The Portuguese golf resort has invested in course renovations, enhanced practice facilities and more sustainable maintenance practices, aiming to reduce its irrigated area by 20% as it strengthens its position among Europe’s leading golf and lifestyle destinations.

Palmares Ocean Living & Golf is continuing its transformation into one of Europe’s leading golf and lifestyle resorts following the completion of a significant improvement programme across its 27-hole golf course in Portugal’s Algarve region.

Following the launch of a new collection of signature apartments and a new signature restaurant in 2026, Palmares has invested in upgrading its golf facilities to deliver an enhanced playing experience for members and guests. The resort is managed by Details – Hospitality, Sports, Leisure, Portugal’s largest golf course operator.

The latest improvements focus on course conditioning, playing surfaces, landscaping and practice facilities, alongside a comprehensive approach to more efficient water management.

Palmares Invests in Its 27-Hole Golf Course

The investment programme has delivered significant renovation work across all three of Palmares’ nine-hole loops, improving playing conditions and the overall presentation of the course.

A new short-game area and a larger putting green have also been developed, giving golfers additional opportunities to refine their skills and practise different aspects of their game.

The resort has upgraded its greenkeeping machinery and is implementing new course maintenance and irrigation practices designed to improve operational efficiency and reduce environmental impact.

A key objective is to reduce the total irrigated area by 20%, while maintaining high-quality playing surfaces and an outstanding golf experience.

Nuno Sepulveda, co-CEO of Details – Sports, Hospitality, Leisure, said the investment forms part of a broader vision for Palmares.

“This investment is part of a much bigger vision for Palmares. As the management company, we took a hard look at the resort and it was clear this was what was needed to bring the golf course back up to the standards that a place like Palmares deserves,” he said.

“After the renovations we’ve carried out across our golf portfolio, it made perfect sense for Palmares to be next. With its combination of parkland and links-style holes in an incredible coastal setting, offering some of the best views in the region, Palmares is such a special place.”

He added that the project would improve playability, upgrade facilities and modernise infrastructure, with sustainability at the heart of the resort’s long-term development.

Improved Playability Across Alvor, Lagos and Praia

Set within the natural amphitheatre of the Bay of Lagos, Palmares’ 27-hole golf course was redesigned in 2011 by renowned golf course architect Robert Trent Jones Jr. of Robert Trent Jones II Golf Course Architects (RTJ II).

The layout comprises three distinctive nine-hole loops: Alvor, Lagos and Praia. Flowing towards the Atlantic Ocean, the course combines parkland characteristics with links-style holes to create a varied and challenging experience for golfers of different abilities.

The latest improvements include wider fairways and the introduction of closely mown grass areas around selected greens, providing an alternative to traditional sand bunkers and creating additional strategic options for players.

“We’ve increased the ‘fun factor’ for golfers of all skill levels by widening fairways and incorporating short grass as a defence instead of sand bunkers on many green complexes,” said Bruce Charlton, president of RTJ II. “We’ve also updated tee surfaces and bunkers.”

All teeing areas are being resurfaced with grass varieties better suited to the Algarve’s climate and more sustainable in the long term.

Bunkers are also being reconstructed and renovated with new sand to restore their playing characteristics. Selected bunkers are being repositioned or refined in line with the original design philosophy of Robert Trent Jones Jr.

Together, these measures aim to enhance course strategy, improve playing conditions and deliver a more enjoyable experience for golfers of all levels.

Sustainability at the Heart of Golf Course Management

Water efficiency is a central element of Palmares’ improvement programme.

The resort is modernising its irrigation system to focus water resources on the primary playing surfaces, reducing irrigation in areas where intensive watering is not essential.

Supported by upgraded machinery and revised maintenance practices, the initiative aims to improve water efficiency, reduce operating costs and strengthen the long-term environmental sustainability of the golf course.

The target of reducing the irrigated area by 20% is particularly relevant in the Algarve, where responsible water management is increasingly important for tourism, golf and the wider environment.

By combining course improvements with more efficient resource management, Palmares is seeking to balance premium playing conditions with a more sustainable operating model.

Palmares Targets a Place Among Europe’s Leading Golf Resorts

Gonzaga Liniers, general manager of Palmares Ocean Living & Golf, said the renovation programme marks an exciting stage in the resort’s development.

“Joining Palmares at the same time as this significant renovation has been really exciting, and it gives me real confidence that within the next two years, we will position Palmares as one of the best golf destinations in Europe,” he said.

Liniers emphasised that the resort’s ambitions extend beyond golf, with investment across its hospitality, leisure and residential offerings.

“With our award-winning clubhouse, the new leisure facilities and the arrival of JW Marriott, the brand’s first hotel in Portugal, every part of the resort is moving forward together. It’s a great time to be here and we’re looking forward to showing people the very best version of Palmares,” he added.

The planned opening of the JW Marriott hotel in 2028 is expected to further strengthen Palmares’ position as a premium destination for golf tourism and luxury hospitality in Portugal.

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