10 nights at Le Robinie Golf & Resort with breakfast and 6 green fees per person (Golf Club Robinie, La Pinetina, Carimate, Barlassina, Monticello and Varese)

It was in the late 1960s that the brothers Alessandro and Giuseppe Panza of Biumo decided to convert a farming estate of 140 hectares, just a few kilometers south of Como, into a golf course that would complete a modern design residential complex surrounded by greenery. Easily reached from Milan, Monticello was created to be used by families: a place where adults and children would be able to practice extra-golf activities such as bridge, tennis, football and swimming. With its 36 holes – it takes pride in being the first to have them, in 1974 – Monticello is a continuing evolution, entrusted to different signatures – the last ones belonging to Jim Fazio, Baldovino Dassù and Graham Cooke. The clubhouse is instead the work of the prestigious architect Luigi Caccia Dominioni, a low building with an elongated and meandering shape which reinterpreted the Lombard farmstead in a modern key. The Red course – imposing and challenging – has been one of the historic venues for the Italian Open, played here seven times between 1974 and 1992 and won, amongst others, by the American Billy Casper and the Australian Greg Norman. The Blue course is shorter – and therefore more accessible to players with medium-high handicaps – with the front 9 which are level and rather open and the back 9 narrower and more delicate. Technical Details Course: 18+18 holes, Par 72/72, 6055/5842 meters Architect: Baldovino, Dassù, Graham Cook. Topography: from flat to slightly undulated, with small greens protected by bunkers. Distinctive features: The first shot is very important, when you play your handicap. The drive must be placed in a very strategic way. Pro’s comments Playing at Monticello is delightful and fun. The red course, made more challenging by the touch of Baldovino, amongst others, which changed the design of some greens a few years ago, is long yet flat and can be played by players of any age and level of skill. Holes 9 and 18 are indeed spectacular, as they end in front of the clubhouse with a huge lake which makes approach shots to the green more difficult and complicated.

From the very first step into the club house, where you can find the trunk of a monumental plane tree, protected by a glass case and with its canopy reaching for the sky above the roof, you gather that the founder of Barlassina in 1958 wanted something unique. Goal achieved, because the club, with its 70 hectares in the countryside between Milano and Como remained for a long time one of the few Italian private golf clubs, defending an exclusivity of which it’s always been proud. But times change and now even the occasional visitor gets to know this gem of Lombardy golf, where the creator, the British architect John Morrison, assisted by Donald Harradine, took advantage of the hilly land, making it even more scenic. The best time to play the 18th holes in the Groane Park is late Spring: azalea and rhododendron bushes of many pink shades convert it into a delightful lush garden. The green of the 9th hole (a 183 m long par 3), surrounded by flowers, wins the “Oscar” for the best set design. Finally, a treat for the enthusiasts of the cinema: in 1960, the halls of the clubhouse, designed by the architect Luigi Vietti, were chosen by director Michelangelo Antonioni as a set for the dance scene of the award winning movie “La notte”, starring Jeanne Moreau and Marcello Mastroianni. Course: 18 holes, Par 72, 6135 meters Architects: Harris, Morrisson Topography: gentle rolling hills, woodland course, numerous bunkers Distinctive features: conceived to suit all levels Pro’s Comments A club of long tradition with a magnificent course. The holes, completely immersed in the woods and in the silence, get better and better. To be mentioned is the 10th, with the tee close to the clubhouse, it’s a very difficult and delicate Par 4 slightly dog-leg to the left, where it’s mandatory to play an accurate tee shot to reach a very far green (from the championship tee, more than 400 meters). A particularity that you will appreciate: no water hazards guarding the greens, but only a few streams in the woods. A joy for the less skilled players. Barlassina is perhaps the only golf club in Italy that still provides members-only lounges in the club-house. For many‚ but not for everyone.

In an area – the province of Como – which already had a high-density golf factor, in 1971 the Golf Club La Pinetina opened on 70 hectares in the immense Appiano Gentile Pinewood Parkland. The exclusive, relaxing, and peaceful context consists of woods with Scots pines, birches, oaks, and chestnut trees, some homes well hidden by the vegetation, and all of it far away from roads, noise, and the stress of daily life. The course follows the contour of the land, which is quite undulating with different playing situations. Evocative panoramic views of Monte Rosa and the Lombard Prealps can be glimpsed between the treetops. The club has a strong ecological approach: a photovoltaic plant installed in 2010 and a solar thermal energy system in 2013 have been steps along the club’s long journey of awareness and responsibility towards the environment. Over the years, La Pinetina joined the Committed to Green program, has been awarded environmental certification by the Golf Environment Organization (GEO), and was acknowledged by Federgolf for its commitment to energy conservation. Finally, it has constructed a pool following a bio-architecture project using the most advanced materials from an ecological standpoint. The last of the 18 holes is the game-changer. It is played by amateurs as a short par 5 but, in case of pro tournaments, it becomes the hardest of the entire course, a par 4 of 373 meters, meaning it is very long and what’s more, slightly uphill, with a fairway that slopes to the right and the green – designed on two very pronounced levels – is protected by three bunkers. The lovely clubhouse beside it offers welcome refreshments after the last efforts. Technical Details Course: 18 holes, Par 71, 5823 meters Architect: John Harris Topography: hilly at times, steep slopes, forest Special features: championship course, the first 9 holes are more challenging Pro’s Comments Precision, precision, precision: the three watchwords necessary to face the challenge of the La Pinetina course. Not long but delicate and undulating, this 18-hole course must be dealt with by forgoing power and the urge to risk; in particular, Hole 3, a very narrow and long par 5, has ruined the scores of many a golfer, even experts. If you don’t play long but precisely, La Pinetina is the perfect course to bet against golfers who take pride in their power.

