London - Jump Off Trip - Spain or Portugal

[Steve_Roths]

Heading to London in early December.


Would you recommend a visit to Spain or Portugal for three days?

Valdaramma in Spain and not sure on Portugal.


Any thoughts?

For Valdaramma, what airport to fly into from London?

[Steve_Roths]

Or would the weather be decent enough in London to sneak in a round or two?

[Charles Lund]

Read the weather averages for London in December.


http://www.andalucia.com/sotogrande/gettting-there.htm


I spent about ten nights in Sotogrande early and three nights late in a Spain and Portugal trip seven years ago on s five week trip in October.  Valderrama was about 300 euros then, Sotogrande was about 160 euros, and La Reserva about 125 euros, so I played it twice.


The Algarve didn't have anything I am aware of that would justify a fly in for one round flight to Faro.  I think I played six rounds on six courses there and four rounds near Lisbon.


I am glad I did the trip.  Pprtugal courses generally made me think of Centtal Coast to Nothern California courses and Sotogrande seemed more like Southern California.[size=78%] [/size]


Charles Lund

[Steve Okula]

If good golf is the priority, then you couldn't do better than the Lisbon area. Start with the seaside pair of Prai d'El Rey and West Cliffs right next to each other. The latter just opened last year and is a magnificent piece of work by Cynthia Dye. It came in at number 16 in Europe's top 100 courses.

Within an hour drive of those are Troia, Penha Longa, Aroiea, and the list goes on, all of which are better than 95% of the courses in Spain.

More info at https://www.top100golfcourses.com/golf-courses/continental-europe/portugal/lisbon-centre

[Scott Warren]

Lisbon is a wonderful city and the conditions were great for golf when I was there in late-Feb one year, so I’m sure December would be fine.


Plenty of golf choices and some great culture. Good value for that part of Europe, too.


And load up on the natas. They’re superb.

[Adrian_Stiff]

Portugal has better golf courses IMO. If you go to Southern Spain and plan of playing Sotogrande, Valderamma, La Reserva fly into Gibralta not Malaga. Travel time is probably 75-90 minutes from Malaga airport only 15 minutes from Gib.


In December you would probably have decent golfing conditions on the SW Kent Coast, it is probably 50-50 if its raining. Spain or Portugal is kinda 95-5....it makes up for a lot of crap architecture.

[Steve_Roths]

Thanks for the feedback.


How is the driving in Spain for english speakers?  I am guessing it is heavily visited by English (UK residents) that it can't be too bad getting around.

[Matt Dawson]

Steve


Couple of points: the golf courses are generally of a higher standard (more interesting, I should say) in Portugal than in Spain. And previous posters are correct, the Lisbon area is better than the Algarve, and cheaper.


But the weather can be notoriously fickle on the Portuguese Atlantic west coast, with cold driving wind and rain. In winter time the big wave surfers often descend on this area (Nazare) to ride the huge waves that barrel in due to Atlantic storms. The Algarve and Costa del Sol can also suffer, but nowhere near the same extent and you can often play in a light sweater. But would I make a special journey out from London to play there? Not for me


I remember you were asking a couple of months back about London & SE England suggestions for golf....did you make it down to the Kent coast as people suggested? If not, then I'd think you would find more interesting pursuits in this area than S Europe...if you don't mind wrapping up warm

[Steve_Roths]

About a week or so away on that trip.


For the Kent area.  What do you recommend?  I'm trying to figure out if it is anything that I have seen or planning to see in the current trip.


Would this include Rye, West Sussex, etc?

[Tom Birkert]

Why not stay around London if the weather forecast is decent, and have warmer climates as back up if it looks dodgy?


You could do Swinley, Sunningdale Old and New, St George's Hill etc and then head down to Royal St George's and Deal.

[Mark Chaplin]

Tom I’ve always said that’s a world beater golf trip - the variation of top class links plus the best of heathland golf, added to minimal travel - yet very few overseas golfers do it, it baffles me.

[Brian Finn]

This past April, I was able to play several great heathland courses, in addition to a couple of links that I had been wanting to see for a long time.  With my base in London, I played Swinley Forest, Sunningdale Old & New (simple train rides from the city).  I then went down to Royal St. George's for a day (among the best single course days in golf), stayed in Deal, and played RCP the next day, and finished up by playing Walton Heath Old the day before leaving.  I had several non-golf days interspersed, but I am already planning a return trip to see more of both the heath and the links (I feel this trip was just the tip of the iceberg), in addition to seeing some of these courses again.  If the weather permits, I can't imagine a much better trip.

[Matt Dawson]

Why not stay around London if the weather forecast is decent, and have warmer climates as back up if it looks dodgy?


You could do Swinley, Sunningdale Old and New, St George's Hill etc and then head down to Royal St George's and Deal.

Steve this is your itinerary - add Rye to the coastal names and possibly Pulborough (W Sussex) depending on how many days you have

[Ian Mackenzie]

Have played in both southern Spain and Algarve in Portugal.
Will not return for the golf.


Reminds me of Palm Springs - decent weather, forgettable golf....with perhaps an exception here and there.


Stay in England. Play real golf courses.

[Steve_Roths]

Okay, I am going to try to play one two of the following in early December:


Royal Worlington
Royal Ashdown Forest
West Sussex
Deal
Notts


Just praying the temps are in the 40's or 50's.

[Tom Birkert]

Okay, I am going to try to play one two of the following in early December:


Royal Worlington
Royal Ashdown Forest
West Sussex
Deal
Notts


Just praying the temps are in the 40's or 50's.

Good idea! We've had an incredibly mild summer and minimal rain, and even now the weather is glorious. Obviously that can change pretty quickly but the courses at the moment around London are in fantastic shape.


The start of December is usually OK - typically the worst weather in England tends to be in January / February. Nothing a decent base layer / waterproofs won't deal with!

[Mark_Rowlinson]

If considering Spain, El Saler is a must play. True it is off the beaten track, outside Valencia, and there's not much else of note in the area, but it is a magnificent golf course and the food is excellent. Many years ago I played it on my own. There was some East of Spain Championship or similar and the competitors had finished their practice by lunchtime. I was allowed out on my own in the afternoon, and quite an experience it was. I played it a few times since and it never failed to impress me. Last time I was there there was no chance of playing. Half the course was shut for maintenance and the other half was crowded out with locals. So I simply walked the course. The back nine was utter bliss with nobody else out and, of course, I got some wonderful photographs, not only of the course but also the wading birds which had come over the fence from the next door nature reserve.

[Matt Kardash]

Was in Portugal the first two weeks of September. Had a wonderdul time. Stayed in Lisboa and Porto. Two beautiful cities. Had the best gelato in my life at Nannarella's. Words cannot explain how much better it is than your run of the mill ice cream.