7 nights with breakfast at Foresteria Maison Gardagolf including 4 green fees per person at Gardagolf Country Club, GC Franciacorta, GC Verona and GC Bergamo Albenza and a dinner in a restaurant from our culinary programme.

The history of Gardagolf, in the immediate surroundings of the lake from which it takes its name, began in 1986 with the brilliant foresight of its promoters: the choice of a well-suited piece of land – the 110 hectares of the historic estate of the Omodeo family dominated by the stunning villa which today serves as clubhouse – with a mild and temperate microclimate that allows for play even in the colder months. Designed by the English architectural studio Cotton, Penninck, Steel & Partners, the first 18 holes opened (Red and White courses), and then were extended to 27 (Yellow course) four years later. The technical qualities of the course were immediately acknowledged on an international level: the Ladies Italian Open was played here in1990, won by Belgian Florence Descampe, followed by two memorable editions of the Men’s Italian Open, in 1997 and 2003, in which the Swede Mathias Gronberg and German Bernhard Langer triumphed respectively. The most memorable hole? Probably Hole 2 on the Red course, a par 3 of 145 meters: it is an aesthetically pleasing hole that is rolling and tortuous with flowering bushes and soaring cypresses. With its beauty, this hole aims to distract you and often succeeds. This is a huge error, because even if it isn’t very long and the descent shortens it even further, the green is deliberately narrow and the lake defending it is quite large on the other hand. The green also has some wicked slopes, all towards the right side and the water. A three-putt is always lurking around the corner. Technical details Course : 18+9 holes, Par 72/36, 6055/2798 meters Architects : Cotton, Pennink, Steel Topography : very hilly, large water hazards Distinctive features : long drives are not obvious, more advisable is a short and deliberate game Pro’s comments Gardagolf is a course that challenges a golfer’s ability. It’s all there. Greens with steep slopes, very undulating fairways with rather dramatic differences in level, a lake breeze and a perfectly respectable overall length: all these add together to make it among Italy’s most beautiful and difficult courses. Concentration, strategy and experience are indispensable qualities and that is why being able to play your handicap at Gardagolf is enormously satisfying. Some advice: on holes 1,2, 6 ,8 ,13 and 18, try not to put yourself in the position of playing downhill putts. Unless you’ve got Jordan Spieth’s touch, getting out with only two putts becomes a heroic undertaking.

It only takes a moment to reach the golf club once you exit the A4 motorway at Sommacampagna: drive through the town and after a few minutes, turn right onto the road that rises to the club. It is a timeless oasis, a picture postcard that invites you to relax with its clubhouse built of stone and red bricks covered with ivy, an ancient well spouting geraniums and trees shading the patio in front of the putting green. Inside, the floors in worn terracotta tiles, ceilings with dark wooden beams alternating with bricks, and cozy parlors with a country elegance. This is a traditional club founded in 1963, where those who come here never want to leave. The loyal staff running it thinks so too, as it has remained virtually unchanged over the decades. Two talents of the likes of Silvia Cavalleri and Matteo Manassero took their first golfing steps here, and refined their games on the undulating fairways designed first by John Harris, then revisited by Giulio Cavalsani, and more recently, Alvise Rossi Fioravanti with Baldovino Dassù. It is a hilly course running through vineyards which, to the west of Verona – the city of Romeo and Juliet – serve to frame the hills of Custoza. The front nine are rather narrow and shorter, while the back are very long but also very broad. The raised greens oblige players to hit well calculated approach shots. Technical details Course: 18 holes, Par 72, 6054 meters. Architect: John Harris Topography: very physical with big differences in height. Distinctive features: the equipment for the play will have to be complete: good drivers, precise clubs and the best putters. Pro’s comments This is a course where you must pander to the terrain’s frequent undulations. Some holes are really a lot of fun. Allow me to mention Hole 4, where stronger players who are willing to gamble can try to reach the green directly with their first shots. Otherwise, you can play a tee shot to the left part of the fairway, to have a better angle to center the green with your second shot. Even an inexperienced play can score a birdie here, with a little luck. A fun course for all. Definitely worth playing.

