Madeira to unveil new unlimited golf passport to meet overseas winter demand

More golfers from across northern Europe are turning to the outstanding and safe holiday destination of Madeira to spend the winter enjoying their favourite pastime.

Golf tour operators from across the UK and the continent have reported increased interest from players eager to head to the Portuguese islands for a long-term stay-and-play break over the coming months.

Madeira’s growing reputation for offering a safe and secure environment to play golf has been reflected in the recent rise in long stay winter enquiries.

To support the new type of customer, Discover Madeira – the consumer-facing brand of the Madeira Promotion Bureau – has launched a new unlimited golf passport incorporating golf at two of the island’s top venues, Santo da Serra and Palheiro Golf – with packages from €56 per person per day, including accommodation.

Discover Madeira has produced four short films showcasing the suitability of the islands for a stay-and-play golfing break following the Covid-19 pandemic as part of its “Madeira Safe to Discover” campaign.

And golfers seeking a lengthy stay can choose from a range of self-catering accommodation at Palheiro Village, which is adjacent to Palheiro Golf and features a wide variety of apartments and villas, with prices starting from €56 per person per day for a one-bedroom apartment, based on two people sharing for a minimum two-month stay and including unlimited golf both at Palheiro Golf and Santo da Serra.

Madeira and her islands – which were last year hailed as the ‘world’s best emerging golf destination’ at the World Golf Awards, and as Europe’s ‘leading island destination’ for the fourth successive year, as well as the world’s ‘leading island destination’ for a staggering fifth year running in the 2019 World Travel Awards – have taken every step to ensure the safety of every resident and visitor since the Covid lockdown was lifted.

Discover Madeira has worked tirelessly with the local and Portuguese authorities to make the islands a safe destination for holidaymakers to return to, as well as working closely with SGS, the world leader in certification, to ensure good practices for the prevention and control of Covid-19 and other possible infections.



Hotels, restaurants, bars, golf clubs and other tourist activities across the islands have also adopted the “Clean and Safe” stamp, created by VisitPortugal, which distinguishes tourist activities which are compliant with certain hygiene and cleaning requirements.



Madeira is home to three magnificent golf courses in total, with Santo da Serra and Palheiro Golf located on the mainland, and Porto Santo Golf located on the nearby island of Porto Santo.



The par-72, 6,656-yard (6,086m) course at Palheiro Golf – designed by Robinson – is situated within the magnificent Palheiro Estate, which is more than 200 years old. At nearly 1,640ft above sea level, the location enjoys dramatic views of Madeira’s mountainous skyline and the ocean, as well as – nestling below, just 10 minutes away – the island’s capital, Funchal.

The original course at Santo da Serra, dating from 1937, was redesigned in 1991 by Robert Trent Jones Snr, who created a new and spectacular 27-hole complex. The third and fourth holes of the Machico course are regarded as the signature holes, sitting atop cliffs more than 2,200ft above sea level, providing views of the bay of Machico, where Portuguese navigators first landed in 1419.

The 27-hole, Severiano Ballesteros-designed Porto Santo Golf is a short plane hop or ferry ride away. The par-72, 7,036-yard (6,434m) course, which opened in 2004, comprises two distinct nines. The southern route – a US-style layout – is dotted with lakes, requiring a long and precise game; while the northern route is atop fantastic cliffs, near the stunning beach of the same name.

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 destination for a golf break.

To find out more visit: www.madeiraallyear.com