7 nights with breakfast at Palazzo di Varignana and 3 green fees per person (Golf Club le Fonti , Bologna and the Golf Club Modena)

A young golf club with a short history, it opened in 1999. But the Golf Club Le Fonti already boasts the organization of important professional events in its record book, ranging from the Qualifying School of the Ladies European Tour in 2006 and 2007, and three stops on the Men’s Alps Tour between 2009 and 2011, to the Federgolf National Championship in 2016. It is a lively and welcoming golf course, whose heart and soul, Chairman Ivan Serrantoni, is also the architect behind the 18-hole course which winds through an almost completely flat terrain with very wide fairways and few trees. These are characteristics which might deceive players into considering it an easy course. However, the long distances and many hazards, including but not limited to water, always waiting in ambush, make finishing with a good score nothing to take for granted. If you’d rather play a relaxing match, all you need do is choose one of the more advanced tees and the difficulty is immediately downsized. This destination will be particularly pleasing to those who enjoy combining golf with the relaxation of a spa. Castel San Pietro, along the Via Emilia between Bologna and Imola, is a renowned resort for spa treatments due to the sulphurous and salt water – bromine – iodine waters that flow from the land here – and the pleasures of the palate, to be enjoyed in the clubhouse or the many local trattorias. Technical Details Course : 18 holes, Par 72, 6480 meters Architect : Ivano Serrantoni Topography : spacious, much water, flat Special features : water obstacles present in 7 holes Pro’s comments: Playing golf at Le Fonti is a true pleasure. Undulating holes alternate with flat ones creating a very pleasant mixture. I would like to mention Hole 11, a long Par 4 with a dogleg to the left. You must be powerful and precise to reach the green with two shots, but if you play it cautiously and with intelligence, you should always be able to bring a bogey home.

The courses signed by Cotton have all a common point: they are perfect places to breath sport. The technique progress had to reflect itself even on the design, that’s why in 2000 the course has been adapted to the modern standards. The clubhouse simple and elegant at the same time, is perfectly plunged into this amazing landscape. The restaurant of the club ranks among the best golf restaurants in Italy. Facilities also comprise a swimming pool, a pro-shop, a driving range and a playground for children. Technical Details Course: 18 holes, Par 72, 5949 meters Architects: C.K. Cotton and Harris Topography: slightly hilly. Distinctive features: English style, Inland course, gradually modernized. Pro’s comments On this wonderful historic golf course I especially appreciate the design of the greens. Even though the course is not very long (it doesn’t even reach 6,000 meters), the holes are very different and don’t always make hitting the green easy. The last hole will remain in your memory: a very complicated par 4. The fairway here is very steep and flat to the right, the green is on 2 levels and behind it is the same as the out. A shot beyond the green is absolutely prohibited here. Don’t say I didn’t warn you!

The premises of the legendary Ferrari factory are only six kilometers from the club entrance, and this alone would be reason enough for car-loving golfers to play a match here. But the attractions of this destination don’t end with its proximity to the Prancing Horse. First and foremost, there is the course, designed by German champion Bernhard Langer and inaugurated officially with an exhibition of his in 1991. Challenging for professionals and great fun for amateurs and weekend hackers. It was a high voltage final. Argentine José Coceres surely remembers it well, whose hopes for a victory in the 50th Italian Open (in 1993) were drowned right there on Hole 18, a par 5 of 478 meters, handing over the title to New Zealander Greg Turner. Because the lake is the undisputed protagonist here. It occupies the middle part of the hole and the most cautious (and short-hitting) players will aim their drives left, while the most audacious will shoot for the peninsula on the right to reach the green with a second stroke. And the green is delicate because the lake comes back into play again to defend the flag. The 18 holes occupy a part of the available 100 hectares. There is also a 9-hole executive course and ancient hamlets and renovated farmsteads, well inserted in the golfing context, such as the Zanasi Villa with its 15th century tower or La Tegagna, once a staging post and now proposed again in the club’s logo. Technical Details Course: 18 holes, Par 72, 6423 metres Architect: Bernhard Langer Topography: flat, many water hazards, wide fairways Distinctive features: Bernhard Langer hasn’t designed a lot of golf courses but the few ones he realized in Europe, are quite remarkable. The layout is challenging: as you play, the fairways, roughs and semi-roughs get trickier. Pro’s comments: Three adjectives to describe the Modena Golf & Country Club: long, delicate, fun. All of which is summarized by Hole 13, a par 5 of 568 meters from the furthest tees (long), out of bounds on the right for the entire length of the hole (delicate) but level and with a large green that will hold onto a shot that is not perfectly aimed (fun). The other 17 holes will not disappoint, and the trip is surely worth the price of the green fee !!! Recommended.