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ZERO PREMIUM / OCTOBER 2026

Atlantic Fairways

Algarve + São Miguel / golf, stays and time well spent.

PAGE 01

Atlantic Fairways

Original AI-generated golf still-life; not a destination photograph.
Original AI-generated golf still-life; not a destination photograph.

ZERO

PREMIUM

GOLF

PORTUGAL / THE DESTINATION EDITION

Atlantic
fairways.

Two destinations. Five places to stay.
A different rhythm for every golfer.

ALGARVE + SÃO MIGUEL

OCTOBER 2026

GOLF • STAYS • ISLAND LIFE

PAGE 02

In this edition

THE OPENING SHOT

A holiday that
starts with golf.

And leaves room for everything around it.

A good golf trip is not measured only in rounds. It is the first coffee before leaving, the unfamiliar view from a fairway and the table you return to at the end of the day. This edition brings together two Portuguese settings with very different personalities.

Choose the Algarve for a varied selection of courses and a mainland coastal stay. Choose São Miguel for two contrasting courses and an island holiday. In both, a ZERO apartment gives your days an independent, personal base.

04

The Algarve / pines, water & open horizons

10

São Miguel / golf in Atlantic green

18

Five stays / find your fit

19

A game to share / beginners & companions

21

Your own itinerary / request a proposal

Original ZERO Premium editorial. Course selections are independent recommendations, not endorsements or confirmed commercial partnerships.

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Two destinations, two tempos

CHOOSE YOUR SETTING

Two destinations.
Two tempos.

01

ALGARVE

For golfers who want course variety, pine-lined rounds and time along the southern coast. Build the trip around Vilamoura or the eastern Algarve.

Sundown Pines / Sun Family Retreat

02

SÃO MIGUEL

For a smaller golf selection with a strong sense of place. Combine Batalha and Furnas with unhurried days exploring the island.

The 19th Hole / Azzurro / Regatta

One destination is enough for a rewarding break. A two-region journey needs a separate travel day and a carefully checked flight plan.

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The Algarve

01 / THE MAINLAND CHAPTER

Pine shadows. Open skies. One more round.

Laguna, Vilamoura. Archive photograph; current course conditions may differ.
Laguna, Vilamoura. Archive photograph; current course conditions may differ.

LAGUNA, VILAMOURA / ARCHIVE PHOTOGRAPH • DOMPEDROHOTELS& GOLFCOLLECTION

Make a choice about your base before choosing every tee time. Vilamoura gives this edition its central Algarve focus; Marim, near Olhão, opens a different holiday rhythm for golfers exploring the eastern courses.

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The Vilamoura selection

COURSE NOTES / VILAMOURA

Four ways to play.

Pinhal Golf Course, Vilamoura. Archive photograph.
Pinhal Golf Course, Vilamoura. Archive photograph.

A stay at Sundown Pines pairs naturally with a Vilamoura-focused itinerary. Select two contrasting courses first; leave room for a favourite to earn a second round.

PINHAL / ARCHIVE PHOTO • DOMPEDROHOTELS& GOLFCOLLECTION

Old Course

A classic pine-framed layout with rolling fairways. An appealing choice for golfers who enjoy mature parkland and a strong sense of golfing tradition.

Pinhal

Pine-lined golf with practice facilities and an academy. Consider a lesson or a warm-up session before beginning the playing part of the trip.

Millennium

A varied mix of more open stretches and tree-lined holes. Pair it with a contrasting course rather than filling the itinerary with similar rounds.

Laguna

Open fairways and prominent water hazards provide a different visual and strategic character. Shares its clubhouse with Millennium.

All four selections have 18 holes. Club admission rules, current tees, maintenance and tee-time availability must be checked directly. Sources: p22.

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Sundown Pines

Sundown Pines: dining space looking towards the pines. Actual ZERO property photograph.
Sundown Pines: dining space looking towards the pines. Actual ZERO property photograph.

YOUR VILAMOURA BASE

VILAMOURA / 1 BEDROOM / UP TO 4 GUESTS

A bright apartment with an equipped kitchen and views towards the pine landscape. Start with breakfast at your own pace, then build the day around a round in Vilamoura.

Our suggested fit: a couple, a small family or friends happy with the confirmed sleeping arrangement. Maximum occupancy does not mean separate bedrooms for every golfer.

Golf pairing / Pinhal and Millennium, with the Old Course or Laguna as an alternative. Course travel and golf bookings are separate from the accommodation.

