3 nights with breakfast at Excelsior Palace Hotel and one green fees per person (Rapallo Golf Club)

Only 200 mt off the motorway exit, lies the entrance of Rapallo Golf Club, overlooking the intense green of the Santa Maria hills, along the road going to the nearby towns of Santa Margherita and Portofino. Its creation, in 1931, was due to precise tourist reasons: the local Tourist Board wanted to meet the requirements of the many British holiday-makers. To the original 9 holes, 40 years later, further 9 were added to complete the course, which alternates flat holes with distinctly more uneven ones. For those who are used to the traditional Ligurian vegetation, with olive groves and Mediterranean shrubs, Rapallo represents an exception, full of exotic plants, thanks to the seeds sown in the early days by the world travelling members. The red thread that runs through the course is the Boate stream, which has its source among the hills of the Rapallo hinterland and then, 3 km later, plunges into the Ligurian Sea; but along its path, it manages to squeeze – more or less powerfully -in the middle 10 of the holes. At the 3rd, in particular, (a 356 m par 4) a rather delicate hole with a raised green which is hidden behind the top of the hill, the stream runs along the fairway on the right side and suddenly swerves to the left just in front of the green, preventing the less powerful players approaching the flag with the second shot. In the clubhouse, do not miss the local delicacies: olive oil Focaccia (a single stripe won’t be enough!) and Crostone, a hot slice of bread spread with Stracchino cheese: a simple but delicious snack. Technical Details Course: 18 holes, Par 70, 5260 meters Architect: Cabell B. Robinson Topography: hilly, many natural hazards Distinctive features: on this course, precision makes the difference. Pro’s comments The Golf Club Rapallo is a jewel located inside the homonyms town. For this reason, its builder had little space with which to create it. Also, for this reason, precision is a fundamental requisite for obtaining good results. Be careful on the last 4 holes: two very difficult par 3s (15 and 18), together with two very narrow and delicate par 4s (16 and 17) are the true turning points of this course. Keep cool and use a cautious game plan; you won’t be sorry.