7 nights with breakfast at Tenuta de l’Annunziata and three green fees per person (La Pinetina Golf Club, Villa d Este and Carimate)

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.

We are midway between Milan and Como, in the heart of the Brianza area, where almost at the same time with the nearby “Barlassina Golf Club”, was created, in 1962, another ambitious project, at the forefront of Italian design. Piero Mancinelli designed the course, Guido Veneziani and Vico Magistretti (personalities that nowadays would be called “archi-stars”) signed the clubhouse project. Keeping the ancient castle of the noble Visconti family (later owned by the Arnaboldi Cazzaniga family ) as its point of reference, a new development of 400 small villas (none taller than the surrounding vegetation) and a golf course were built, in the 60 hectares of woodland. More than 50 years later, the gently undulating course and the club atmosphere confirm their uniqueness, with thanks to the constant evolution and the desire to keep pace with the times. Carimate Golf Club is a very lively club, where the members gather as in a second home and visitors are very welcome. The course, wide and varied, runs amid a botanical heritage of ten thousands plants and has been developed in two different stages: the “Higher” holes, created close to the clubhouse, opened in 1961, and the “Lower” holes, inaugurated three years later. Once seated around the table, at the restaurant, please have a look at the red chairs in wood and wicker: they are rare design pieces, the making of Vico Magistretti, who named them after the Club: Carimate. Since 1962 they are produced by Cassina. Technical Details Place : 18 holes, Par 72, 5850 meters Architect : Piero Mancinelli Topography : flat with very dense vegetation Special features : beautiful course, not to difficult to play, a lust for the eye Pro’s comments A splendid and very tall Atlas cedar makes play on Hole 11, a par 5of over 500 meters, extremely complicated. Positioned in the middle of the fairway around 100 meters from the green, it forces players to be strategically attentive already with the second stroke: better to keep to the right for an easier entrance. A thrilling and unforgettable signature hole.

There are places that remain untouched by time, enveloped in a special aura evoking elegance, tradition and good taste. The Circolo Golf Villa d’Este, protected by the woods of Montorfono and lying 20 minutes south of the Como city shores of the lake is one of these. This is true now more than ever, 90 years after those days in 1926 when English and American tourists – who had already chosen the Larian shores and their microclimate as their preferred holiday destination – began to tread the greens of the 18 holes that the shareholders of Grand Hotel Villa d’Este of Cernobbio decided to build, prompted by the requests of their well-heeled customers. The walls of the clubhouse designed by architect Giuseppe Bergomi – partly destroyed by fire in 1990 but faithfully reconstructed to the original, with hardwood floors fragrant of beeswax, the wood paneling of the bar and the incomparable terrace looking onto the course and the hills – narrate the most wonderful chapters in the history of Italian competitive golf: 12 Italian Opens were played here between 1928 and 1972, 57 editions of the Men’s International Championship and 39 editions of the Ladies’, to name a few. To understand the prestige of this club, we need only glance at the club’s record book to see the names that proudly appear there: for example, the Spaniard José Maria Olazábal, who before becoming the hero of many Ryder Cups in tandem with Seve Ballesteros, as well as captain of the victorious European team in 2012, the first of his two Masters’ green jackets, won the Italian Open twice in 1983 and 1985 on this narrow and undulating course designed by Major Peter Gannon Technical Details Course: 18 holes, Par 69, 5789 meters Architece: Peter Gannon Topography: Tee-off should be exact and straight. You’d better bring along with you a few more balls. Hillside locations make the game difficult. Distinctive features: From the peak of its 440 metres above sea level, this terrain offers good playing conditions also in summer. Pine trees, birches, chestnut trees characterize this course. A charming setting including a par 69 that ranks among the toughest ones in Europe: a true challenge also for the most experienced golfer! Pro’s comments An intriguing yet very complicated course to face if you don’t have experience or the right attitude. Its very deep bunkers and greens with very accentuated differences in level will greatly challenge inexperienced golfers. However, the Villa d’Este’s 18-hole course is a must on the curriculum vitae of any golfer visiting the Lombardy region. A few well-played holes are a guarantee of satisfaction: the enjoyment lies, for once, in overcoming the course’s difficulties.