Departing the UK on an early morning flight in January, it was just a couple of hours before the plane was descending on to the red-earthed landscape of the Algarve. Leaving a dreary, wet, dark England behind, green oases were now scattered across the sun stricken ground beneath, promising recreational treats for most of the airliner’s cabin.

In no time I was through Faro, a gem of an airport, and settled into Oceanico’s Prestige Experience limousine outside, enjoying cool conditioned air. It had just gone 10am and the weather was warm. I could hardly believe it was only a few weeks from new years day and I needed to wear shorts. Chatting to the driver as we left the airport I learned that the shared use of the car is one of the benefits of buying a Prestige Villa from the Oceanico Property Development Group, who have recently acquired several of the Vilamoura golf courses.

As the driver sped down the motorway to our first destination, I revelled in the thought of the Thursday morning city crowd sprawling into their London offices on a cold drizzly day. Over the next three days I would be playing Vilamoura’s Old Course and The Victoria, both now owned by Oceanico, but first up was Monte Rei, one of only a few Jack Nicklaus signature courses in Europe - and the first to reach Portugal.

Located far from the concentration of courses abundant in the Albufeira area, Monte Rei is set in the hills northeast of Tavira towards the Spanish border. An incredible mountain view greeted me on arrival, providing a taster as to what to expect during the round ahead.

The Algarve has an array of golf courses to suit all tastes and abilities but like anywhere, some of the courses are better than others, ranging in condition and difficulty. It was clear from the outset that Monte Rei would stand high on all levels. The high level of service was instantly apparent as we pulled into the clubhouse’s courtyard and several attendants quickly appeared to unload my bags, taking my clubs away for a polish before the upcoming round.

Before setting off I enjoyed a freshen-up in one of the immaculately finished changing rooms and a light lunch on the terrace, which had incredible panoramic view across several of the holes. To keep the speed of play high, golf buggies are mandatory across most courses in the Algarve, and looking over the mountainous course layout in my playing guide I was glad that I wouldn’t have to walk all the way. I was led to my buggy, where my sparkling clubs had been loaded, and headed to the 1st tee.

The round proved to be an unforgettable experience and I’m sure the course will be recognised as one of the great European layouts in the not too distant future. Featuring an abundance of water hazards and goliath bunkering, the play was incredibly challenging. There really were no weak holes and the condition of the course was magnificent. Elevated tee positions gave stunning views with massive bunkers guarding distant greens and even greater expanses of sand threatening anything but pin point drives.

So many of the holes could be called great but a couple of my favourites came consecutively at the 13th. First, an opportunity to send the ball with distance from the tee, hitting downhill, challenging a plethora of bunkers at the drive landing point, before taking on a lakeside green with wicked undulations which was huge fun. The approach to the green is likely to be less than 100 yards on this par 4 for most strong hitters, but avoiding a dropped shot seemed some feat. Next up was an equally challening medium length par 3 with the tee shot needing to carry a lake to find the green. The tee is probably the most eye-catching on the course, so I didn’t mind having to retake the shot twice before finding my target. It was safe to say that as I set off down the 15th fairway that my scorecard wouldn’t be coming out of my bag again but I couldn’t care less and had a smile broadly across my face. It has to be one of the most stunning and enjoyable courses I have ever played. The final hole was a great finish to the round, a par five reachable in two by big hitters. I was happy merely to avoid the threatening lake, which is in play for the whole hole.

The golf course at Monte Rei truly was fantastic but the facilities and service were equally as impressive. One thing that did stay in my mind was how quiet both the clubhouse and the course were, but this was not something to complain about. In the coming years four more courses are planned in the area designed by Tom Weiskopf, Kyle Phillips and a second by Jack Nicklaus. These are sure to put this relatively unknown golfing area on the map but my advice would be to visit as soon as you can and enjoy the course as I did.

The next course was something very different. It was old - the second oldest in the Algarve in fact. Even though Monte Rei had only been open since the summer of 2007 its condition was impeccable and could have been mistaken for a much more mature course. The Vilamoura Old Course’s condition was equally impressive but it had certain majesty of age about it, which made it that extra bit special. Opening in 1969 it has undeniably remained one of Portugal’s and Europe’s finest courses ever since.

