Golf World Top 100: Best Continental Europe Golf Resorts for Male Groups

Quinta do Lago is one of the best golf resorts in continental Europe.

What are the best golf resorts in Continental Europe for male groups to enjoy a golf break?

1. Dom Pedro, Vilamoura, Portugal

2. Gloria, Belek, Turkey

3. Golf du Medoc, Bordeaux, France

4. Budersand, Sylt, Germany

5. Quinta do Lago, Almancil, Portugal

– View the rest of the list

As part of our Golf World Top 100 Best Golf Resorts in Continental Europe ranking, we’ve also ranked the resorts in 12 individual categories, from the best resorts for females, families and couples to the best for beach breaks, city breaks and value.

Here, we take a look at the ten courses from the list that are best for those lads breaks, a weekend away with your mates in the sun, an all-male golf getaway (and we’ve included their marks from the main ranking as a guide).

Your can find all of the latest rankings here and, as always, we’d love to hear your views on our Top 100s.

Please do feed back where you feel we’ve gone wrong – and also if you think we’ve got things right, too. We’d love to hear from you via email, on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram.

Chris Bertram, Golf World Top 100 Editor

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How we marked the golf resorts

Course/s (marked out of 40): We largely followed our Top 100 Courses ranking as a guide. We awarded extra marks for resorts with more than one course, which gives the option of never having to leave the resort in search of variety. Even so, those with second (and third) courses do, if anything, may not quite get the extra boost they warrant.

Accommodation (out of 20): Needs little explanation, but worth pointing out two things: range and quantity of accommodation was looked on favourably, rather than just 10 incredible rooms. Given there is a separate category for non-golf amenities, we focused solely on the accommodation rather than facilities.

Setting (out of 20): We have increased the marks here because we feel a beachside, cliff-edge or lakeside location – to name three – do make a difference to the enjoyment of a resort. Peaceful countryside gets 15s and 16s in this category, but those with the ‘wow’ factor gain traction with 17s, 18s and even 19s. 

Non-golf amenities (out of 20): We do not want this to be ‘Courses with Rooms’. We have a Continental Courses ranking and a lot of those courses have dormie houses, and we do not want to simply replicate that list here. This list is for golf breaks and holidays, with resorts that will appeal to golfers primarily but also non-golfers too.

RELATED: Best golf courses in Portugal

The best golf resorts in continental Europe for a city break

1. Dom Pedro

Vilamoura, Portugal
Courses 34.3 Accommodation 18.3 Amenities 16.8 Setting 16.0 Total 85.4
Getting there: Faro airport is 25 minutes away.

Five courses plus three four-star hotels: Dom Pedro is clearly comprehensive!

It has so many rooms and amenities across the Vilamoura, Portobelo and Marina hotels, while the Old is the pick of the 90 holes.

It lost marks in the main ranking for being relatively spread out but none of the hotel-course trips is onerous and you’re almost guaranteed sunshine.

2. Gloria (+ all of Belek)

Belek, Turkey
Courses 30.9 Accommodation 18.4 Amenities 19.3 Setting 16.9 Total 85.5
Getting there: Antalya is 30 mins away.

Three hotels. Three courses. All-inclusive. Zero hassle. Ditto all Belek resorts.

Gloria is one of the biggest – and finest – golf resorts in Europe.

None of the courses is in the Continental Top 100, but both the New and the Old are always strong contenders for it.

Then you have three awesome, amenity-packed hotels – Serenity, Verde and Golf – which all have slightly different emphases and are all within a couple of minutes’ drive of the golf clubhouse.

The hotels are ‘typical Belek’…which is extremely high praise; terrific facilities, a wide choice of restaurants and high-class bedrooms. There’s now even an elite-level sports centre, used by Turkey’s football team.

The amenities include the best on-site water park in Belek.

3. Golf du Medoc

Bordeaux, France
Courses 36.4 Accommodation 16.5 Amenities 13.9 Setting 17.7 Total 84.5
Getting there: Bordeaux airport is 25 mins away.

Two Top 100-class courses. Peerless wine. What more could you possible need?

This is the connoisseur’s choice. Golf du Medoc has a course designed by Bill Coore and another by his associate, Rod Whitman; both are in our Continental Top 100. They are heathland-woodlands with hints of Walton Heath.

