Discover the five best locations where every good golfer should play in Italy between nature and breathtaking landscapes

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Golf in Italy is constantly growing. People are increasingly passionate about this noble sport, and many establishments dedicated to golf are located throughout the Italian peninsula and islands. The fields are generally in green and uncontaminated areas, real natural oases or next to large sports complexes and differ in the number of holes (typically 9 or 18).

The history of golf in Italy and its rules

Golf ball

Despite various vicissitudes, it is customary to trace the origin of golf to Scotland. The first official competitions of this sport were held right between Scottish cities during the 17th century. In Italy, golf officially spread at the beginning of the twentieth century with the foundation of the golf club of Rome.

We have to wait until the post-war period to see it spread throughout Italy. The first Anglo-Saxon golf clubs were born in Milan, Turin and Palermo. The Italian Golf Federation was established in 1927 with the golf clubs of Stresa, Palermo, Florence, Villa D'Este and Turin.


In any case, contrary to what one might imagine, golf is a very physical sport. The games can last up to 5 hours and are often solved beyond the eighteenth hole after almost ten kilometres.

This sport is practised outdoors on huge green lawns that differ according to holes. The number of holes must be multiple of three, and in Italy, the most popular are those with 9 or 18 holes. Of course, the game aims to get the ball into the hole with the least number of shots taken. The famous golf ball is hit with a golf club, called iron in Italian, which varies according to the throw to be thrown.

After the first throw from the starting point, always shoot the player furthest from the hole until his ball is the closest. Each hole has its guiding par, which suggests how many shots are usually taken to complete it. Each player scores their own and opponent's points. The shootings and penalties are added up at the end of the match. The one who has scored the fewest points will be the winner.

Golf has never had as much diffusion in Italy. A lot is also due to Italian golfers such as Francesco Molinari, who became world champion in 2019.

So far we have kept you on your toes as a tee holds a golf ball, but here are the 5 best locations to play golf, and beyond, in Italy.

5. Playing golf in the Franciacorta vineyards

Franciacorta vineyards

A view from Franciacorta vineyards

The Franciacorta Golfclub (27 holes) was born in Corte Franca in the second half of the Eighties and is lightly grafted onto the surrounding nature. An expanse of about 80 hectares where those who love sports, natural food and wine can enjoy a unique and unrepeatable experience.

In this splendid setting, you can certainly improve your swing but also let yourself be carried away by the flavours of the earth and the beauties of the Lombard hinterland between history, culture and tradition.

The proximity to the golf club of Lake Iseo gives a temperate climate throughout the year and offers the possibility of having contact with Lombard nature.

4. A golf club a stone's throw from the sea in Sardinia

Is arenas beach

View of Is Arenas beach

The Is Arenas Golf & Country Club (21 holes) is located near Oristano in the eastern part of Sardinia in a pine forest of 1100 hectares overlooking the sea. The entire complex was designed by Richard Baril and Robert von Hagge. It's a hidden treasure among the dunes of the pine forest with the sea as a background on the west coast of Sardinia.

These places are a location for tourists from all over Europe with some of the most beautiful beaches in Sardinia, such as Is Arenas itself, an area full of colours and capable of giving off intense sensations, adorned by the woods of Montiferru.

3. Between luxury and sea: golf in Sicily

In this short guide to Italian golf courses, Sicily could not fail to re-enter with its scenic beauties. In Sciacca, in the south of Sicily, there is the Verdura Resort. The Sicilian golf club consists of 45 holes divided into two main courses and a complimentary 9-hole course. The course was designed by the American architect Phillips and fits perfectly into the wonderful coastal landscape of Sicily overlooking the sea.

From each hole, it is possible to have a breathtaking view of the sea and the maritime landscape.

2. Antiquity and golf meet in Rome

2. Antiquity and golf meet in Rome

The Acquasanta Rome Golf Club (18 holes) is considered the oldest club in Italy. Founded in 1903, it is located a stone's throw from the historic centre of Rome.

Playing in this location will take you on a fascinating journey through time. You will find yourself in the Appia Antica Park with the passage of a Roman aqueduct, the Claudio Aqueduct, near the mausoleum of Cecilia Metella.

Furthermore, from the green expanse of the lawn, you can see the dome of San Pietro in the distance. The strategic location of this golf club is essential to fully enjoy the experience and attractions that the city of Rome offers.

1. Playing golf in unspoiled nature in Turin

One of the best golf clubs in Italy is located in Turin, namely Golf Torino - La Mandria (36 holes). It is located inside the majestic Parco Della Mandria, formerly a hunting reserve of the Savoy, and will allow you to take a real journey through time in a place that recalls the dawn of this noble sport.

The entire golf club is immersed in the local ecosystem without altering it and living in full symbiosis with it. Furthermore, the Turin - La Mandria Golf Club is the richest and most successful in Italy, with a showcase full of all the most important national and international trophies. In addition, Edoardo and Francesco Molinari, international champions and flag bearer of Italy in the main international golf competitions, have often trod this green, giving the Ryder Cup in 2012 to the club's bulletin board.
A stone's throw from the Golf Torino la Mandria, you can find the Royal Park I Roveri. This golf club is located in a suggestive location, surrounded by the Alps and also immersed in the La Mandria Regional Park. It was born in 1971, founded by one of the most famous and wealthy families in all of Italy, the Agnelli family. In its 18 holes, national and international competitions are held every year.

Further away from Turin, precisely in Biella, there is the Biella Golf Club "Le Betulle". The golf club was born in the winter of 1956, founded by John Morrison. The club offers various activities, including a prestigious youth school with a great tradition. The best national professionals of this sport have been trained in Biella.

The Golf Torino - La Mandria, together with the Royal Park I Roveri Golf Club and the Biella Le Betulle Golf Club, are part of the Torino Golf Destination, the brand that promotes golf courses in Piedmont. The proposed golf clubs are suitable for athletes of all levels of preparation. They confirm that Piedmont is the region of golfers par excellence. It offers naturalistic and innovative locations but also social, cultural and food and wine context.

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LA DOLCE VITA
LA DOLCE VITA

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