Top 10 Golf Courses in Italy
Italy's golf geography follows the peninsula's terrain: alpine and lake-district courses in the north offer dramatic mountain backdrops and cool summer temperatures, parkland clubs in Tuscany and Lazio thread through cypress-lined estates, and the southern coast is beginning to develop its own resort profile. The country has around 250 clubs, a small number relative to its size but growing steadily since hosting the 1984 and 2023 Ryder Cups raised the game's profile dramatically. Green fees at premium courses range from €80 to €200; many historic northern clubs charge €100–150 for visiting rounds. The season runs April to October in the north; the south and coast extend a month either side. Open the map to browse Italy's full range of courses.
1. Marco Simone Golf & Country Club, Guidonia Montecelio, Rome
Marco Simone won the right to host the 2023 Ryder Cup and the event delivered a European victory in front of raucous home galleries just outside Rome. The course was substantially redesigned by Tom Fazio II ahead of the event, transforming what had been an agreeable Italian parkland into a venue capable of handling 50,000 daily spectators. The redesign added significant elevation change on the back nine, repositioned several greens, and introduced a demanding water complex around the closing holes. Par 71, approximately 7,200 yards from the Ryder Cup tees. Post-Ryder Cup, the club is open to visitors on a resort-style basis — a round here is both golf tourism and living European golf history.
2. Royal Park I Roveri, Turin
Designed by Robert Trent Jones Sr. and opened in 1971, Royal Park I Roveri occupies a hunting reserve outside Turin that once belonged to the House of Savoy. The parkland setting features ancient oaks and pines, deer in the rough, and fairways cut through what feels like a private royal forest. Trent Jones created a demanding, strategic layout at par 72 with water in play on several holes. The club has hosted the Italian Open on multiple occasions and maintained a consistently high standard of conditioning. It is a private club but accepts visitors through advance booking; formal attire is expected in the clubhouse.
3. Circolo Golf Villa d'Este, Montorfano, Lake Como
Villa d'Este enjoys one of the most celebrated settings in European golf — wooded hills above Lake Como with glimpses of the Lombard Alps across the water. Peter Gannon laid out the original course in 1926, and the layout has been refined without losing its intimate, early-20th-century character. Par 69, just over 5,800 yards — the length understates the difficulty because the tight corridors, severe undulations, and small greens demand precise positioning rather than raw distance. Villa d'Este hosted several Italian Opens during the 1970s and 1980s. The club is private but extends visitor access on weekday mornings.
4. Biella Le Betulle, Biella, Piedmont
Biella Le Betulle is widely regarded as the finest course in northern Italy and one of the great inland layouts of continental Europe. The John Morrison design from 1958 runs through birch and chestnut forest on elevated terrain north of Milan, and the combination of natural beauty and tactical design has maintained its reputation for more than six decades. Par 73, approximately 6,800 yards, with severely contoured greens that reward local knowledge. The Italian Open has been held here multiple times, including a celebrated edition won by Jack Nicklaus. Access is through members or by prior arrangement.
5. Castelgandolfo Golf Club Resort, Castelgandolfo, Lazio
Set in the Castelli Romani hills above Rome's southern suburbs, Castelgandolfo occupies volcanic terrain beside the papal summer residence — the Pope's lake, Lago Albano, is visible from several holes. The Robert Trent Jones Sr. design from 1987 makes full use of the caldera topography, with significant elevation changes and views across the lake that distract even serious golfers. Par 72, around 6,500 yards. The resort is open to visitors and makes a natural day trip from Rome; the clubhouse restaurant, serving honest Roman cuisine, is an additional reason to linger.
6. Circolo Golf Torino La Mandria, Fiano, Piedmont
La Mandria sits within the regional park of the same name — a vast forested estate northwest of Turin that served as a royal hunting ground until the 20th century. The 27-hole facility (two main courses) meanders through ancient parkland where wild horses still roam freely. Peter Alliss and Dave Thomas contributed to the course design in the 1970s, and the result is a thoughtful, varied layout that uses the mature tree cover and gentle terrain to generate challenge without artifice. La Mandria has hosted the Italian Open and remains one of Piedmont's premier golf destinations for visitors.
7. Golf Club Margara, Fubine Monferrato, Piedmont
Margara is a hidden gem of the Monferrato wine country between Turin and Alessandria — a region better known for Barbera and Grignolino than golf. The parkland course sits among the same rolling hills that produce some of Piedmont's finest wine, and the autumn round at Margara, with the vines turning gold on the slopes beyond the rough, is one of Italian golf's quieter pleasures. Par 71, around 6,200 yards; the terrain is hilly enough to make the walking version genuinely aerobic. The club welcomes visiting golfers and combines well with a wine-focused itinerary in the region.
8. Golf Le Primule, Pontedilegno, Lombardy
Golf Le Primule occupies alpine terrain in the Valle Camonica near the Passo del Tonale, at an elevation that keeps the season tightly defined — typically late May to mid-October. This is mountain golf in a European tradition that North American and Asian visitors rarely encounter: fairways that cling to valley sides, crosswinds channelled by rock walls, and greens that must drain quickly to survive the altitude. The 9-hole layout is short but demands precision. It is an excellent option for golfers combining a summer alpine holiday with a round or two of golf in stunning scenery.
9. Golf Croara Country Club, San Lazzaro di Savena, Bologna
On the Emilian hills southeast of Bologna, Golf Croara is a well-regarded parkland club with 18 holes and a broad membership that includes many of the region's business community. The course design uses the ridge-and-valley topography to create holes that alternate between elevated tee shots and blind approaches into hillside greens. Par 70, around 5,900 yards — the yardage is modest but the terrain compensates. The club hosts regional amateur events and welcomes visitors throughout the season. Bologna's gastronomy makes it a natural base for a golf trip that does not centre entirely on the game.
10. Golf Pragealto, Prali, Piedmont
Golf Pragealto sits at around 1,500 metres in the Val Germanasca, a remote Waldensian valley in the Cottian Alps. The 9-hole layout is among the highest-elevation courses in Italy, and the combination of alpine meadow terrain, glacial views, and near-zero traffic makes it one of the most peaceful rounds in the country. Conditioning is naturally limited by the altitude and short season, but the appeal is precisely that rawness. For golfers who want an experience at the opposite end of the spectrum from Marco Simone's Ryder Cup drama, Pragealto delivers something genuinely unusual.
Practical Information
Italy's best golf runs from April to October in the north and the hill regions, with the Lazio and coastal clubs accessible for longer. Summer weekends at the famous northern clubs book up quickly; weekday rounds are generally easier to arrange. Green fees range from €50 at regional clubs to €200 at the premium properties. Caddie availability varies; most clubs provide electric trolleys. Italian clubs maintain dress codes that tend toward the formal — check before arriving in shorts. For the full geography of Italian golf, Open the map.