5 nights at Splendido Bay Luxury Spa Resort with breakfast and 2 green fees (Gardagolf Country Club, Golf Club Franciacorta)

Just mention Franciacorta and immediately everyone will think of the precious vineyards of this area, that borders with the Southern shore of the Iseo Lake, between Brescia and Adro, a district that the connoisseurs are now appointing as the new “Chiantishire”: castles and ancient fortified boroughs, excellent food and wine culture, a mild climate. And, obviously, golf. The three 9 holes courses of Franciacorta Golf Club, all named after the most famous products of the area (Brut and Satèn offer the setting of the usual championship courses, whereas Rosè is more suitable for practicing and beginners) were created in the mid-80s, due to the clever foresight of entrepreneur Vittorio Moretti and thanks to the design of two architects, the American Peter Dye and the Venetian Marco Croze, who took care of the actual construction. It is a course of great character, not particularly long, but with a succession of obstacles, mostly water hazards. Among the best holes, in Satèn the 2nd stands out, a par 3 with an island green and the tee stretching into the lake and the 5th hole, a panoramic par 4 with a breathtaking view over the hills and Iseo Lake. The clubhouse is a wide and modern open-space building, with high ceilings and huge windows. Not far from it are the two swimming pools, the mini-soccer field and the residential areas, slightly apart from the golf course, that never interfere with the beautiful , bucolic views. Technical Details Course : 3×9 holes (Brut/Satèn/Rosé), Par 37/36/34, 2936/2979/2593 meter Architect : Pete Dye and Marco Croze Topography : hilly, large water obstacles Distinctive features : is considered one of the best golf places in Italy Pro’s comments This championship course is a succession of dogleg holes with very accentuated bends. Playing it once is not enough to fully understand the strategy to adapt to get the best from your game. The Par 5s are beautiful and entertaining, reachable in 2 shots for stronger players, but equally enjoyable for all other players. The best shot of the day? Stopping at a restaurant at the end of a match: you are in the right place for tasting some of Italy’s finest bubbly.

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.