Millennium Golf

Martin Hawtree's millennium design

Martin Hawtree designed Millennium to mark the turn of the century, integrating nine new holes with nine repurposed from Joseph Lee's original 27-hole Laguna layout (1990) to create a distinct 18-hole course. The result is the most varied layout in the Vilamoura resort. Where the Old Course plays through tight pine corridors and Laguna spreads across flat, open ground, Millennium moves between the two characters. Some holes thread through dense pine groves, others open up to parkland with strategic water hazards, and the routing changes direction often enough that no two consecutive holes play the same way.

Hawtree's philosophy here was variety over repetition. The routing shifts direction frequently enough that wind becomes a factor from multiple angles. The course doesn't have the tournament pedigree of The Els Club or the heritage appeal of the Old Course, but it has more character per hole than either Laguna or Pinhal. It's the Vilamoura course that rewards repeat play, because the strategic options reveal themselves gradually.

Mid-handicappers will get the most from Millennium. The course asks for shot shaping and course management without being punishing off the tee. Low handicappers will find it engaging but not a grind; higher handicappers can score if they pick the right tees and play to the flat, walkable terrain.

Course design

The layout mixes dense pine woodland and open parkland across predominantly flat terrain. The front nine, particularly holes 3 through 7, routes through mature pine groves with significantly narrower fairways that demand accuracy off the tee. This wooded stretch draws comparisons with the adjacent Old Course and Pinhal corridors. The back nine opens up into a more modern parkland character, with wider fairways but extensive water hazards that define the strategic challenge, especially on the closing holes.

Bunkering is strategic rather than penal. Greenside bunkers are well-placed but not deep, and fairway bunkers tend to sit at the landing zones for longer hitters, giving shorter hitters a clear route. The greens are medium-sized with subtle breaks that read more difficult than they look. Two and three-putts happen when you misjudge the slope rather than the speed.

The course builds well toward the finish. The lakes on the back nine force careful approach play, and the closing stretch from the 16th to the 18th is where your scorecard is decided. Conservative, tactical play is statistically rewarded over aggressive lines at water-guarded greens.

Natural setting

Millennium occupies flat ground on the northern edge of the Vilamoura resort, away from the denser development around the marina. The terrain is comparable to Laguna and the Els Club in profile, but the contrast between the dense pine groves on the front nine and the open, lake-dotted parkland on the back nine gives it more visual variety than either. Scattered umbrella pines and cork oaks line several fairways without creating the dense corridors that define Pinhal or the Old Course.

The course is moderately exposed to wind, sitting between the sheltered Laguna layout and the fully open Els Club. The routing changes direction often enough that the prevailing westerly adds half a club on some approaches and helps on others. Summer mornings are pleasant before the heat builds; the shade from the mature pines on the front nine helps more than you'd expect.

Signature holes

The 6th (par-3, 151m): the standout short hole on the course and widely noted in course reviews for its strategic complexity. A water hazard guards the left side of the green while a substantial bunker complex protects the right, leaving a narrow window for the tee shot. Club selection demands precision — a short iron, but one that must find the putting surface to avoid a penalty or an awkward sand save.

The 16th (par-4, 389m): the most difficult handicap hole on the course. The tee shot plays to a tightly bunkered fairway that demands both length and accuracy. The approach to a green flanked by sand on both sides rewards a committed iron shot and punishes anything tentative. Par here feels earned, and it sets up the water-influenced finish.

The 18th (par-4): a strong closer where water comes into play on the approach. A lake influences the line into the green, demanding a tactical final shot rather than an aggressive one. Conservative play is rewarded over the closing two holes, and the green is visible from the clubhouse terrace, which adds a bit of theatre to the finish.

The experience

Millennium charges €100–140 in peak season, putting it in the same bracket as Laguna and the Old Course. At that price, it's solid value. The course offers more variety than Laguna and more interesting terrain than Pinhal, and the green fee includes access to the shared Dom Pedro facilities. For golfers playing multiple Vilamoura rounds, Millennium is the one that often surprises.

Pace of play is generally reasonable. Millennium draws fewer groups than the Old Course, so four-hour rounds are achievable outside peak summer weekends. The routing keeps distances between greens and tees short, which helps. Multi-round Dom Pedro packages make Millennium an easy addition alongside the Old Course, and it's worth including rather than defaulting to a second round at Laguna.

Booking is straightforward through the Dom Pedro system. Tee time availability is typically better than the more popular courses in the portfolio, so it's a good option if your preferred course is fully booked.

Conditioning

Millennium's conditioning sits mid-table within the Vilamoura courses. Greens are well-maintained and reasonably true, though they don't run as fast as the Els Club's tournament-standard surfaces. Fairways are adequate in peak season but show wear during busy periods, particularly on the more heavily trafficked front nine. Bunker maintenance is acceptable without being sharp.

Seasonal variation follows the pattern of most overseeded Algarve courses. Winter conditioning dips as the grass transitions, with February and early March being the thinnest period. By April the course presents well again, and summer conditioning is reliable. The flat terrain drains evenly in most areas, though winter rounds can have soft spots where water collects near the lakes on the back nine.

Compared to the Els Club, which maintains Bermuda surfaces year-round, Millennium shows more seasonal fluctuation. Compared to the Old Course and Laguna, it's broadly similar. The conditioning won't be the reason you remember or avoid this course.

Last reviewed: 6 March 2026