Plus a neat hotel with superb food and wine. If non-golf options are not key, this is heaven.

4. Budersand

Sylt, Germany
Course 32.9 Accommodation 17.5 Amenities 12.8 Setting 17.9 Total 81.1
Getting there: Fly to Sylt airport from Germany, or get to the island via ferry/Sylt Shuttle.

A genuine (and epic) links laid out on the remote island of Sylt that is ranked inside our top 30, plus a minimalist hotel.

The hotel lacks non-golf facilities, hence this slot, but for connoisseurs it is idyllic and well-worth the multi-stop journey to get there.

5. Quinta do Lago

Almancil, Portugal
Courses 35.8 Accommodation 17.4 Amenities 17.7 Setting 17.3 Total 88.2
Getting there: Faro airport is 20 minutes away.

A vibrant atmosphere, neat bedrooms, a lively pool area and excellent bar and restaurant. The gym is world-class (international rugby teams train there) and there is also a good but relatively small spa.

Other facilities include myriad restaurants – this might be the entry in the list with the best dining options, given the six restaurants – plus terrific practice facilities in the Paul McGinley Academy.

There is also a brand-new sports campus where tennis, cycling, tennis, padel and swimming offer extended facilities that help move Quinta do Lago into the top five for the first time.

Oh, and did we mention the three high-calibre courses? Two Continental Top 100 courses and a third 18-holer just five minutes away – Laranjal, a contender for the list.

6. La Cala

Marbella, Spain
Courses 33.0 Accommodation 16.8 Amenities 18.1 Setting 16.4 Total 84.3
Getting there: Marbella airport is 25 mins away.

La Cala has indubitably got significantly better under new owners – to the point where it is now comfortably one of Europe’s top 20.

That has manifested itself firstly in a thorough renovation of the three courses to provide 54 evenly-balanced holes and lots of strength in deptj. You can hunker down here for five days and never yearn to leave for a change of scene.

The hotel is cosy and neat, with all the rooms arranged around the pool, while there are three restaurants, including  La Bodega and its terrific tapas. There is an award-winning spa (and yes, they all say that, but this one really is good – and huge!),  plus tennis courts and a gym.

7. Real Club El Prat

Barcelona, Spain
Courses 33.5 Accommodation 18.0 Amenities 14.3 Setting 16.4 Total 82.2
Getting there: Barcelona airport is 35 mins away.

With five loops of nine and an excellent hotel on site, El Prat gets into the top 20 of our main list with plenty to spare.

It enjoys a tranquil location in which to play the loops of stringent Greg Norman-designed holes. Perfect for those who want golf, golf and more golf, although the hotel is, of course, a very pleasant spot in which to unwind.

8. PGA National

Malmö, Sweden
Courses 32.9 Accommodation 16.8 Amenities 13.9 Setting 16.6 Total 80.2
Getting there: Malmö airport is 30 minutes away.

Two excellent courses and within reach of both Malmo and Copenhagen (and their many bars)!

The accommodation is on the first floor of the clubhouse. It is extremely nice but limited in scope, as are the amenities, hence its overall position at 44th in our main list.

The Links course is superb and the Lakes a very good No.2. It’s really one for golfers, with not much else in the way of other facilities, but it is an ideal destination for a competitive weekend of golf followed by some beers.

9. La Manga Club

Murcia, Spain
Courses 31.5 Accommodation 17.4 Amenities 19.4 Setting 16.0 Total 84.3
Getting there: Murcia airport is 35 minutes away.

Three courses – with the West the pick – and accommodation that ranges from the large hotel to townhouses.

It’s also sports heaven, with football, tennis, horse riding, pools, a new gym and even cricket backing up 54 holes. La Manga Club has always been a popular destination for football clubs and international teams seeking sunshine training breaks.

The panel felt a little investment, especially to the hotel, would see it reclaim its position in the top 10 of our main list.

10. Arabella

Palma, Majorca
Courses 30.1 Accommodation 17.8 Amenities 16.8 Setting 16.4 Total 81.1
Getting there: Palma airport is 20 minutes away.

Arabella is one of the most comprehensive resorts in our main list – which is saying something. So, if you like checking in and not leaving your resort ‘til it’s time for your flight, consider this.

Three 18-hole courses – all solid if not spectacular –and two excellent hotels with excellent lesiurem dining and drinking options make this a great option.

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