Oitavos Dunes Golf Course

The course has very much the feel of a Scottish Links course... but for me, it is not really a links course.........that said when the wind blew on the holes by the sea....... it was DIFFICULT

18 is also a really tough finish........need to play it a number of times, just to work out how to make a bogey!

We played this course as part of a package so not sure exactly what price was - a cart was included but would never pay what they charge for a cart because it is a very walk-able course and 70Euros for a cart - ouch!! No GPS, no water.

Never were told anything - just got a cart and went and played. No one told us where to go, where the driving range was, 1st tee, no guidance/instructions nothing!! Horrendous service but the course is good - very challenging greens, and you need to drive it straight. Beautiful ocean views from several holes.

This course was ranked #58 in the Golf Digest top 100 courses in the world in 2015 and there are many reminders of this in clubhouse and on printed materials. The course is very good and enjoyable to play but I would not call it spectacular.

The clubhouse is modern and has a restaurant upstairs with terraces overlooking facilities which include large putting green, short game practice area and grass driving range which is up the hill a little by first tee. A bucket of balls is included w green fee - as it should always be. The course was busy without being packed and the pace of play was ok.

The first four holes are set among trees but not tightly so - driving areas still fairly generous. Holes 5 through 16 are in much more open terrain, laid out amongst the dunes. The Atlantic and cliffs are visible from some of the high spots on the course.

There are a few routing quirks no doubt dictated by the terrain, around the turn there are 3 par 5s and 3 par 3s in 8 holes. Not a problem just something I noticed going back over my card.

I found the greens hard to read but that's my problem!

Overall a good experience.

A couple of negatives:

- no water on course (although there was cart service)

- carts were E70 !!