Clube de Golf Santo da Serra’s reputation in European golf has receiving a glowing endorsement after the spectacular Madeira venue was named as the best golf course in Portugal by users of Golfamore, Europe’s leading benefit card for golfers.
Santo da Serra beat leading Lisbon layouts West Cliffs Golf Links and Praia D’El Rey to first place in Golfamore’s new poll of the top courses in Europe, which was voted for by a network of 100,000 players.
The renowned 27-hole venue also claimed the leading honour in the category of the ‘Most Affordable Course in Portugal’ while, in a further boost for golf in Madeira, Palheiro Golf won the award for the ‘Best Hospitality in Portugal’.
The double accolade is fresh recognition for Santo da Serra’s decision to undertake a €2.5m course upgrade in 2022 to improve the playing experience for members and guests, which saw the number of rounds played in 2023 rise by up to 27 per cent compared to the previous year.
Ricardo Vieira, sales and marketing manager at Clube de Golf Santo da Serra, said: “To be voted as the best course in Portugal is fantastic news and something that everyone at the club is very proud of.
“We have made some significant changes and investment over the last few years to improve the golf course customer experience that we offer, and awards of this nature is deserved recognition for all the hard work that has taken place.”
Golfamore – which is based in Sweden – enjoyed a record-breaking season in 2023, with more than 265,000 rounds of golf played across 1,300-plus courses across Europe. After a round is completed, players are asked to rate both the course and the golf club’s facilities and customer service, with venues eligible to be nominated for an award if they receive at least 50 votes and a rating of at least four (out of five.)
Anders Carlén, CEO of Golfamore, said: “The award gives clubs the opportunity to be recognised for their hard work and it also provides valuable feedback to us and the clubs through the survey that golfers fill out when rating their golf experience on the course and the club.”
Clube de Golf Santo da Serra is one of three world-class golf venues in the Portuguese archipelago of Madeira alongside Palheiro Golf and Porto Santo Golfe.
Located approximately 1,000km from the European mainland – and just 500km from the African continent – Madeira enjoys an amazingly mild climate, ranging from 25°c in the summer to 17°c in the winter, with very mild average temperatures and moderate humidity, making it the perfect year-round location for a golf break.
The best way to enjoy the island’s golf is with a Madeira Golf Passport which, providing holders with an unrivalled golf experience, is available to both individuals and groups and can be booked on a three or five-round basis.
For further information on Madeira, go to www.visitmadeira.com.