Lugar Rio Alto,
Póvoa de Varzim, Oporto 4570-242
Office
+351 252 601 814Pro shop
+351 252 601 567Fax
+351 252 612 701Website
Visit websiteGolf pro
Luîs Cameira (PGA, Golf Professional)Academy
Estela Golf Club AcademyThe Course:
18 holes. Seaside links. Gently undulating terrain - a few slopes to climb.
Surroundings:
3 km stretch of coastal duneland directly alongside the Atlantic Ocean.
Designer:
Duarte Sotto-Mayor
41.456220
-8.776279
9 km N of Povoa de Varzim / 52 km N of Porto.
Estela Golf Club is home to one of Portugal's top seaside links courses, and one that hugs Estela beach and the Atlantic seashore for three wonderful kilometres. Laid out on a gently undulating area of rippling sand dunes, Estela provides an excellent reason to come and discover golf in the north of Portugal.
The two nine-hole loops, played to the north and south of the clubhouse, never stray too far from the ocean's shoreline. On the front-nine you'll enjoy the best of the ocean views; the back-nine sits down behind the dunes, and will keep you focused on hitting the often tightish fairways.
In addition to the Atlantic views (and accompanying breezes), plenty of golfing challenge is here in abudance. Tightish fairways, separated by small rippling sand dunes, lead you to small, subtly-sloping, often elevated greens. Here the putting surfaces are often defended by bunkers left and right, and on more than a few occasions, front and back! Accurate tee-shots and equally accurate approach play are essential to scoring well here.
Pick of the holes: by no means the easiest hole on the course, the long par-3 4th plays to one of two possible green sites, with Estela beach and the Atlantic Ocean behind. Top marks if you can hit, and stay on, the scenic but postage-stamp sized green (whichever of the two is in play). Also of note is the par-4 6th; behind its green sits a disused windmill ... which provides the club with its iconic logo.
Visitors welcome on weekdays and weekends.
Must book in advance.
Contact club for full details, discounts, packages, etc. [Last updated: 2024].
Walking permitted. Golf carts available for hire.
Good
As of 2024 plans are well-advanced to introduce accommodation cabins next to the layout's 7th hole, allowing Estela to be played on a Stay&Play basis.
Estela Golf Club has hosted many top level national and international tournaments. In 1990 the European Tour staged the first (and only) Atlantic Open here, followed a year later by the Portugal Open championship.
Portugal's 8th best course (Golf World, 2022).
Continental Europe's 51st best course (Golf World, 2025).
Rua Da Imprensa Regional S/N, 4490-518 Póvoa de Varzim, Portugal
+351 (0)252 298 909
Visit websiteThe Axis Hotels Group provides a high quality service in a competitive and differentiating way. The Axis Vermar Conference & Beach Hotel is a 4-star hotel located on Póvoa de Varzim beach, 30 km from the international airport and 37 km from the city center of Porto, ideal for business or leisure trips with the family.
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Women’s (British) Open: the last women’s major championship of the season is hosted by Royal Porthcawl GC. It’s the first time this fabulous seaside links course has hosted the event (July 31-Aug 3).
Walker Cup: the 50th playing of this prestigious men’s amateur event sees the GB&I go head-to-head against the defending USA team at Cypress Point Club, California (Sept 6-7). After that, all eyes turn to Bethpage State Park on Long Island, NY, where the American and defending European professional teams engage in the 45th Ryder Cup (Sept 27-29).
Lottie Woad: 21-year-old Woad burst onto the professional scene in July, with wins in the Women’s Irish Open (as an amateur) and three weeks later in the Women’s Scottish Open (as a professional). She nearly picked-up a major championship, placing third in The Evian in the same month.
Pádraig Harrington: the ever-likeable Irishman added the (British) Senior Open Championship title to his stellar array of tournament successes. His win came on Sunningdale’s spectacular Old Course. Harrington had already bagged the U.S. Senior Open title in June this year.
The Dutch: "It's no' just a game", as they say in Scotland, and that's certainly true at The Dutch. With 5-star services throughout, a lavishly comfortable Loch Lomond-inspired clubhouse, and a superbly designed and presented golf course, one could not ask for more from this top-end private club.
Join us at The Dutch from August 21–24 for the Festival of Golf, featuring the HotelPlanner Tour. Experience four days of top-tier sport, live music, incredible food, and unexpected surprises. Explore the grounds, connect with others, embrace new challenges, and dive into an unforgettable celebration. Click here to buy tickets.
Here at Prince’s Golf Club you'll find 27 excellent holes of links golf. Just over the fence and sharing similar terrain is Royal St George’s; but Prince’s is far from overshadowed by its venerable neighbour. The three nine-hole loops at Prince's, laid out over gently undulating terrain, are sure to bring a smile of satisfaction to all lovers of links golf.
Stay&Play at Prince's: excellent onsite Lodge accommodation available
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