Vilamoura, Algarve, Portugal
The Els Club – Vilamoura
Ernie Els's signature championship course at Vilamoura — a par-72 test of 7,335 yards, slope 137, with significant water hazards throughout. Exclusive to guests of Victoria Golf Resort & Spa, and ten times the host of the Portugal Masters on the European Tour.
About the Course
The Els Club – Vilamoura
The Els Club – Vilamoura is Ernie Els's championship course at Vilamoura — a par-72 parkland layout of genuine international quality, bearing the design signature of a four-time Major champion. The course plays to 7,335 yards from the white tees, carries a slope rating of 137 and a course rating of 75.5, and for a decade served as the venue for the Portugal Masters on the European Tour. It is the most demanding and prestigious course in Vilamoura.
The layout plays to 7,335 yards from the whites and is characterised by significant water hazards that affect play on multiple holes, strategically placed bunkering, and large, undulating greens that demand precise approach play. The fifth hole is the course's signature — a dramatic water-carry test that defines the course's character and sets the tone for a round that consistently challenges all levels of golfer.
The course is exclusively available to guests of Victoria Golf Resort & Spa, the five-star resort directly adjacent to the layout. This exclusivity is central to the course's identity — the combination of championship quality, a world-class designer, and restricted access gives guests of Victoria Golf Resort a golf experience that no other Algarve hotel can provide.
By the Numbers
Course Statistics
Based on course length, terrain & layout
Handicap index suggested for full enjoyment
The Course
Why It Stands Out
Ernie Els Redesign — A Major Champion's Vision
Ernie Els brought his design philosophy and competitive experience as a four-time Major champion directly to this course. The redesign elevated an already strong layout into one of the finest championship tests in Portugal — with a slope of 137 and CR of 75.5 from the white tees confirming its demands.
Significant Water Hazards Throughout
Water features affect play on multiple holes across the course and are a defining characteristic of the Els Club layout. They create a series of genuine risk-reward decisions and, at the par-4 5th signature hole, a truly memorable test that stays in the mind long after the round.
Exclusive to Victoria Golf Resort Guests
Access to The Els Club – Vilamoura is available only to guests of Victoria Golf Resort & Spa. There is no public green fee and no walk-up access. The privacy and quality of the experience are guaranteed by this exclusivity — making it fundamentally different from every other public championship course in the Algarve.
Portugal Masters Pedigree — Ten Consecutive Years
The Els Club hosted the Portugal Masters on the European Tour for ten consecutive years — a tournament record that shaped the layout into a venue capable of testing the world's finest players at the highest level. That competitive DNA runs through every hole, and Ernie Els's design has elevated and refined the course to match his own exacting standards.
A Two-Course Resort Programme
The Els Club sits within the Victoria Golf Resort estate and, combined with the broader Vilamoura and central Algarve circuit — Old Course Vilamoura, Quinta do Lago, San Lorenzo, and Vale do Lobo — gives guests the most comprehensive golf programme available from a single Algarve base.
The Course
Course Views
Extend Your Itinerary
The Algarve Championship Circuit
The Els Club sits at the centre of the Vilamoura golf cluster and within easy reach of the full central Algarve circuit. Quinta do Lago, Vale do Lobo, San Lorenzo, and Monte Rei are all accessible as day trips from a Victoria Golf Resort base.
Golf Travel
How It Is Included
We include The Els Club – Vilamoura as the exclusive centrepiece of the Victoria Golf Resort programme. Access is reserved for resort guests only, and we arrange tee times, group coordination, and caddie services as part of every itinerary built around this outstanding property.
To explore how The Els Club Vilamoura fits into a wider route, visit our The Portugal Algarve Collection page or our Portugal golf holidays page.
Begin Your Journey
Play The Els Club – Vilamoura
Access to The Els Club is exclusive to guests of Victoria Golf Resort & Spa. Speak with our team to arrange a stay and tee times at Vilamoura's finest championship layout.