After a restful night at The Lake Resort hotel, which overlooks the Vilamoura marina, I was promptly picked up at 9am by the limousine to arrive at the club for a 10am tee time. I had heard a lot about Vilamoura Old Course before the trip and as my driver pulled away from the forecourt a well of excitement built up in me at the prospect of my day’s golfing ahead. Arriving at the clubhouse just 10 minutes later, I headed straight to the pro-shop to replenish my somewhat depleted ball stock. I had a feeling that the preparation for tomorrow’s game would be no different.

The southern coastline of the Algarve stretches more than 200 kilometres from the Spanish border in the east to the Costa Vicenta in the west, with the landscape changing from marshes and sand dunes to dramatic cliffs and sheltered beaches. It is about half the way along that the coastal town of Vilamoura can be found with its famed Old Course. As with so many great courses there was no big earth-moving feat in its creation. Instead the natural lie of the land and its vegetation were used to best effect. The fairways are wonderfully crafted and tree-lined, making straight driving crucial, whilst the tees and greens are beautifully kept. Standing on the first, I picked my spot down the lush fairway, unleashed my drive and headed down the hole in my buggy. Filled with more confidence with a day’s play behind me I felt that I was going to enjoy myself even more today.

The first four holes seemed relatively straightforward, as long as your drive found the fairway, but this almost lulled you into a false sense of security, and my confidence was somewhat short lived. The 5th was a wake up call; a very tricky shot from the tee over a small lake to a sharply sloping green. The rest of front nine required my total concentration but every hole was truly memorable. Careful shot and club selection was needed at every tee off and approach to avoid almost certain peril - and dropped shots. The pick of the front holes, and perhaps of the whole course, was the 8th, playing 400-plus metres from the Medal tee. Sloping downhill, a fairway bunker had to be avoided before the hole doglegged to the right then rose up to a narrow green guarded all around by trees. A par would have been some achievement and I was happy to drop just a single shot.
Setting off down the back nine things didn’t get any easier. Every tee shot required perfect aim and execution, testing my skill to its limits. The 12th was certainly to be remembered with a collection of large and deep fairway bunkers threatening to gulp up your second shot on this par 5. It seemed my ball had an interest to see not just one but two of them. The last of the par 5s came at the 16th, which was lengthy at over 500 meters, needing three top draw shots to reach a narrow green, secluded behind three sizable bunkers. Requiring total physical exertion and mental focus, the hole summed up the course perfectly. Returning to the clubhouse with my bag decidedly less full with balls - as I had suspected it might have been - I certainly felt a little drained and went in search of some liquid refreshment. As is befitting of such a quality course, I found a well designed and refined clubhouse and restaurant to complete the five star experience. Naturally I decided to stay for a couple hours to recharge before returning to my hotel.

After a second hard day of golf it was time for some relaxing. With stiffening muscles starting to make themselves felt I decided that a visit to the Green Spa was apt, and was totally revitalised by a Javanese massage. My next course of treatment was a visit to the Blue Spa where some hydrotherapy completed my repair - I almost fell asleep in the jet pool too.

Retiring to my room after a satisfying dinner at one of the many harbour side restaurants, a short walk away from the hotel, I took a moment to look out onto Lagos Marina from my balcony. The view was spectacular and the jetties were full to the brim with a vast number of luxury yachts; a telling sign. Falling into a deep sleep my mind drifted to what tomorrow’s golfing would offer, playing at the host of this year’s Portuguese Masters, Vilamoura Victoria.

The Vilamoura Victoria is the fifth and latest course to open in 2004 after a recent investment of €18m. I’m not normally a fan of modern courses where vast amounts of earth have been moved but I found the course to be exceptional. Not only was the condition sublime but the holes were incredibly appealing to the eye, and the play as demanding as I have experienced. Alternating bunkers with lakes and cascades provided a continuous challenge throughout the round and I had to again make good use of my well-prepared, plentiful supply of golf balls. Designed by Arnold Palmer it is a big course and as it matures it will surely test the best in golf. In many ways, the Victoria is similar to the Smurfit course at the K Club but naturally the weather in the Algarve is somewhat different.

