Golfing  among  the Lakes of Northern Italy

We have selected four excellent golf courses, all within an hour's drive of our home base of Como.   Two of the courses are relatively flat, but well bunkered and with lakes to make it interesting.  The other two courses are in the mountains surrounding Como, with narrow, tree-lined fairways, and magnificent mountain views.   Each round will be preceded by  warm-up time on the practice range.   Some courses do not have enough motorized golf carts for everyone to ride, but those courses do provide caddies, and all courses have pull carts for those who prefer to walk.   Ample time will be available to enjoy a delicious three course lunch in the club house.

Day 2 - Le Robinie Golf Club

Our first day of golf is conveniently located adjacent to the hotel where we will spend our first night in Italy.  A peaceful, green oasis at the very doorstep of bustling Milan, this unique Jack Nicklaus-designed layout runs through gently rolling terrain, with several spectacular water holes and many, many sand traps.  The Golf Complex includes an ample driving range and two practice greens.  Par is 72, and it plays 6168 meters (6785 yards) from the back tees and 5384 meters (5922 yards) from the front tees.   

  The 17th and 18th holes as seen from the Clubhouse

Day 4 - Menaggio e Cadenabbia Golf Club

In contrast to the relatively flat terrain of Le Robinie, this course lies in the rugged mountains, just west of the town of Menaggio, on Lake Como.   It is the second oldest golf club in Italy, founded in 1903 by an Englishman, and in the English tradition, includes numerous and sometimes difficult hazards.   Par is 70, and it plays 5455 meters (6,000 yards) from the back tees, and 4810 meters (5291 yards) from the front tees.  The club house is also historic, containing a library with one of the most precious collections of golf publications in the world.  It also has a first class restaurant for us to enjoy a leisurely lunch with magnificent views of the Alps, and of Lake Como below.

1st hole with Alps in the background, the dinning room, & a view from the clubhouse

Day 6 - Golf Club Monticello

This 36-hole championship course, chosen as the site of the Italian Open Professional Golf Tournament four times in its 27 year history, has been played by some of the world's greatest golfers (tournament winners Billy Casper, Sam Torrance, Greg Norman, Sandy Lyle).  The course record, 63, is held by Ballesteros, Faldo, Langer, Montgomerie and the pride of Italian golfers, Constantino Rocca (born and raised near the city of Bergamo).  It lies at the foot of the Alps, on fairly flat terrain.  Its difficulty comes from its length, the RED course playing 6298 meters (6928 yards) and the BLUE course playing 5904 meters (6498 yards) from the back tees.  Fortunately for the weekend golfer, other tees are available, shortening both courses down to about 5100 meters (5600 yards).   The club house is of a very unusual, modern design, with spacious rooms.  The restaurant is also of championship caliber. 

Par-3 seventh green of the red course

Day 8 - Villa d'Este Country Club

Perhaps the most beautiful of all the courses in Italy, this stunning 18 hole, par 69 course, runs along a hillside slope a few kilometers southeast of Como.   It features tree-lined, undulating fairways and greens.  It measures 5548 meters (6103 yards) from the back tees and 4887 meters (5376 yards) from the front tees.  The club house is elegant, with a restaurant renowned for its sumptuous, refined cuisine.   The pictures below illustrate well the beauty that awaits golfers when they play this unforgettable course.

18th hole as seen from the fairway and from the club house terrace.

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