Salgados Golf Club in Portugal’s Algarve is celebrating a highly successful first year under the stewardship of Troon, with refined operations and significant financial improvements supporting significant growth at the club.
One of the many initial areas of focus for Troon was working collaboratively with the ownership on the recently completed €3.2m renovation of the facility, revitalising the layout and representing a major stride towards long-term sustainability.
The venue’s entire irrigation system has been overhauled to boost water efficiency, yielding significant benefits for native flora and fauna as well as the quality of playing surfaces. The new state-of-the-art irrigation system by Rain Bird replaced the property’s 30-year-old system and will optimise use of regional greywater for irrigation.
Other key contributors towards the success include:
- More than €200,000 increase in revenues – driven by operational enhancements and revenue growth strategies.
- Strategic hires – recruitment of Troon executive Jon Schauder and Troon superintendent Tim O’Sullivan to oversee guest experience and course quality.
- Direct bookings up 47 per cent – implementation of Troon revenue management strategies to drive direct sales and optimise yield.
- Callaway preferred rental agreement savings – further reducing operational costs while enhancing quality of rental club offerings.
Troon Senior Vice President Ricardo Catarino said: “We feel incredibly privileged to be a part of the reimagining of Salgados Golf Club and appreciative of our partnership with Highgate Portugal as they reinvigorate this amazing resort destination. The changes put in place at Salgados Golf Club will significantly elevate the golfer experience and firmly establish this course as one of the most rewarding to play in the area.
“We appreciate the trust and support from our client as we continue to implement best practices and delivering on their stated vision. A special thanks to our entire Salgados team for their relentless and ongoing efforts to deliver great memories to all who visit and for the incredible results attained in just one year.”
Highgate Portugal has been reinvigorating the golf and hospitality experiences at the resort destination set along Portugal’s Atlantic Ocean coastline and, in August 2023, appointed Troon to oversee golf operations, course agronomy along with sales and marketing efforts.
Among the on-site accommodation options for players are four Highgate Portugal properties that joined Marriott Hotels & Resorts’ portfolio in 2025: Algarve Marriott Salgados Golf Resort & Conference Center; Marriott Residences Salgados Resort; Westin Salgados Beach Resort; and The Residences at The Westin Salgados Beach Resort. All four properties have benefited from redesigns across their accommodation, public spaces and F&B outlets to bring them in line with the high quality amenities with which Marriott is synonymous.
Sérgio Leandro, COO of Highgate Portugal, said: “We are delighted with the enhancements and upgrades to Salgados across the board, with renovations to the course and accommodations to elevate the visitor experience. We are also honoured that our properties are now part of the Marriott Hotels & Resorts portfolio, a highly prestigious brand that serves as a stamp of quality all over the world. Coupled with the successes brought about through the management of Troon, Salgados is becoming widely established among golf’s most exciting destinations.”