which opened a year before its sister course in 2010, is the finer of the two offerings. An ingenious layout, the design plays illusions with the golfer throughout. For example, on the 10th two sand traps are made to appear like one huge, and somewhat intimidating, bunker. It is a scary sight.

The New Course is also one of Denmark’s best courses. Tree-lined fairways, plenty of water hazards and excellent draining soil characterise the layout.

Golf du Touquet (France)

Golf du Touquet - Set within superb natural surroundings, between the Forest and the Dunes, Le Golf du Touquet is one of the most beautiful of European sites.
La Mer Course - A typical British links course built in 1931 by the renowned architect Harry Colt.
La Mer Course - It hosted the French Open on numerous occasions during the 1970’s.
La Foret Course is set out in the heart of the superb pine forest of Le Touquet.
La Foret Course - Tranquil and peaceful, sheltered from the winds and offering players of all standards moments of pleasure and relaxation.
La Foret Course - It is not as technically demanding as La Mer Course with wider fairways, but has small and tricky greens, which remains difficult targets to master.

Just an hour from Calais Golf du Touquet is perfectly located for both European and British visitors.

A hugely fashionable resort in the inter-war era, La Mer course at Golf du Touquet has recently undergone a significant redevelopment which has helped restore the Harry Colt classic to its former glory. The results have cemented the layout’s place as one of the best links courses on the Continent. The newly restored links course, set behind the towering dunes and vast beaches at Le Touquet, is one of three courses at the resort.

La Foret has a more inland feel and is a tighter more tree-lined affair than its sister course. The nine-hole Le Manoir is a tricky little test, ideal if your dying to get back out on the course after a round at one of the other two layouts in the morning.

Costa Navarino (Greece)

Costa Navarino is steadily raising its profile as a prime destination in the Mediterranean by offering a world-class golf experience on the first two signature golf courses in Greece.
Dunes Course - Open since May 2010, the impressive seaside Dunes Course is the first signature golf course in Greece.
Dunes Course - Designed by two-time US Masters Champion and former Ryder Cup Captain Bernhard Langer in association with European Golf Design.
Dunes Course - This championship course, offers spectacular sea and river views and incorporates some links-style features in areas closest to the sea.
Bay Course - Open since October 2011, the 18-hole, 71 par seaside Bay Course at Navarino Bay, was designed by Robert Trent Jones II.
Bay Course - Provides both a fun experience and a challenging test for golfers of all levels.
Bay Course - The majority of tees offer sublime sea views and two holes playing along the historic Bay of Navarino,

The IAGTO’s “European Golf Resort of the Year 2017”, Costa Navarino should be on everyone’s list of must play courses.

The luxury Greek resort features two world-class 18-hole signature courses. The layouts are located in one of the most breathtaking spots in the Mediterranean. The Dunes Course offers fantastic views of the sea and river and takes its name from the tall dunes that separate several holes from a golden beach. Meanwhile, the Bay Course offers panoramic sea and mountain views, with two holes playing along the historic Bay of Navarino.

Antalya Golf Club (Turkey)

To play one great golf course is always a challange. To play two is a rare privilege indeed. In Antalya Golf Club the challange awaits…
Both of our courses were designed by leading architects European Golf Design, together with design consultant and Senior Tour Professional David Jones.
PGA Sultan Course - Avoid the water for steady start to your round on The Sultan.
PGA Sultan Course - Make sure to enjoy the Mediterranean views.
Pasha Course - Enjoy the mountain view as you tee off, but remember to keep the ball close to the right to open up the green.
Pasha Course - Long and narrow green, look out for hidden bunkers.

Antalya Golf Club offers two first-class championship courses, The PGA Sultan and The Pasha.

Of the two courses, The PGA Sultan has been designed with the lower handicap golfers in mind. Designed by David Jones and European Golf Design, the course takes full advantage of the stunning surroundings; water hazards are frequent but strategic and not overbearing. The Sultan delivers a stern but rewarding golfing test that any keen player will relish.

Measuring a little over 5,700 meters from the back tees, The Pasha will test the abilities of high and low handicappers alike with a combination of different challenges. During their round golfers will face an interesting mixture of wide fairways, open bays, challenging doglegs, cleverly placed bunkers, tricky water hazards and rolling greens.

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