7 nights at Relais Montemarino with 3 green fees (Golf Club Cherasco, Golf Club La Margherita, Golf Città di Asti)

“Your putting green in the heart of the Langhe”, as the slogan of this dynamic and welcoming club goes, opened in 1982 where the Tanaro river meets the Stura. A marvelous position from a naturalistic (and enogastronomic!) perspective, but which risked compromising the club’s very existence due to the two floods in the mid-90s that almost destroyed the course. Having brilliantly overcome these difficulties also thanks to the able director, Corrado Graglia, the Golf Club Cherasco today is a landmark for golfers in search of a stimulating yet not too severe challenge, and those who also appreciate fine cuisine and wines. Indeed, the club is located in the Langhe hills, where the enogastronomic tradition is supreme: the best bottles of Barolo, Barbaresco, Nebbiolo, Dolcetto and Barbera here are accompanied by outstanding white truffles, hazelnuts, snails, exquisite cheese and the traditional recipes in which the local trattorias (and the clubhouse restaurant) vie with one another to win over palates. Designed in 1979 by architect Marco Croze, the 18 holes extend on two levels, one on flat land and the other in the hills, embraced by a picturesque park dotted with many ponds and thousands of trees, some of which are centuries-old, others planted more recently: pines, maples, hornbeams, and oaks create a diversified and demanding course that is, nonetheless, suitable for all types of players. Technical Details Course : 18 holes, Par 72, 6050 meters Architect : Marco Croze Topography : partly flat, partly hilly, a lot of water Special features : straight drives are an advantage, as the fairways are partly narrow Pro’s Comments Some of the holes at Cherasco are truly beautiful: one of these is Hole 13, the most complicated of the course: a long par 4 where the first shot must be well placed, then the second must be made towards a small split-level green with a frontal water hazard; for higher handicaps, I recommend that you play for a bogey and don’t make the mistake of aiming for the green from far away with the second stroke. Then in autumn, arrivals at the clubhouse are a celebration for the palate and the sense of smell, as clearly indicated in the previous lines.

There are two golf complexes thirty kilometers south of the center of Turin which are distinct yet complementary, for a total of 36 holes in all: the Golf Club I Girasoli and the Golf Club La Margherita. The latter regularly hosts national level competitions and championships. Designed by Marco Croze and Giorgio Ferraris, the 18-hole course, a par 72, it is the complex’s pride and joy. Continuous improvements and constant maintenance have taken it to such a high level of excellence that several editions of the Alps Tour, a third-tier professional circuit, have been hosted there and it was included among the 30 best clubs in Italy. The course demands good technique, but is enjoyable to play even for golfers with high handicaps, as long as they find the right motivation to improve their levels. 20 cozy guestrooms are available inside the complex. The position is ideal as it can be easily and quickly reached, due to its convenient location close to the Carmagnola exit on the Turin-Savona motorway. Technical Details Course : 18 holes, Par 72, 5840 meters Architect : Marco Croze & Giorgio Ferraris Topography : a little hilly, large fairways, a lot of water obstacles Special features : very varied course, which represents a real challenge at all game levels Pro’s Comments Don’t miss this 18-hole course. Just difficult enough with small and steeply sloping greens, the Margherita leaves no room for lapses in concentration. On the first nine holes, allow me to mention Hole 5, a long par 5 with a water hazard on the first shot and greens that slope steeply toward the fairway. Hole 7, a par 4 with a peninsula green with frontal water where it is very important to place the first shot. On the second nine, the very long Hole 16 par 5 with an out of bounds on the right and water on the left on the second and third shots, and Hole 18 par 4 which is great fun and gives powerful players the opportunity to decide whether to risk passing over a water hazard located 230 meters from the tee so as to have a comfortable approach shot to the pin. You must try it.