Top 5 Courses in Italy

This is our 2007-2008 selection of the Top 5 Italian courses based on the following criteria:

Location
Golf Course Architecture
Club hospitality
Natural landscape
Services offered to the golfers

1) Castelconturbia Golf Club
Agrate Conturbia, Piemonte (Architect: Robert Trent Jones)

The original golf course, called the Coutourbier, was inaugurated in 1898 and it was, at that time, one of the two only golf courses that existed in Italy. By the mid 80s the overall golf club had been refurbished for the third time and re-opened to the public with a renewed course design by Robert Trent Jones sr.

It now offers a very challenging experience for the players who have to cross rivers, small lakes and imponent trees in a magnificent scenery on the Monte Rosa (Western Alps).

The Italian open was played here twice (in 1991 and 1998).

2) Villa d'Este Golf Club
Como, Lombardia (Architect: Peter Gannon)

Founded in 1926 in one of the most attractive areas of Italy in the neighborhood of the Lake Como, this course has always been considered as one of the most prestigious of Italy. This short, but difficult par 69 has been playeg by King Leopold of Belgium, Edward of England, Alfonso XIII of Spain, Costantino of Greece, among others. Additionally, the club hosts one of the most elegant and beautiful hotels of Italy, Villa d'Este.

3) Castelgandolfo Country Club
Castel gandolfo, Lazio (Architect: Robert Trent Jones sr)

The Clubhouse of the Castelgandolfo Golf Club is considered one of the most beautiful in Europe. It is an ancient house of the 1600s belonging to a famous Roman cardinal, Flavio Chigi (nephew of Pope Alessandro VIII). The "terrazzo" of the Club house overlooks the whole course with a wonderful scenery over the valley of Rome that reaches to the shore.
The course - par 72 - is quite challenging thanks to the different obstacles created by Trent Jones sr. and requires a specific technical mastery with the mid and long irons.

4) The Robinie Golf Club
Olona, Lombardia (Architect: Jack Nicklaus)

This course - par 72 - is the only one in Italy that was designed by the "Golden Bear" Jack Nicklaus. It is a masterpiece in terms of green difficulties; bunkers, water obstacles and natural slopes form a formidable protection for the holes. A beautiful particularity of this course is the fact that nearly all the holes are designed in the shape of an amphitheatre which enables the player to see all the different obstacles very clearly (even if it is very difficult to overcome them...)

5) Gardagolf Country Club
Soriano del Lago, Lombardia (Architect: Donald Steel)

This course is considered by the golf professionals as one of the most challenging of the courses having been designed in Italy in the last 15 years. It is located in a wonderful area, near the Garda Lake, just between the "Rocca di Manerba" and the castle of "Soiano" surrounded by a beautiful natural landscape created by the hills of "Valtenesi".

The Italian Open was played here twice (in 1997 and 2003) and the course also hosted the first Feminine Italian Open of Italy.