There is something charming and unique about Italy. Home to the Vatican, the birthplace of magnificent Renaissance art, Roman ruins, natural beauty, chic fashion, and the Alps, Italy is a beautiful country that is blessed with an abundance of natural beauty. The game of golf is very popular in Italy. In fact, the sport dates back to over a century to 1889 when the Florence Golf Club was established by the then English colony of Florence. The Florence Golf Club was renamed Ugolino Golf Club in 1933, while the Roma Acquasanta Golf Club remains the oldest golf course in Italy, founded in 1903.
There are many excellent golf courses across Italy, making it difficult to choose which ones to visit. If you want to visit as many golf courses as possible, the best idea is to rent a car and travel by yourself from one course to another as you take in the breathtaking sights of the beautiful landscape and countryside Italy has to offer.
As many golf courses as there are in Italy, you will also get to choose from numerous car hire companies to kick-start your trip. Carry out a thorough car hire comparison, compare car hire prices in Italy and models of the cars available before you make your choice.
Here are some of the best golf courses of Italy that you must visit in your rental car.
1. Circolo Golf Villa d’Este in Como
Sitting north of the fashion paradise Milan amidst chestnut, pine, and birch tree-clad Como hills are the Circolo Golf Villa d’Este. Nestled in the hills beside Lake Montorfano, this golf course is a classic and the jewel in the crown of Italian golfing.
The course was designed by Peter Gannon in 1926 and this was used as a royal retreat for many kings and queens for many years. The golf course is sprawled over 6300 yards with a par of 69 and six demanding par threes to play. The 15th hole here is of an impressive 464 yards and the longest par four here. The Villa d’Este has hosted the maximum number of Italian Opens.
2. Royal Park I Roveri Golf Club in Turin
Located inside the Parco Regionale della Mandira, the Royal Park I Roveri Golf Club is one of the most prominent golf courses in Italy. The course was designed by Robert Trent Jones and it opened in 1971. The golf course is well watered and strategically located offering some of the most stunning views of the majestic Alps from many of the holes. This large undulating green stretch has a nine-hole par-three course. A new course was added in 2006 and here, the signature hole is located on the new Pramerica layout.
3. Golf Club Biella in Biella
Golf Club Biella, known fondly as Le Betuille by the locals, is located just north-east of Turin in Valcarozza. This is one of the most beautiful spots in northern Italy. The course was designed by John Morrison in the late 1950s. This 18-hole course today stretches over 6497 meters with a par set at 73. Playing at Biella is a challenge, with many strategically placed bunkers, fairways framed by a forest, rocky outcrops, and a dash of water from ponds and streams.
