8 nights at the Foresteria Maison Gardagolf, 4 green fees per person (Golf Club Gardagolf, Arzaga, Paradiso del Garda and Chervo) and a dinner in a restaurant from our culinary programme.

We are south of Lake Garda, on lands where the Second War of Independence was fought in 1859 between the Franco-Sardinian and Austrian armies. The only battles being fought here today are fortunately the personal ones with one’s golf game, and without too many frustrations nonetheless: this is a course where even players with high handicaps can enjoy themselves (the holes have five tee boxes to adapt the course to all levels) and where you don’t have to spend a lot of time looking for your ball because it’s always in plain sight (unless it ends up in one of the many water hazards!). Before going to play, climb the travertine and wrought iron stairs leading to the top floor of the bright clubhouse. Go out on the terrace where the panorama sweeps 360-degrees over the courses and the 110 hectares of property. From here, you have the best overview of the four 9-hole courses designed by German architect Kurt Rossknecht in 2008. The 18 classical competition holes are those of the Benaco – with a memorable Hole 5, a par 3 of 180 meters almost completely taken up by the lake – combined with those of the Solferino; the 9 holes of both courses are spectacular, sharing the same lake and the same immense putting green onto which the clubhouse windows look. The San Martino course is also beautiful, a rather long par 35 with many water hazards. Test your short game and try the Pozzolengo course, with its 9 executive holes that are varied and entertaining. Technical Details Course Benaco/Solferino: 9 holes, Par 36, 3427 meters. Course San Martino: 9 holes, Par 35, 2910 meters Course Pozzolengo: 9 holes, Par 27, 1025 meters Architect: Kurt Rossknecht Topography: somewhere flat, somewhere hilly; a lot of water hazards. Distinctive features: Every golf player will find here his ideal situation. Pro’s Comments The Golf Chervò – San Vigilio can be best defined as “universal”: challenging for pros and amateurs with low handicaps, fun for medium-high handicaps; congratulations to the designer who intuited his client’s needs, that is, for building a splendid “tourist” course. Don’t make the mistake of thinking it’s easy; it is rather long, with large greens and cross bunkers that are difficult to get over. Fun guaranteed for all. Try it.

The history of Gardagolf, in the immediate surroundings of the lake from which it takes its name, began in 1986 with the brilliant foresight of its promoters: the choice of a well-suited piece of land – the 110 hectares of the historic estate of the Omodeo family dominated by the stunning villa which today serves as clubhouse – with a mild and temperate microclimate that allows for play even in the colder months. Designed by the English architectural studio Cotton, Penninck, Steel & Partners, the first 18 holes opened (Red and White courses), and then were extended to 27 (Yellow course) four years later. The technical qualities of the course were immediately acknowledged on an international level: the Ladies Italian Open was played here in1990, won by Belgian Florence Descampe, followed by two memorable editions of the Men’s Italian Open, in 1997 and 2003, in which the Swede Mathias Gronberg and German Bernhard Langer triumphed respectively. The most memorable hole? Probably Hole 2 on the Red course, a par 3 of 145 meters: it is an aesthetically pleasing hole that is rolling and tortuous with flowering bushes and soaring cypresses. With its beauty, this hole aims to distract you and often succeeds. This is a huge error, because even if it isn’t very long and the descent shortens it even further, the green is deliberately narrow and the lake defending it is quite large on the other hand. The green also has some wicked slopes, all towards the right side and the water. A three-putt is always lurking around the corner. Technical details Course : 18+9 holes, Par 72/36, 6055/2798 meters Architects : Cotton, Pennink, Steel Topography : very hilly, large water hazards Distinctive features : long drives are not obvious, more advisable is a short and deliberate game Pro’s comments Gardagolf is a course that challenges a golfer’s ability. It’s all there. Greens with steep slopes, very undulating fairways with rather dramatic differences in level, a lake breeze and a perfectly respectable overall length: all these add together to make it among Italy’s most beautiful and difficult courses. Concentration, strategy and experience are indispensable qualities and that is why being able to play your handicap at Gardagolf is enormously satisfying. Some advice: on holes 1,2, 6 ,8 ,13 and 18, try not to put yourself in the position of playing downhill putts. Unless you’ve got Jordan Spieth’s touch, getting out with only two putts becomes a heroic undertaking.