7 nights with breakfast included at Golf Club Asolo Forestry and 3 Green Fees per person (Golf Club Ca'della Nave/ Golf Club Asolo/ Golf Club Asiago)

We are around twenty kilometers from the Venetian Lagoon, a World Heritage site: either before or after an obligatory tour of the Serenissima, or better Venice, golf lovers simply cannot miss playing a match at the Golf Club Ca’ della Nave in Martellago, a gem designed by Arnold Palmer on terrain dominated by the aristocratic majesty of the 16th century Villa Grimani Morosini. The great American champion who designed the course in the mid-1980s perhaps drew inspiration from Venice when he decided to insert artificial lakes and water hazards onto no less than 12 of the 18 championship holes – but not even the 9 executive holes are exempt from red stakes! The most difficult is Hole 2, a par 4 of 370 meters, picturesque and rolling with the lake flanking it on the right for the length of the fairway. Two bunkers there awaiting the landing of your first shot and another to defend the entrance to the green complicate things considerably. Hole 14 is also spectacular, a par 4 of 278 meters, where the fairway is an islet in the middle of a large lake: from the tee, you have to cross a small bridge to reach the ball, and the same must be done to reach the green which, in addition to the water in the front, is also defended by three bunkers. Technical Details Course: 18 holes, Par 72, 6366 meters Architect: Arnold Palmer Topography: flat with artificial hills and undulated fairways. Distinctive features: you can recognize everywhere the American style. The play is amusing thanks to artificial slopes and well-placed water hazards. Pro’s comments Arnold Palmer’s hand is clearly seen in the design of this splendid course; lots of water, bunkers on the dogleg bends and in defense of the greens which are wide and welcoming. Much about this course is already revealed by Hole 2, a handicap 1; almost 400 meters from the furthest tee, water on the right and a green defended by a bunker on the left; you will find water another 11 times by the time you have completed the round but don’t be discouraged; the course is not that difficult and everyone will have a ball. Bravo Arnie!!!

The name of Asolo Golf Club takes advantage of the fame of the beautiful town of Veneto, but in fact the 27 holes, developed by European Golf Design, in conjunction with Marco Croze, lie at the foot of Monte Tomba, only fifteen minutes from the village that keeps the mortal remains of the great actress Eleonora Duse. The resort, which includes a property development designed by the architect Luigi Vietti in addiction to lodgings for residential use, swimming pool and tennis courts, was established in 1995 by a group of entrepreneurs among whom Gilberto Benetton stands out: he still is the club president, and he stills manages it as a company. The club has characterized itself for its indisputable tourist vocation: it’s been one of the first Italian Golf clubs to offer pay & play, still taking into consideration the club members, many of whom are owners of holiday homes here. The big and comfortable clubhouse, dominates the arrival and departure tees of two of the three 9 holes courses and the restaurant is well worth a visit. Of the three courses, the “Rosso” (“Red”) and the “Verde” (“Green”) are those usually employed for the tournaments. The first 9 holes of the “Red” allow a few mistakes, despite their highly undulating and tricky greens and the very deep bunkers. The “Green” is instead a shorter and more technical course, with narrow fairways and lots of water hazards and increasing difficulties in the last three holes. The “Giallo” (“Yellow”), finally, is the toughest course, the longest, with water running parallel to the fairways and deep bunkers guarding drivers shots. As for the “Red”, the greens are very big, with slopes that challenge the reading of the putting lines. To thoroughly enjoy the club, book a room in the guesthouse, a tastefully furnished rural barn, overlooking the golf course. Technical Details Course: 3 x 9 holes (Red: Par 36, 3162 meters; Yellow: Par 36, 3077 meters; Green: Par 36, 3137 meters) Architects: European Golf Design & Stan Ebby Topography: parkland course, gentle rolling hills, ponds, natural fairways Distinctive features: numerous water hazards and fast greens. The Red course is the most demanding. Pro’s comments The three courses at Asolo Golf Club are beautiful; they can be very demanding for the pro but also very entertaining for mid to high level amateurs, thanks to a well-designed project. Some holes are really tough, like the 5th of the Red course: a long uphill par 5 with water hazards that start midway and line the side of the fairway until the green. Challenging is the 7th of the “Green” course, a very delicate par 4, that requires extreme accuracy because of the two water hazards on the left of the tee shot and a ditch running across the hole 80 m in front of the green which bothers the second shot of the less accurate hitters. In conclusion, an excellent golf club, which needs to be tested!

Golf has been played on the Asiago plateau since 1967, when the British architect John Harris – back then creator of numerous Golf courses in Italy, designed the first 9 holes on a gently undulating landscape, just outside the village. The renovation and the expansion leading to the present 18 holes has been carried out more recently, in 1990, by Peter Harradine, known for his experience in planning mountain courses. The advantage of Asiago Golf Club over other similar courses is its moderate altitude – 1000 m above sea level – and the structure of the plateau, with no particular differences in height. Neither Harris nor Harradine were forced to require earthworks or other artificial measures in order to adapt and reshape the ground to satisfy golfing needs; some bunkers and one small lake between the 5th and the 9th holes are the only concessions to human creativity. Every hole has its own name: the 14th, “Meltar” is the longest on the course with its 565 metres; the 18th is named “Lago” (Lake), the 4th “Scoiattoli” (Squirrels), the 3, “Panoramica”: as you tee off you have a magnificent view over most of the course. Here the golf season is rather long, from May to October, and choosing Asiago for a holiday means combining the pleasure of golf with the pleasure of eating and relaxing in the extreme comfort of the “Meltar Boutique Hotel” which dominates the course. And for practicing there’s also a well-equipped driving range Golf Academy, with 28 bays and 4 executive holes. Technical Details Course : 18 holes, Par 70, 6005 m Architect : John Harris, Peter Harradine Topography : near to the city of Asiago Special features : every hole has its personal name