This area of southern Portugal has more than 25 courses, all located within a 90-minute drive of Faro, and upwards of 300 sunny days a year, making it the perfect location for a golf holiday at any time.

The golf clubs here range from those suitable for novices and high handicappers to some tough enough to test single-figure players and even top professionals. The only difficulty you are likely to have is selecting which ones to play, but read on for a guide to three of the best.

If you want to take on one of the challenges Europe's best players face, the Oceanico Victoria, located close to the holiday hot spot of Vilamoura, is a must for your itinerary.

The course is the venue for the Portugal Masters every October, with many of the world's top golfers enjoy some autumn sunshine as they seek to secure the ?500,000 first prize. Past winners of the tournament include Ryder Cup stalwart and world number one Lee Westwood.

A par 72 measuring 6,609m from the back tees, Oceanico Victoria is an undulating parkland course with a host of disguised bunkers and tricky approach shots. If you can tear yourself away from focusing on your game, you will also find it is set in beautiful surroundings and you may end up looking for your ball in among carob, almond and olive trees.

Another must-play destination on golfing holidays to Portugal is the Sir Henry Cotton Championship Course. Located at The Penina club close to Portimao, this par 73 is one of the oldest courses in the Algarve region.

It is largely flat, but don't let that lull you into a false sense of security, as there are a range of streams and ditches ready to catch you out. The greens, which mostly nestle between clumps of palms and eucalyptus, are notoriously tricky and can really damage your scorecard.

One other course you will be keen to tackle during your golf holiday in the Algarve is the Jack Nicklaus-designed Monte Rei, close to Tavira.

The par 72 is set in lush green surroundings and has great views over the Atlantic and the Serra do Caldeirao mountains. Its setting and difficulty has seen it named the best course in Portugal by the Top 100 Golf Courses website.

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