THE GOLF COURSES
We use a
selection of excellent courses around Rome's outskirts. We also make sure
that we know exactly what is happening on the courses at any particular time;
for example we would never take you to a course where they had only just
hollow-tined the greens a few days before.
The wonderful
thing about golf in Italy is that, generally speaking, the courses are virtually
empty during the weekdays, so we do not have to book tee-off times and the whole
thing is much less stressful that in northern Europe. You pause after 9
holes for your panino sandwich and beer, or you can go for the 'whole
works pasta dish', then continue on the back 9 holes at your leisure!
The
courses we use are:
CASTELGANDOLFO
This
amazing course is laid out in the in the crater of an extinct
volcano. It is Trent-Jones designed and has been very
expensively financed by the Aga Khan and Gianni Agnelli of
Ferrari fame. Whilst you get some width off the tees, it gets
tight as you approach the greens, which themselves are fast,
undulating and tricky. It's a lovely experience to play there,
but it's tough to score well. The 4th hole is
consistently voted in the top 500 most beautiful holes in the world.
The clubhouse is a wonderful old 16th century Cardinal's
residence and the club is very close to the Pope's summer residence
overlooking Lake Albano . It is only 15 minutes from Ciampino,
so very often it's the first course we play and you can be walking
up the first fairway within an hour of your plane touching down.
The tight 16th
at Castelgandolfo, with the Pope's summer residence in the distance.
LE QUERCE
('The Oak Tree')
This is an absolutely fabulous
Championship course, always in Italy's top 10 and is the Technical Centre of
Excellence of the Italian Golf Federation. It is the qualifying course and academy to
become a professional golfer or coach in Italy. It's quality compares very
favourably with the top British layouts, the Sunningdales or the Wentworths for
example. Although it is gorgeous to play there, it isn't for the
faint-hearted and is really only suitable for handicaps of 20 or lower.
For example, your tee shot on the 10th has to be threaded through a
15 yard gap in the woods to reach the lush green fairway.
The Qualifying
School behind the 7th green at Le Querce.
Your tee shot on the
10th at Le Querce!!
PARCO DE'
MEDICI
This is another
very good championship course, where the Italian Open Ladies Championship has
been held for the last two years. The greens are fast and there are lots
of water hazards, so you may need a bagful of balls!
MARCO SIMONE
Marco Simone's
Par 3 second hole, with Laura Biagotti's castle in the background.
There is
something so pleasant about this course that makes you want to go back there
time after time. It's undulating and winds its way around Laura
Biagiotti's castle, the owner and international fashion designer. The
course is on elevated land on the east side of Rome and from the 8th
tee you get a marvellous view of the Dome of St. Peter's on one side and of the
medieval towns of Tivoli (Hadrian's Villa and Villa d'Este) and Palestrina.
The Italian Men's Open Championship has been held there.
