Golf Club Varese Luvinate

Golf and Varese are old acquaintances. It was 1897 when the first 9 holes of the city were marked out in the park of the Grand Hotel Excelsior in the Casbeno neighborhood, today site of the prefectural offices. After a brief transfer north to Valganna, the Golf Club Varese found its definitive location in Luvinate in 1934. First 9 holes, which then doubled in the 1950s, with views that sweep from Monte Rosa to the three lakes – Maggiore, Varese and Monate – and an immense wealth of century-old trees, as beautiful to see as they are penalizing for imprecise golfers The course is indeed narrow with small and well-defended greens, with undulating sloping fairways that are often breathtaking – such as Hole 18 with an uphill climb to a killer green! Dominating it all, the 12th century monastery from which the clubhouse was created. A stop here is a unique experience. You must cross an ancient cloister, as the Benedictine nuns once did who lived here until the 15th century. Going past the old sacristy, you enter the spacious parlor, the bar and restaurant with coffered ceilings and the other walls covered with wooden panels bearing the names of the winners of the club’s most prestigious tournaments.

Each hole is completely different from the others and rarely will you find yourself playing a shot with the ball perfectly level. It is often wise to forgo using a driver from the tee, so as not to run too many risks and place the ball in the wider spots of the fairway with an iron or three-wood.

Technical Details

Course: 18 holes, Par 72, 6054 meters

Architects: Gannon & Blanford

Topography: rather hilly, wide fairways, many doglegs, veteran trees

Distinctive features: the many doglegs are quite demanding and require a precise game: either a 3-wood or a long iron might help.

Pro’s comments

The Golf Club Varese thrills golfers especially in autumn, when the trees are brightly colored with red, yellow, brown and dark green leaves. A sight not to be missed, just as the tee shot from Hole 10 overlooking Lake Varese, with a truly breathtaking view. For golf aesthetes, a must-see.