The island of Porto Santo is a truly special place! This small island is a two-and-a-half-hour ferry ride from the harbour in Funchal. There are many things to explore on the island, but for me, one place had been on my list for some time, and I finally had the opportunity to visit during our two-day stay.
The island of Porto Santo is well known for its golden sandy beaches and the crashing waves that make you feel as if you are on a Caribbean island. The island is small, and most hotels, bars, and restaurants are just a short drive away.. We had taken our hire car from the mainland to Porto Santo and brought my own clubs with me for the trip, although I would point out that the golf club had very good quality clubs for hire at a very low price, which isn’t always the case.
The golf course was just a 5–10-minute drive from our hotel and was pretty much anywhere on the island. The roads were excellent, although there weren’t many cars to be seen, and you certainly won’t get caught in traffic. There seems to be only one pace of life on Porto Santo, and I’d describe it as a leisurely stroll. This really is a place to chill out and relax.
On arriving in the golf course car park, you will be impressed by a large modern clubhouse situated on an elevated position with views overlooking the east side of the island and the Atlantic on the horizon. Even if you don’t play golf, the clubhouse is a great place to visit for its food, drinks, and views.
We checked in for our tee time and collected a buggy, all ready for the first tee. We decided to get food and drinks after the round. The location of the first tee is quite breathtaking and a lovely way to start a game of golf. The sun was shining and the conditions were perfect for an afternoon on the fairways.
The course was in very good condition, it's very pretty and the first nine holes all play on the east of the island and the views never leave. Even if your golf isn’t too good, you can just sit back and enjoy the surroundings. The back nine starts on the west of the clubhouse, and the course extends to the west side of the Island. You literally play from one side of the Island to the other, which gives you an idea of the size of Porto Santo!
Whilst the front nine is enjoyable the back nine is spectacular, particularly the holes thirteen, fourteen and fifteen which are set on the cliff tops. These holes are visually stunning, the views of crashing waves onto the rock face of the cliffs from such an elevated position are a great contrast to the views of the beaches encountered on the front nine. But the holes also provide an excitement that can often be found when the great Seve Ballesteros has designed a golf course. The fact that the course was designed by Seve was extra special for me as he is one of my golfing heroes. His flamboyant character is epitomised on these three golf holes, which require skill, bravery and risk if you are to consider yourself victorious. I would gladly play the back nine at Porto Santo for the rest of my days and be a happy golfer. Many of the golf holes are designed with large golden sandy bunkers, water hazards and large greens, and I would describe it as a good course that could be enjoyed by golfers of all abilities.
There is nothing more enjoyable than a cold beer following a round of golf in the sun! The clubhouse was split over two floors, a large bar area downstairs which led onto a patio area overlooking the 18th green. We decided this would be the first stop to enjoy that cold beer before we made our way upstairs to the restaurant. The restaurant was equally as big with a balcony that spanned two sides of the clubhouse, providing views to both the east and west of Porto Santo, take your pick.
Now I had really enjoyed my round of golf, but my wife doesn’t play and had taken the time to join me on the buggy to enjoy the views and take a break in the gorgeous weather we had. It was now time for us both to enjoy a meal that we hadn't quite expected. In most of the clubhouses that serve food, I would describe the food as cafe food, but this was not the case at Porto Santo Golf Club. The menu was extensive, and as we were struggling to choose, I asked for a suggestion from a very charming waiter, Daniel Mendes, who advised us to try the prawn risotto, which was incredible and not what I would expect in a golf club. I would travel back to the Island just for the risotto! We were served fresh bread and delicious wine from Porto Santo whilst we sat back and enjoyed those views, and just when we thought life couldn’t get any better, along came dessert. A hot chocolate fondant filled with hot chocolate sauce and topped with vanilla ice cream. Writing this takes me back to a very happy place; oh my word, it was so good.
The overall experience at Porto Santo Golf Club did not disappoint; it was a place where you could spend a whole day, enjoy some breakfast before your round, and then have a meal afterwards. As I mentioned, if you don’t like golf, I would highly recommend trying the restaurant and the outstanding chef, Pedro Simões.
Andy Sullivan