169663/AL

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The eastern Algarve

COURSE NOTES / EASTERN ALGARVE

The quieter
side of the card.

Build a golf day around the east, then come home to Marim.

01

Benamor

An 18-hole, par-71 course near Tavira, with gently undulating ground and established regional trees. Its practice facilities and lessons also make it worth considering for a skills-focused day.

02

Quinta da Ria

An 18-hole, par-72 layout with views towards the Atlantic and the Ria Formosa. Water and bunkering bring a different set of decisions from the pine corridors of Vilamoura.

03

Quinta de Cima

A championship-style option with broad fairways, bunkers, a stream and mature trees. Consider it for a more golf-led day, after discussing tees and playing requirements with the club.

Stay pairing: Sun Family Retreat, Marim. These courses require onward road travel; the accommodation is not on a golf course. Sources: p22.

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Sun Family Retreat

YOUR EASTERN ALGARVE BASE

Sun Family
Retreat

Private terrace at Sun Family Retreat, Marim. Actual ZERO property photograph.
Private terrace at Sun Family Retreat, Marim. Actual ZERO property photograph.

MARIM / OLHÃO

UP TO 7 GUESTS

Room for a holiday that is not only about golf. This contemporary apartment combines flexible sleeping arrangements with an equipped kitchen, a terrace and a garden setting.

Choose it for a family or mixed-interest group exploring the eastern Algarve. Golfers can plan a day around Benamor or Quinta da Ria, while the wider itinerary stays relaxed.

A little more space in the day
Ask for an arrival plan, the exact bed configuration and a realistic course-transfer schedule before confirming your dates.

161449/AL

PAGE 09

Algarve golf breaks

SUGGESTED JOURNEYS / TAILORED ON REQUEST

Stay a little.
Play a little more.

4

NIGHTS / VILAMOURA

Base: Sundown Pines.
Two suggested rounds: Pinhal and Millennium.
One open day for a lesson, the coast or a third round.

5

NIGHTS / EASTERN ALGARVE

Base: Sun Family Retreat.
Two suggested rounds: Benamor and Quinta da Ria.
Leave a full day free between golf days.

A longer week?

For seven nights, choose one base and build around three rounds, a lesson if useful, and generous time away from golf. Add the Old Course or Quinta de Cima only if it suits the group and the available tee times.

Illustrative itineraries, not fixed-price packages. Accommodation, green fees, lessons, equipment and transport are separately specified in the proposal; nothing is reserved by this magazine.

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São Miguel

02 / THE ISLAND CHAPTER

The Atlantic changes the conversation.

Batalha Golf Course, São Miguel. Archive photograph from 2008.
Batalha Golf Course, São Miguel. Archive photograph from 2008.

BATALHA / ARCHIVE, 2008

Two courses are the heart of this chapter: Batalha and Furnas. Treat them as part of an island journey, with a flexible day in the schedule and an ocean-facing ZERO stay to return to.

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Batalha

SÃO MIGUEL / THE COURSE WITH OPTIONS

27

holes across three nine-hole loops.
Confirm which combination is in play.

A golfer at Batalha. Archive photograph by ristok, 2007.
A golfer at Batalha. Archive photograph by ristok, 2007.

BATALHA / ARCHIVE, 2007 • RISTOK

A mix of open and wooded golf with Atlantic views. Our suggested first round on the island, with a return visit if you want to explore another available loop combination. [5]

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Furnas

Cryptomeria trees beside the first hole at Furnas. Archive photograph by Mary Anne Melo, 2010.
Cryptomeria trees beside the first hole at Furnas. Archive photograph by Mary Anne Melo, 2010.

SÃO MIGUEL

18 HOLES / PAR 72

Golf with a
woodland soul.

A different mood from Batalha: a course in the hills above Furnas, with a wooded setting and a strong connection to the island landscape. [6]

Our suggested day: give the round its own space, then add time in the Furnas area if daylight and conditions allow. Keep the order flexible rather than rushing from the final green to the next appointment.

Ask the club about lessons, hire equipment and current playing conditions when booking. A listed service is not a guarantee of availability on your date.

CRYPTOMERIA AT THE FIRST HOLE
ARCHIVE, 2010 • MARY ANNE MELO

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The 19th Hole

PONTA DELGADA / THE COMPACT ESCAPE

The 19th Hole: living room towards the ocean. Actual ZERO property photograph.
The 19th Hole: living room towards the ocean. Actual ZERO property photograph.

