3 nights at the Cascina Era Relais with 1 green fee

We’re on the hills of the Serra of Biella: all around us is nature, lush forests and gentle undulation. It is almost 60 years since the British architect John Morrison placed the 18 holes of the course here and meanwhile, in the peace of the woods, the clubhouse and lodgings were built. Since then very little seems to have changed inside the Biella club, which enjoys some sort of splendid isolation. Testing yourself on this masterpiece-course, award-winning among the best of Italy, is not an easy task, but rewarding, in any case. And towards the end, here’s a hole like no other: the 16th, a par 5 493 m long. A blind second shot to a diagonally downhill fairway you can only guess at. What you can never expect are the two rocks in the middle of the fairway: to be positively avoided, any rebound could be fatal to the score. Woe onto those who aim at the right of the green: the ball would slip in the rough, between the tangle of birches from which the club take its name. Inside the clubhouse is simple but tasteful decoration with wooden floorboards that are still hammered by the spikes of the old golf shoes; the same atmosphere awaits you in the bright and airy rooms of the restaurant, maybe sipping a drink, sitting on the comfortable sofas by the fireplace. Technical Details Course: 18 holes, Par 73, 6497 meters Architect: John Morrison Topography: narrow fairways and rich vegetation. Pro’s comments To define Biella Golf Club you need a superlative: gorgeous. A beautiful course in an area exclusively dedicated to golf (there’s no swimming pool, no tennis court etc.) Except the par 3s and the 13th, all the holes are dog-legs: a well-placed tee-shot becomes essential; on the greens, be extremely careful! Plenty of slopes, raised holes and steps could cause trouble. To high handicap players I suggest patience, to the low handicap players I only say: “Have fun”!