Silver Coast: World Golf Awards 2026 Nominee

The Silver Coast is nominated for “World’s Best Emerging Golf Destination 2026” at the 13th annual World Golf Awards, the international awards dedicated to golf tourism. The nomination recognises the Silver Coast golf destination as a whole and, above all, the work of the four courses that make it up.

Four courses, four signatures

A destination is never built on a single course. The Silver Coast’s nomination rests on four championship layouts, designed by four different architects and roughly 10 minutes apart:

Guardian Bom Sucesso: Donald Steel’s rolling parkland above the Óbidos Lagoon, opened in 2008.
Praia d’El Rey: Cabell B. Robinson’s par 73 through dunes and pine woods, the course that put the region on the golf map in 1997.
Royal Óbidos: one of the last courses designed by Seve Ballesteros, with six holes along the lagoon and an island green at the 3rd.
West Cliffs: Cynthia Dye’s dune links above the Atlantic, opened in 2017.

From wind-swept links to parkland by the lagoon, every day of golf is different. Keeping four championship courses at the standard international golfers expect takes investment, rigour and dedicated teams, from greenkeepers to reception and restaurant staff. This recognition is, first of all, theirs.

What sets the destination apart

Short distances. Four courses 10 minutes apart mean a different course every day. When you book accommodation and golf on more than one course, transfers between the courses are included.
Lisbon on the doorstep. From Lisbon Airport to the first tee in 45 to 50 minutes on the A8, with direct flights from the east coast of the United States and Canada in around seven hours.
Golf all year round. A mild Atlantic climate, with fresh summers and gentle winters.
Stay next to the course. Five-star hotels, architect villas and beachfront apartments inside the resorts themselves.
Far more than golf. The medieval town of Óbidos, Portugal’s largest coastal lagoon, the Berlengas islands, Peniche and Nazaré are all a short drive away.

Opportunities to grow

Being an emerging destination means having room to grow. The opportunities include:

strengthening multi-course golf packages, building on the short distances and included transfers;
extending demand into autumn, winter and spring, when the mild climate is a competitive advantage;
reaching more long-haul markets such as North America, while consolidating European markets less than four hours away by air;
combining golf with nature, culture, gastronomy and surf for groups and families;
presenting the four courses as one destination, with a shared brand and voice.

What happens next

Voting closed on 1 October and the winners will be revealed at the gala ceremony of the 13th edition, on the evening of 7 November 2026 at Madinaty Golf Club in Egypt. You can follow the category on the official World Golf Awards page. Whatever the outcome, the nomination is a clear sign that the Silver Coast is on golf’s international radar.

Want to see it for yourself? Discover the four Silver Coast golf courses and plan your next trip.