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Essential Alvor
Alto Golf
Where Legends Live On
The Algarve’s best-kept secret, designed by Sir Henry Cotton, awaits your best game.
Alto Golf, opened in June 1991 in the presence of the Portuguese President, is tucked between Alvor and Praia da Rocha, just five kilometres from Portimão. It was the last course designed by the legendary Sir Henry Cotton, and it carries his unmistakable stamp. Pestana Golf assumed management of the club in December 2021 and formally acquired it a year later, in December 2022. Today, it is part of the prestigious Pestana Golf portfolio.
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At 6,486 yards (5,896 metres), Alto is a course that rewards precision as much as power. Cotton used the natural valleys, contours, and elevation changes to craft a layout that can feel merciless when your game is off, but deeply satisfying when you’re on form. Mature trees, cleverly placed bunkers, and dog-legs shape every hole, demanding thoughtful shot-making and strategic club selection—especially when playing to elevated greens. As the course has matured, it has grown in character, with two former par 5s now reclassified as par 4s and tee boxes that often obscure a clear view of the fairway, increasing both its challenge and intrigue.
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From the deceptively simple opening par 3 to the daunting “Sir Henry Challenge” at the 16th, Alto mixes charm with toughness. Each hole carries its own personality—whether it’s the uphill climbs, crowned greens, or blind tee shots that keep golfers on their toes. The clubhouse offers the perfect retreat afterwards, with a stylish interior, panoramic views over the 18th, and the kind of warm hospitality that has become a hallmark of Pestana’s resorts. Alto Golf is more than a test of skill; it’s a celebration of Cotton’s golfing legacy, matured beautifully under the Algarve’s sun.
What's more, now that the course has grown older, this maturity is making it a wonderful challenge; now some of the tee placements have made it impossible to see the fairway. Also, two holes have been reclassified from par 5 to 4. At the opening hole, a par 3 of 162 metres with no apparent danger, you may be fooled into thinking you're in for an easy day. But after this easy start, almost every hole will need precise planning for each shot. Study the card for tips about shot placement - this will help you gain some satisfaction from playing this great course well. The second, a 348 metre par 4 which slightly dog-legs to the left, features the old bread oven pictured on the front of the scorecard; your tee shot needs to aim in that direction to the left side of the fairway, because the fairway slopes gently away to the right. A good drive will leave a mid-iron to get you onto the slightly sloping green.
The first of five
The third was originally the first of five par 5 holes on Alto and plays across one of the valleys. It has now been reclassified as a par 4 and measuring nearly 400 metres, it's now one of the hardest holes on the course. Aim your drive to the right centre of the fairway - not too far right though, as water lurks around the corner.
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The approach to the green is uphill all the way. Be careful of the bunker at the front and rear of the green, which means most of your third shots will be from sand. The green slopes from back to front and is normally very fast, a real test for the nerves.
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The par 4, 400 metre fourth requires a precise tee shot, aimed to the right-hand side of the fairway over the trees. This gives you the perfect line, uphill into the green, which is guarded by one bunker. A water hazard on the right will also test your nerves and your driving skills.
You are faced with a choice on the next, a par 5 double dog leg, called A Serpente.
You can either fade a driver aimed at the bunker on the left or hit a fairway wood or long iron along the tree line. The fairway is wide, but there's an out-of-bounds area down the left. The large green is hidden to the left behind a large bunker and a palm tree.
Stroke Index 1, and this hole - the 377 metre par 4 sixth - is worthy of the honour. Select placement over power with your tee shot and aim down the right side of the fairway. This should leave you with a long iron, uphill approach shot to a narrow target - good luck!
Three tremendous golf holes follow to finish off the front nine. The par 3 seventh- 201 metres, with bunkers to the front right and left - will severely punish any wayward shot; the wind also plays an important role on this hole. The green is elevated and crowned, which means that chipping close can be difficult. A par is certainly worthy of celebration.
A large bunker on the right side of the eighth fairway is ideal for most drives on this 293 metre par 4 hole. Aiming to the left and a fairway wood or long iron from the tee should leave a good second into a long, sloping green, which has a nasty ridge dividing the left from the right. The closing hole of the front nine is all uphill with out of bounds on the left-hand side. If you've played the course before, you'll notice this is a prime example of how the course is changing with its maturity, from the white and yellow tees, you only have a thin line to hit the fairway. You need two big shots to hit this crowned green in two.
Grab a drink at the clubhouse
The par 4 tenth has a blind tee shot, and all you seem to be able to see is the rising fairway and the trees that overhang it. If you can get over the hill, the ball should run on nicely, although the road on the right is out of bounds. Again, the right side leaves the best approach, so don't be intimidated. A good drive along the tree line will leave you a mid-iron second shot to an elevated green - club selection is vital.
