Where to go when
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Searching for the perfect golf break? Make sure you know what the best time of year is to go to your favourite destinations…
Spend the early months of the year in the UAE or Portugal, followed by Madeira or France in March, Mauritius in the Summer, Morocco or Spain in September and South Africa and Turkey at the end of the year.
Below, find a rough guide to when to visit the key countries covered in the 2019 edition of Golf Escapes.
January
The Algarve basks in sunshine for almost all of the year, so you could be playing golf from January on. Lisbon is good from April to October and Porto a month less, from May until October. With all three options, August is hottest, heaviest on numbers and as a result, boasts higher prices. Go earlier or later for better
February
Their winter is our winter, but significantly warmer and perfect for golf. For the perfect conditions, we’d go between February and April. The heat peaks in July and August, when temperatures hit into the 40s during the days.
April
Another location blessed with sun throughout the year, with temperatures rarely falling below the mid-20s. It’s hottest and driest from May to August, when temperatures hit 30°C. Spring or autumn are better bets – it’s still very warm and you can expect at least nine hours of sunshine every day.
April to June and September to October are perhaps our favourite months here, with fewer tourists, lower prices and more moderate temperatures. If year-round sun is a requirement, only France’s south-east can tick your box.
June
June marks the beginning of the dry season, which lasts until the end of September and, as the name suggests, features less rain. The wet season runs from November to April and is hotter but with… you guessed it: a greater chance of rain.
September
For courses around Marrakesh and along the North Atlantic coastline, you can play in any month of the year, it rarely dipping below 20°C. Hotter the further south you move, the summer highs can hit 37°C down towards the Sahara, making it too hot for golf. Aim instead for two windows: April to May or September to October, when the temperatures are mid to late 20s and the thickest crowds have yet to arrive or recently departed. (Note Michlifen is cooler, but the snow dumped during the winter months make golf somewhat tricky. The summer there is perfect.)
With hot, dry summers and mild, wet winters, Spain’s heat peaks in July and August when temperatures rise into the 30s and only mad dogs and Englishmen venture out. For better value, thinner crowds and more manageable temperatures, aim for the shoulder season months of May, June or September.
October
Good for golf pretty much every month of the year, July and August get a little too hot in places (up to 33°C) but it’s generally a little cooler down towards Cape Town. Given the choice, aim for autumn when the crowds are thinner and the temperatures a little more agreeable. October and November are both good, still boasting 12 hours of sun a day and with temperatures in the mid-20s.
November
Typically Mediterranean with hot summers and mild winters, Belek is sunny almost every day of the year. The heat peaks in July and August, often hitting 34°C. You’ll probably melt, but April or November are better alternatives. The latter is excellent as it coincides with the visit of the Turkish Airlines Open
