Italy stepped onto the golf world's centre stage with the 2023 Ryder Cup at Marco Simone near Rome, but the country has quietly had superb golf for a century. The courses are spread from the alpine lakes of the north to the beaches of Sicily and Sardinia, and almost all of them come with scenery, history and a long lunch.
This is a destination for golfers who also want a holiday. You can pair a round at a classic 1920s lakeside course with a boat trip on Lake Como, or a Tuscan resort course with a wine tour through Chianti. Green fees are reasonable by western-European standards and the shoulder seasons are gloriously quiet.
The best regions for a golf trip are the northern lakes (Como, Garda) and Piedmont for classic parkland golf, Tuscany for golf-and-wine, and Rome for the Ryder Cup pilgrimage plus the eternal city itself.
Standout courses
Marco Simone
from €200Guidonia, near Rome
Host of the 2023 Ryder Cup. A modern, muscular course with the Roman skyline on the horizon and grandstand-ready finishing holes. The must-play for any visiting golfer near Rome.
Circolo Golf Villa d'Este
from €130Lake Como
A 1926 Peter Gannon masterpiece in the hills above Lake Como — tight, tree-lined and consistently rated among continental Europe's finest. Old-world golf at its most charming.
Royal Park I Roveri
from €120Turin, Piedmont
A Robert Trent Jones design in a royal hunting park near Turin, former host of the Italian Open. Big, classical parkland golf with alpine views.
Argentario Golf Club
from €110Tuscan coast
A dramatic course carved into the hills of the Monte Argentario peninsula, with sea and lagoon views and a smart resort — the heart of a Tuscan golf-and-wine trip.
Is Molas
from €95Sardinia
A long-established championship course on the south coast of Sardinia, host of Italian Opens and a fine excuse to combine golf with the island's beaches.
Good to know
When to go
April to June and September to October are ideal — warm but not baking, and the courses are quiet. Northern lake and alpine courses generally close over winter; the south and islands play later into the year.
How to plan it
Italy rewards a regional focus. Base yourself on the lakes, in Tuscany or near Rome and play the courses within an hour or two rather than criss-crossing the country. A hire car is essential.
Golf and everything else
Italian golf trips are as much about the lunches, wine and towns as the golf. Build in rest days for Como, Florence, Rome or a vineyard — the courses are rarely more than a short drive from something worth seeing.
Etiquette
Most clubs are welcoming to visitors but retain a traditional feel; a certificate of handicap is occasionally requested at private clubs. Collared shirts and soft spikes are standard.