1 BEDROOM + SOFA BED

UP TO 4 GUESTS

A name made for this edition. An ocean-view apartment for a smaller group, with an independent base in Ponta Delgada.

Our suggested fit: two golfers, or a couple travelling with family. Confirm sofa-bed use and the precise sleeping layout if booking for more than two.

The name is a playful reference to golf. The apartment is not on a golf course, and no golf-club membership or green fee is included with the stay.

RRAL 4628

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Azzurro

Azzurro: dining and living space facing the Atlantic. Actual ZERO property photograph.
Azzurro: dining and living space facing the Atlantic. Actual ZERO property photograph.

PONTA DELGADA / OCEAN OUTLOOK

2 BEDROOMS / UP TO 8 GUESTS

A bright, ocean-facing apartment with generous living spaces and an equipped kitchen. A natural setting for a shared breakfast before golfers and non-golfers begin different versions of the same day.

Our suggested fit: a family or a sociable group that values space to gather. With two bedrooms, the maximum capacity of eight requires the full sleeping configuration; request the exact bed plan.

RRAL 4669

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Regatta

PONTA DELGADA / SPACE TO SHARE

Regatta: ocean outlook from the living room. Actual ZERO property photograph.
Regatta: ocean outlook from the living room. Actual ZERO property photograph.

3 BEDROOMS / UP TO 8 GUESTS

A three-bedroom apartment with sea views, an equipped kitchen and access to a shared swimming pool and tennis court. An appealing base for a group balancing golf days with time at home.

Our suggested fit: friends or a family wanting more bedrooms. Confirm the bed allocation before booking. Pool and tennis access follow condominium rules and may be affected by maintenance or seasonal conditions.

RRAL 4670

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The island golf break

SUGGESTED JOURNEY / SÃO MIGUEL

Five nights.
Two courses.
Room to explore.

01

ARRIVE

Settle into The 19th Hole, Azzurro or Regatta. Keep arrival day free of a fixed tee time.

02

BATALHA

Play a confirmed 18-hole combination. Build in time for practice and a relaxed finish.

03

ISLAND DAY

Leave an unscheduled day for the island, or move a round here if the club can accommodate a weather change.

04

FURNAS

A second golf day with a different landscape. Avoid crowding the day with multiple timed activities.

05

YOUR CHOICE

Rest, explore or request another round. Depart the following day with time for the airport.

For seven nights, add a third round and another open day. Golf, travel and accommodation remain subject to separate availability and confirmation.

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The time between rounds

THE OTHER HALF OF THE HOLIDAY

Keep a little
time unclaimed.

An ocean-facing window seat at Azzurro. Actual ZERO property photograph.
An ocean-facing window seat at Azzurro. Actual ZERO property photograph.

A window seat.
A late breakfast.
No scorecard.

A golf holiday works best when everyone has something to look forward to. Mix round days with slow mornings and meals together. For companions who do not play, leave real choice in the schedule rather than treating every day as waiting time.

On a two-destination trip, allow a travel day between the Algarve and São Miguel. Flight routes and connections vary. Choose the rhythm first, then build the accommodation dates and tee times around a workable itinerary.

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Choose your ZERO stay

Five stays. The right sleeping arrangement matters as much as the view.

ZERO accommodation comparison
Stay / locationBedroomsGuestsSuggested fit
Sundown Pines / Vilamoura1Up to 4Vilamoura golf
Sun Family Retreat / Marim / OlhãoConfirm layoutUp to 7Family / eastern golf
The 19th Hole / Ponta Delgada1 + sofa bedUp to 4Compact island break
Azzurro / Ponta Delgada2Up to 8Ocean-facing group stay
Regatta / Ponta Delgada3Up to 8Friends / shared amenities

Our editorial suggestions are not access or suitability certifications. Maximum guest counts are not bedroom counts. Ask for the exact bed layout, stairs/lift information, parking and golf-bag storage before confirming.

Browse all ZERO stays

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A game to share

BEGINNERS / FAMILIES / INDIVIDUAL NEEDS

There is more than
one way to play.

01

Begin with a lesson

If someone is new to golf, start with a professional lesson or supervised practice session. Pinhal, Benamor and Furnas list coaching or practice facilities. Ask each club what is appropriate before booking a full round. [1, 3, 6]

02

Make the family plan together

Children and beginners may face age, handicap, supervision or course-access rules. Confirm junior coaching, equipment sizes and lesson language directly. Pair golf time with shared time, rather than making everyone follow the same schedule.