Teeing off in beaming sunshine, which I was now starting to become accustomed to, the course began with several rollercoaster par 4s initiating trepidation in every shot. Next up a couple of par 5s tempted me to stretch club distances to make the greens in two, but they would have given ruthless treatment to any wayward shots. Entering the back 9, water came to play on nearly every hole, with many greens nestling up to its edge. One great part of the course, known as the Victoria corner around holes 11, 12 and 13, features one of each par, all with water being the main enemy.

The hazards throughout the course were severe and it was easy to end up playing safe giving limited opportunity to score below par without an exceptional approach. Whilst hitting greens in regulation wasn’t the biggest of challenges because of their vast size, avoiding 3 putting was with their huge undulations and fast paced surface. Learning that Steve Webster clinched last year’s Masters Trophy at the Victoria with an overall 25 under par left me in complete disbelief and I only wished I had been there to see what kind of magic he was using.

After my invigorating round I was picked up and taken to the nearby Lagos Marina for a trip on Oceanico’s Sunseeker 53 Sports Cruiser. Like the limousine service that I was putting good use to, access to this luxury vessel and crew is a benefit of Prestige Villa owners, Oceanico’s premier properties in the region. Sunseeker are well known for their quality yachts and this boat was no exception. A large open cockpit with sliding hardtop was complimented by an aft sunbather and a luxuriously finished (for a speedboat) spacious interior. Beneath it, vast power is delivered by huge engines propelling the boat to a maximum speed of 34 knots and 300 mile cruising range.

The next day I was taken on a tour of one of Oceanico’s a new developments promising to be one of the best golf resorts in the world when it opens this September. Set in an area of outstanding natural beauty, Amendoeira has a magnificent backdrop of the Monchique Mountains, with rolling hills and verdant valleys of almond, olive and carob trees. Located in the district of Silves, a region steeped in history, it was occupied first by the Romans, and later the Moors. Taking on this cultural heritage the properties will have strong Moorish and Roman influences, featuring arches, tiled courtyards and extensive terraces.

Driving around the site I was in complete awe, imagining how incredible it would be when completed. It was clear that an enormous amount of thought had been put into making sure that it was to be a development of class, unlike so many of nearby Spain’s sprawling property development messes. Up to 25,000 properties can be found in such travesties but the first phase of Amendoeira is under 1000, with just a couple of further stages of controlled expansion. All the villas are set to enjoy spectacular views over the golf course, whilst the four and five bedroom properties will also have private swimming pools and extensive landscaped gardens. I particularly liked the addition of underground parking, including a slot for the golf buggy. A high proportion of the properties have already been sold with the final phase of sales kept back to coincide with the official opening later in the year. The remaining Prestige Villas are already valued at well over £2m and will be sure to rise as the resort becomes recognised as one of the best in Europe - if not the world. Purchasing one of the Prestige Villas also gives you access to all of Oceanico’s seven courses in the Algarve for you and any guests using the property.

Two championship golf courses are being developed at Amendoeira, one design by Nick Faldo and the other by Christy O’Connor Jnr. The Faldo course will have a desert theme using cacti and wild herbs to replace the role of Sunningdale’s heather, spartan Holm oaks and ancient olive trees to take the place of a lush English woodland, and desert scrub bunkers of crushed limestone to replace Berkshire’s sandy tracts. Designed with strategy in mind, it will definitely demand careful positioning to score well, navigating through rocky outcrops and meandering watercourses.

Perfectly complementing the Faldo Course, whilst taking advantage of the rich valley soil in contrast to the arid hillside, the Christy O’Connor course will offer no less of a challenge, with large areas of water demanding accurate play. Orange groves will be found either side of many of the holes, giving a completely different feel to its desert-like counterpart. The 18th hole on the O’Connor course, as on Faldo’s, will bring you back to a magnificent clubhouse, the central point of the whole development. This will feature a green-side bar and cafe, a spike bar and restaurant, and a banqueting room catering for up to 250 people, along with luxurious changing rooms. In addition it will also host an urban golf and sporting lounge, offering state of the art simulation and programmes to provide tuition and analysis to players of all levels. Indeed the Amendoeira Portuguese PGA approved Golf Academy will boast every practice facility for the amateur and tour professional alike.

And what to future winter golf escapes? I have my eye on a rather nice fairway side villa in the Algarve as it happens. Beautiful weather, access to plentiful championship golf courses and five star service to help me forget all about the UK. Where? Amendoeira, need you ask…