The eleventh and twelfth are both easy par-3s. The eleventh has a lovely two-tiered green, which runs from back to front, but beware the hidden bunker to the front for anything short. On the twelfth, aim at the left side of the green - the ball tends to run from that side down towards the centre of the green.
Three blind mice
The next three holes all have blind tee shots. The thirteenth used to be a quality par 5 that had it all, this has been reclassified to a par 4 and at its current length, it's a very difficult hole. Drive at the marker in the middle of the fairway; you'll need a very long iron or fairway wood to hit the green, which is uphill to the right. The best alternative is to lay up and leave yourself a chip to the green. Beware, the green is elevated - anything wide will be punished by the surrounding trees, and anything short might result in you finding the ball back at your feet. Even if you hit the green, holing out is no certainty as a huge tear runs through the centre of the green. At the fourteenth, it's possible to hit the green in one – walk forward from the tee box and check out the green for position, then grip it and rip it! A long iron or fairway wood gives a short iron to the green. Check pin placement, as this large green could leave you in three-putt territory. On the fifteenth, you are faced with an uphill view and the parish marker – aim slightly left as the right is out of bounds. Once over the hill, everything falls away. The sloping two-tiered green is challenge in itself.
O gigante which is now called: Sir Henry Challenge
The monster sixteenth - 604 metres - sports a lake on the left. The old olive tree has gone, and the landing area leaves you a blind second. Again, try to keep it straight up the fairway across which a nasty gully runs at second shot distance. The green is surrounded by bunkers and slopes, so you need to be accurate with your third or fourth.
The seventeenth is another great test of your game. At 124 metres, it doesn't seem too difficult, but the small target is guarded by a bunker to the right front and left back, and there's a very steep slope on the left. It's probably best not to miss this green!
On to the last
The final hole is a par 5 that is no pushover. Fire away with the driver down the right side. Placement is vital on the lay up, totally blind with the second, but aim at to centre of the hill ridge. From here, you will be able to see all the green, which is guarded by just one bunker front left.
Getting there.
Quinta do Alto do Poço
8500-777 Alvor
Algarve, Portugal
Telephone
+351 282 410 820​
The great man
Henry Cotton is one of the great English golfers. In the years between the careers of Harry Vardon and Nick Faldo, he led the way. He was both a flamboyant showman and a disciplined shot-maker; as one observer commented during his playing career, Cotton was “equal parts Hagen and Hogan."
Cotton’s first love was cricket, but he switched to golf at the age of 12. Five short years later, in 1924, at just 17, he turned professional. While he rarely played in America during his career, he became known to golf fans around the world with his 1934 British Open victory.
He anchored four British Ryder Cup teams, and in 1937—when the entire U.S. Ryder Cup team competed—he won his second British Open. That season was his best, as he also captured several other national championships across Europe.
Cotton played in only one U.S. Open during his prime years in the 1930s, but the outbreak of World War II denied him further opportunities. During the war, Cotton served in the Royal Air Force. He organized exhibition matches with other professionals to raise money for the Red Cross, and after the war he was awarded the MBE.
Returning to competition after the war, Cotton won the Open Championship again in 1948. He also claimed the British PGA title three times. His first British Open appearance was in 1927, and his last came 50 years later in 1977.
Cotton was renowned for his tireless work ethic—sometimes practicing until his hands bled—but also for his love of the high life. He enjoyed champagne, caviar, and tailored clothes; for a time he lived in a suite in a five-star hotel, and later he bought an estate complete with a butler and full staff, traveling everywhere in a Rolls-Royce.
In addition to designing golf courses, Cotton wrote 10 books. He founded the Golf Foundation, which introduced thousands of young boys and girls to the game.
He was knighted in 1987, becoming Sir Henry Cotton, shortly before his death. At his request, Sir Henry was buried in the nearby village of Mexilhoeira Grande, alongside his wife, Tootsie.
As a measure of his greatness, Sir Henry Cotton was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1980.
Club Information
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No. of holes: 18
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Par: 70
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Length: 5,178m (yellow tees), 5,432m (white tees)
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Amenities:
Driving Range, Putting Green, Pro-Shop, Golf Academy, Restaurant & Bar
Clubhouse:
Step into the elegance of the Alto Golf Course Clubhouse, where refined luxury meets the natural beauty of the Algarve. The clubhouse offers spacious, stylish interiors with plush seating and panoramic views across the course — the perfect setting to unwind in comfort.
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Relax on the expansive outdoor deck and admire the breathtaking view of the 18th hole while enjoying a refreshing drink. Whether you’re celebrating a special occasion or simply unwinding after a round, the Alto Golf Course Clubhouse provides the ideal atmosphere. We often go with the family and have a lunch, the club has a really nice menu of snacks including some nice pizzas.
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Our attentive team is dedicated to making your visit truly memorable, with personalized service and exceptional amenities. Experience sophistication, comfort, and warm hospitality — all waiting for you at the Alto Golf Course Clubhouse.