8 nights at Bogogno Golf Hotel with breakfast and 4 green fees per person (Bogogno Golf Club, Castelconturbia, GC dei Laghi and des Iles Borromees). Plus 1 dinner at a restaurant from our culinary programme.

Arriving at Bogogno on a day with a clear blue sky is an experience that is impossible to forget: the Monte Rosa massif stands majestically on the horizon and its presence accompanies a panorama that may be enjoyed from the clubhouse and for the most part of the two 18-hole courses, the Bonora and the Conte. It is indeed the third Italian golf club (and second in Piedmont) in the order of seniority to boast 36 holes, opened in 1996 and completed in its current version in 2000. Conceived to become a holiday home for Milan and Turin natives – the two regional capitals are equidistant, less than an hour by car – it is surrounded by elegant but never garish or indiscreet homes; a hotel was recently built facing hole no. 9 of the Conte course which is very convenient. The American golf project architect, Robert von Hagge, created two courses whose difficulty changes significantly according to whether the champion tees or the standards tees are used. The Conte course, generally used for more important tournaments, is flat with water hazards that affect 13 holes mainly in the form of ponds. On the Bonora course, water is present on almost all the holes, and is more physically demanding because it is more undulating. Centrally located with regard to the two courses, the clubhouse, as were most of the residences, was designed by the French architect François Spoerry in a sober, country style with large picture windows and comfortable areas, true meeting places very much enjoyed by members. Course: “Del Conte”, Par 72, 6206 meters Architect: van Hagge Topography: flat Distinctive features: high roughs and relatively small fairways Links course big spaces, wide and flat ground Two courses that cannot be missing in the itinerary of a golfer visiting the Piedmont; the Bonora, more suited to medium – low handicaps, is a true masterpiece of golf architecture. From the first tee to the final shot towards the 18th green (Par 4 with a frontal water hazard), it is a succession of traps and difficulties. The five Par 5s of this course are to be savoured as they abound with hazards inserted in crucial situations to challenge players’ strategic skills. When played from the furthest tees, I consider the Bonora a true Ryder Cup course. The Conte course is somewhat less difficult but the architect has also skillfully designed the 18 splendid and entertaining holes here; the sequence of Holes 12-15 is quite unusual with three Par 5s broken up by a fantastic and spectacular Par 3 (Hole 13); four holes that will help you gain some strokes and adjust your score.

Born three times: indeed the history of this beautiful golf club, which in its modern version includes three 9 holes courses, actually begins in 1898, thanks to the intervention of Count Gaspar Voli, who was the promoter of the Couturbier Golf Course. In the 1920s, since the change of ownership of the huge estate where it was located, even the name was changed, into “Golf of Conturbia”. Later, in the Sixties, it was completely neglected and, finally, was reborn in 1984, this time with the present name of Castelconturbia” (Castle of Conturbia) and the new course created by a genius of golf design such as Robert Trent Jones senior, who has attained a masterpiece, where two Italian Opens took place – in 1991 and 1998. Of the original course and of the old clubhouse few traces remain between the 4th and 5th holes of the Yellow course, whereas completely unchanged is the background landscape, with the 110 hectares of the estate and all the grandeur of Monte Rosa. The clubhouse is the ancient farmstead of the Bindellina, completely restored with features and interiors of architect Vico Magistretti, in a really stunning location: sitting under the portico for a drink, you’ll enjoy a breathtaking sight, with the lawn sloping down towards the fairways, the thick forest and the lake: a true delight. Three medium to long golf courses, with many traps around the greens, which are uneven, fast and large. A peculiarity of the Yellow Course is to have greens well guarded by water – the best example being the 7th hole, a par 4 downhill dogleg, with an island green. In the Azzurro (Light-blue) Course, which leads entirely through the woods, the natural hazards predominate; the 3rd hole, par 4, is a narrow dogleg to the right, hard to cut due to the bunkers and the big chestnuts on the right, which affect the tee shot. The Red Course is the longest, with continuous ups and downs between tee and green; here the water gets into play only on the 8th and 9th holes. Yellow-blu Course (18 holes), , Par 72, 5885 meters Architect : Robert Trent Jones Sr. Topography : slightly hilly with water obstacles Special features : every stroke should be carefully considered ; length does not play the main role Blu-red Course (18 holes), Par 72, 5995 meters Architect : Robert Trent Jones Sr. Topography : slightly hilly with water obstacles Special features : no experiments, only playful skills are needed on this course Red Course (18 holes) : Par 72, 5995 meters Architect : Robert Trent Jones Jr. Topography : slightly hilly with water obstacles Robert Trent Jones Sr.’s pen created Castelconturbia, an 18-hole masterpiece; the yellow-blue championship course will challenge your ability to adapt to the undulations of the fairways and the deadly and devious slopes of the greens; it’s also very important to know where to hit the shot on the green, because having to putt downhill increases the probability of a three-putt: heads-up on Hole 2 on the yellow course, a Par 3 with frontal water: make sure you hit to the left part of the green, and Hole 9 on the blue course Par 4: use an iron that is higher than the one you chose because the rise is steeper than you think and it takes FOREVER to reach the green.

At 600 meters of altitude, this is the second golf course in Stresa after the historic Alpino, and is nestled in woodlands abounding with a variety of tree species. On those days when a lake gives new meaning to the word “beauty”, golfers often stand bewitched at the starting tee on Hole 18. There you can admire a panorama that sweeps from the Ticino plain to the Alps of the Simplon Pass and Switzerland, and over four lakes – Maggiore, Varese, Monate and Comabbio, the Alps, and on the most fortunate days, even the skyline of Milan. Dating back to 1987, the course is natural and it shows: its difficulties, the differences in level, and its hazards were not custom-built. They have been there for centuries. Architect Marco Croze has only enhanced or adapted them to a course that manages to entertain as well as challenge at the same time. The design of the holes is extremely varied and quite undulating, and this often forces players to adopt a defensive tactic. Your feet are never flat on the ground and each shot can have disastrous effects on the score: in this case, simply console yourselves with the panorama. Technical Details Course: 18 holes, Par 72, 6122 meters. Architect: Marco Croze Topography: hilly, narrow course with some interesting water hazards Distinctive features: remarkable either for its play course or for the natural surroundings. Its landscape is itself an added value. Pro’s comments: To understand the beauty and difficulty of this golf course, you must try it: breathtaking panoramas and a very demanding and punishing layout for imprecise golfers

Opened in 1993 on lands that once belonged to the noble Visconti family, one of Europe’s oldest dynasties, the 18 holes of the Golf dei Laghi were designed by Piero Mancinelli and then updated in time to make them less irksome and more satisfying to play for golfers of all levels, while maintaining its technical and landscape characteristics. The panorama is indeed spectacular, in particular from Hole 13 to 15 where the view sweeps over Monte Rosa and on clear days, even Lake Maggiore. The course is not particularly long but the numerous natural hazards – trees, many small lakes (giving the club its name), streams – often demand that players place shots with particular care to not find themselves in trouble on the next. Six holes turn out to be rather wide on level ground, another six unwind amidst woodlands and the remaining six are played on hilly ground. Another particularity is the possibility of playing two, six, nine or 18 holes always finishing near the clubhouse. Technical Details Course: 18 holes, Par 73, 5827 meters Architect: Piero Mancinelli Topography: hilly woodland course; some areas are quite flat Distinctive features: to get the most out of this varied topography, careful management is needed