03

Ask specific access questions

For reduced mobility or other access needs, check step-free routes, bathroom layout, walking distances, slopes and transfers. A buggy is not the same as an accessible golf experience. Adapted equipment and assistance need individual confirmation.

No featured course or accommodation is presented here as independently accessibility-audited. ZERO can receive your requirements so suitability can be checked before any booking.

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Before the first tee

PRACTICAL NOTES

The details that
make the difference.

Dates & daylight

Ask clubs about maintenance, closures, competitions and usable tee times before paying. Do not assume a course will be in the same condition as an archive photograph.

Conditions & flexibility

Plan for sun, wind and possible rain. São Miguel rewards a flexible itinerary; the Algarve also needs a weather plan. Check local forecasts close to travel.

Your clubs or theirs?

Confirm hire-set specifications, handedness and availability. If flying with clubs, check the airline sports-equipment allowance and any connection constraints.

Playing requirements

Ask for current handicap or experience requirements, dress rules, tee options and pace-of-play expectations. These vary by club and can change.

Transport & timing

Allow for road travel, arrival formalities and warm-up. Any requested transport must identify the provider, luggage capacity and price before confirmation.

Cancellation terms

Check accommodation and golf terms separately, including weather interruption, refunds, no-shows and amendment rules. An open day does not guarantee a moved tee time.

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Your own itinerary

THE NEXT ROUND STARTS HERE

Let’s plan
your golf escape.

Tell us the dates. We’ll start with the right stay.

YOUR BRIEF

Destination and preferred dates
Adults, children and the bedroom arrangement you need
Number of golfers, playing level and preferred rounds
Hire clubs, coaching and any access requirements
Budget range and transport needs

A clear proposal
Request a stay quotation with the full price, applicable charges and cancellation terms. Any golf, coaching, equipment or transport request should identify the independent supplier, inclusions, payment arrangements and booking conditions.

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Sources & booking notes

EDITORIAL DESK / CHECKED 4 OCTOBER 2026

Sources & notes

Old Course, Pinhal, Millennium and Laguna: official course pages, layouts and facilities.

Accommodation descriptions, capacities, registration references and owner-supplied photographs.

Official history, course character and practice facilities.

Official course descriptions and setting.

Official regional tourism listing: 27 holes and course character.

Official national tourism listing: 18 holes, par 72 and listed facilities.

How to read this edition
Course descriptions are based on the official sources above. Stay pairings, trip lengths and suggested day order are ZERO editorial proposals, not operator guarantees. No green fees, flights, lessons, meals, equipment or transport are included unless a written quotation expressly says so.

Independent publication. No golf-club partnership or endorsement is implied. Rates, access rules, services and availability should be reconfirmed before booking. This edition does not reserve accommodation or tee times.

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Photography & credits

THE IMAGE DESK

Cover / original golf still-life

AI-generated editorial artwork created for ZERO Premium. Generic scene, not a photograph of any named course.

DomPedroHotels&GolfCollection, via Wikimedia Commons. CC BY-SA 3.0. Archive photographs, cropped for layout. Adapted images retain the same licence.

José Luís Ávila Silveira / Pedro Noronha e Costa, 2008. Wikimedia Commons. Released into the public domain by its copyright owner.

ristok, 2007. Wikimedia Commons. CC BY-SA 2.0. Cropped for layout; adapted image retains the same licence.

Mary Anne Melo, 2010. Wikimedia Commons. CC BY 2.0. Cropped for layout.

ZERO Premium / owner-supplied website assets. Actual featured accommodation, selected for this edition. No generated accommodation imagery.

Art direction & typography

Original ZERO GOLF design. DM Sans, Outfit and DejaVu Serif. Font licences and full image-source links accompany the editable edition.

Archive course photographs are used for atmosphere and location context, not as evidence of current maintenance, services or conditions. All linked photo source records are included in the digital reader.

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The next round

Pine landscape viewed from Sundown Pines, Vilamoura. Actual ZERO property photograph.
Pine landscape viewed from Sundown Pines, Vilamoura. Actual ZERO property photograph.

ZERO PREMIUM / PORTUGAL

Your next round.
Your own rhythm.

ALGARVE + SÃO MIGUEL

ZERO GOLF

ATLANTIC FAIRWAYS / OCTOBER 2026