Acknowledged for years as one of the best Italian golf courses, “L’Albenza” – as it is generally known among the golfers – nestles in the hills surrounding Bergamo, one of the most famous cities for art. A large-scale parkland, which stretches along pine and broadleaf woods, where Costantino Rocca, pride of Italian Golf with his five triumphs on the European Tour and the three Ryder Cup’s ventures in the Nineties, took his first steps a s a golfer and grow to be such a great champion.. The high-level technical side of the course doesn’t spoil the pleasure of a game among friends on the 27 holes of the three golf courses, created in different ages: Cotton & Sutton in 1961 started to plan the first 18 (Blue and Yellow) sponsored by a group of local entrepreneurs, with a British-style course. Springs and streams offer natural water hazards while the undulating ground provides the right action to the fairways, the holes are naturally above ground, the abundant vegetation assures coolness even in the hottest months. On this course was held the 53rd Italian open in 1996, won by Jim Payne. Meanwhile, in 1988 the last 9 holes were born, the “Red” course, designed by the Australian Tom Linskey, coach and mentor of Rocca- and by the Venetian architect Marco Croze. Nothing more soothing, at the end of the game, than a drink on the terrace of the clubhouse or inside, in front of the large windows, enjoying a magnificent view on the course. Technical Details Course : 3 x 9 holes, Par 36 each 6082 meters Architect : Cotton & Sutton (18 holes), Marco Croze & Tom Linkskey (9 holes) Topography : tipical anglo-saxon style, many water obstacles Special features : the great presence of trees makes the game on this course very pleasant, especially during summertime. The 9 holes course is not so easy as the 18 holes : the isolated greens, and the thick woods which line in the fairways and a Par 5 of more then 500 meters require great skill Pro’s comments It’s on the 8th of the Blue course that you can notice the difference between an attacking player and a more conservative one. The second shot towards a very narrow green is guarded by a water hazard and has to be played downhill; dexterity and perfect technical movement is mandatory here! I advise the mid to high hcp level player to take a second shot to the right, in order to comfortably reach the green with the third shot.

Just mention Franciacorta and immediately everyone will think of the precious vineyards of this area, that borders with the Southern shore of the Iseo Lake, between Brescia and Adro, a district that the connoisseurs are now appointing as the new “Chiantishire”: castles and ancient fortified boroughs, excellent food and wine culture, a mild climate. And, obviously, golf. The three 9 holes courses of Franciacorta Golf Club, all named after the most famous products of the area (Brut and Satèn offer the setting of the usual championship courses, whereas Rosè is more suitable for practicing and beginners) were created in the mid-80s, due to the clever foresight of entrepreneur Vittorio Moretti and thanks to the design of two architects, the American Peter Dye and the Venetian Marco Croze, who took care of the actual construction. It is a course of great character, not particularly long, but with a succession of obstacles, mostly water hazards. Among the best holes, in Satèn the 2nd stands out, a par 3 with an island green and the tee stretching into the lake and the 5th hole, a panoramic par 4 with a breathtaking view over the hills and Iseo Lake. The clubhouse is a wide and modern open-space building, with high ceilings and huge windows. Not far from it are the two swimming pools, the mini-soccer field and the residential areas, slightly apart from the golf course, that never interfere with the beautiful , bucolic views. Technical Details Course : 3×9 holes (Brut/Satèn/Rosé), Par 37/36/34, 2936/2979/2593 meter Architect : Pete Dye and Marco Croze Topography : hilly, large water obstacles Distinctive features : is considered one of the best golf places in Italy Pro’s comments This championship course is a succession of dogleg holes with very accentuated bends. Playing it once is not enough to fully understand the strategy to adapt to get the best from your game. The Par 5s are beautiful and entertaining, reachable in 2 shots for stronger players, but equally enjoyable for all other players. The best shot of the day? Stopping at a restaurant at the end of a match: you are in the right place for tasting some of Italy’s finest bubbly.