Region: Tuscany, Rome & Lake Como, Italy | Best Time: April–June & September–October | Nearest Airport: Florence (FLR), Rome Fiumicino (FCO), Milan Malpensa (MXP)
Editor’s Note: Golf in Italy is a still-emerging secret that deserves far wider recognition. The courses are set against a backdrop that simply cannot be matched — cypresses along the Tuscan ridge line, the Apennines above Rome, Lake Como’s reflected Alps. Castelfalfi, carved from a medieval Tuscan village, is one of the most atmospheric golf experiences in Europe. The combination of championship golf, superlative food and wine, and artistic heritage makes Italy uniquely compelling. The golfers who discover it invariably return.
The 5 Courses to Play
1. Golf Club Castelfalfi — Tuscany ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
- Designer: Brad Bauer (Mountain Course, 2010) | Par/Yardage: 72 / 6,822 yards | Rating: 74.1 / 137
- Why Play It: An 800-year-old Tuscan hamlet transformed into one of Europe’s most atmospheric golf resorts. The Mountain Course flows through vineyards, olive groves and cypress-lined ridges with panoramic Chianti views. The medieval village of Castelfalfi, now home to the resort hotel and restaurants, provides an entirely unique post-round experience — cooking classes, wine tasting, and truffle hunting fill the non-golf hours beautifully.
- Book: castelfalfi.com | Green fees from €140
2. Golf Club Ugolino — Florence ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
- Designer: Goffredo Gherardini (1935) | Par/Yardage: 71 / 5,837 yards
- Why Play It: Fifteen minutes south of Florence in the Chianti hills — the most historically significant course in Italy. Ugolino’s mature cypress-lined fairways and tight, punishing design feel unlike anywhere else in Italian golf. The views back towards Florence’s dome, the Arno valley and the Chianti vineyards from the upper holes are extraordinary. This is golf with genuine Italian soul.
- Book: golfugolino.it | Green fees from €90
3. Marco Simone Golf & Country Club — Rome ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
- Designer: Jim Fazio, redesigned Tom Fazio (2021) | Par/Yardage: 71 / 7,101 yards
- Why Play It: Host of the 2023 Ryder Cup — Tom Fazio’s dramatic redesign transformed Marco Simone into one of Europe’s most demanding and spectacular championship venues. The rolling Roman countryside, ancient castle on the estate and the amphitheatre atmosphere of the closing holes make this a compulsory visit. The course is now public-access and a pilgrimage for any Ryder Cup fan.
- Book: marcosimone.it | Green fees from €150
4. Golf Club Villa d’Este — Lake Como ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
- Designer: Peter Gannon (1926) | Par/Yardage: 69 / 5,329 yards
- Why Play It: The most elegant golf course in Europe — 18 holes in the mountains above Lake Como, with views of the lake and Alps from every hole. The course is short by modern standards but demands extraordinary precision through tight forested corridors; the greens are among the fastest in Italy. Access to Villa d’Este hotel guests is prioritised — a round here combined with the hotel’s terrace dinner is one of the great experiences in European travel.
- Book: golfvilladeste.com
5. Golf Club Toscana — Pelagone ⭐⭐⭐⭐
- Designer: Donald Steel (2007) | Par/Yardage: 72 / 6,641 yards
- Why Play It: In the Maremma — Tuscany’s wild southern coast — Donald Steel built a course of extraordinary natural beauty through Mediterranean scrub, olive groves and Etruscan-era stone walls. The most dramatic sea views in Tuscan golf; the Argentario peninsula and Giglio island are visible from the upper holes. Far less known than Castelfalfi; far more naturally beautiful.
- Book: golfpelagone.it
Where to Stay
- Castelfalfi Resort (5★): The medieval hamlet hotel — uniquely atmospheric, superlative Tuscan food and direct course access. Check availability on Expedia →
- Villa d’Este, Lake Como (5★Legend): The world’s most beautiful hotel — a 16th-century villa on the lake since 1873. The golf course is an extension of its extraordinary grounds.
- Hotel de Russie, Rome (5★): The finest hotel in Rome — 20 minutes from Marco Simone. The rose garden terrace is incomparable for post-Ryder Cup dinners.
- Belmond Villa San Michele, Florence (5★): A former monastery in the Fiesole hills above Florence — 30 minutes from Golf Club Ugolino. Michelin dining and breathtaking city views.
Practical Information
- Getting There: Florence (FLR) or Pisa (PSA) for Tuscany — 2h 20m from London. Rome Fiumicino (FCO) for Marco Simone — 2h 30m. Milan Malpensa (MXP) for Lake Como — 2h 10m. Excellent high-speed rail connects all three regions.
- Best Time: May for wildflowers, green fees at their most reasonable and uncrowded fairways. September–October for harvest season — truffle season begins in October and Tuscany’s wine harvest transforms the landscape and the menus.
- Driving: A hire car is essential for Tuscany; trains serve Rome and the Lakes adequately. The Chianti Classico road (SR222) between Florence and Siena is one of the world’s great drives.
- Food Strategy: Eat lunch at the course, dinner in the nearest town. Tuscan cucina povera — ribollita, bistecca fiorentina, pappardelle with wild boar ragu — is the world’s most satisfying post-round food.