In an area – the province of Como – which already had a high-density golf factor, in 1971 the Golf Club La Pinetina opened on 70 hectares in the immense Appiano Gentile Pinewood Parkland. The exclusive, relaxing, and peaceful context consists of woods with Scots pines, birches, oaks, and chestnut trees, some homes well hidden by the vegetation, and all of it far away from roads, noise, and the stress of daily life. The course follows the contour of the land, which is quite undulating with different playing situations. Evocative panoramic views of Monte Rosa and the Lombard Prealps can be glimpsed between the treetops. The club has a strong ecological approach: a photovoltaic plant installed in 2010 and a solar thermal energy system in 2013 have been steps along the club’s long journey of awareness and responsibility towards the environment. Over the years, La Pinetina joined the Committed to Green program, has been awarded environmental certification by the Golf Environment Organization (GEO), and was acknowledged by Federgolf for its commitment to energy conservation. Finally, it has constructed a pool following a bio-architecture project using the most advanced materials from an ecological standpoint. The last of the 18 holes is the game-changer. It is played by amateurs as a short par 5 but, in case of pro tournaments, it becomes the hardest of the entire course, a par 4 of 373 meters, meaning it is very long and what’s more, slightly uphill, with a fairway that slopes to the right and the green – designed on two very pronounced levels – is protected by three bunkers. The lovely clubhouse beside it offers welcome refreshments after the last efforts. Technical Details Course: 18 holes, Par 71, 5823 meters Architect: John Harris Topography: hilly at times, steep slopes, forest Special features: championship course, the first 9 holes are more challenging Pro’s Comments Precision, precision, precision: the three watchwords necessary to face the challenge of the La Pinetina course. Not long but delicate and undulating, this 18-hole course must be dealt with by forgoing power and the urge to risk; in particular, Hole 3, a very narrow and long par 5, has ruined the scores of many a golfer, even experts. If you don’t play long but precisely, La Pinetina is the perfect course to bet against golfers who take pride in their power.

In springtime they are covered with white fragrant flowers. They are the locust trees which give the club its name, trees that are often imposing, also known as acacias, which are easily found in Lombardy woodlands. The club is very close to the Malpensa Airport, a destination that is easily reached due to its proximity to the motorway, where Jack Nicklaus in the early 1990s was asked to decide how to sculpt those flat 70 hectares to create a course that was worthy of his name. The Golden Bear had no doubts as to what was needed to obtain a course able to host international events, a Stadium Course where spectators would have a privileged vantage point to see what was actually happening on the course. So bulldozers moved no less that two million cubic meters of earth and gravel to form a masterpiece of hollows, amphitheaters, terraced bunkers and lakes that would bear his unmistakable signature. The result is a challenging yet not severe course where players of all levels, from beginners to professionals, can have a great time because of the five teeing boxes for each hole, to be chosen according to ability, following the rule of “risk-reward” that Nicklaus likes so much. An attacking game is recommended for top players, but those not wanting to risk can play defensively, enjoying a match with commendable results. Technical Details Course: 18 holes, Par 72, 6168 meters Architect: Jack Nicklaus Topography: flat with a lot of water hazards. Distinctive features: aggressive play, if you want to play your handicap. This course has the very typical mark of Jack Nicklaus, with several difficulties. The aspect of a course does not always correspond to its play. This course, which is the only one Jack Nicklaus designed in Italy, is a true master touch! And he has done his best: strategic bunkers, water hazards and ondulated greens. Everything is there. The Scottish-style tricks, like the hidden bunkers, are in the perfect mode of brilliant Nicklaus. Pure pleasure for golfers! Pro’s comments I truly appreciate Nicklaus’s hand as an architect of golf courses and Le Robinie confirms that sentiment. It is a fair course because you must know how to mix power and precision, where each hole makes a lasting impression but you must always stay far away from the deep bunkers scattered all over the course, a real punishment for unskilled players but panoramically and technically flawless. Holes 17 and 18 which surround a large lake are beautiful and if you are willing to gamble, you will be rewarded, but a cautious strategy of staying away from the water is absolutely worth considering, especially if you are defending a good score. A masterpiece, like the many others, created by the skilled hand of the great American champion.

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.