Italy
You might be surprised to learn that Sicily has as many as four courses that have been ranked by Golf World magazine among the Top 200 in Continental Europe.
For an island of its size – spanning just 25,000km2 – and a modest historic legacy in the game, it is a remarkable achievement. Its four key courses were all built in the last decade, laid out on the island’s diverse, compelling landscape and swathed in sunshine for more months than you might imagine by virtue of its tremendous climate. Located further south than Tunisia in north Africa, Sicily is never cold and routinely shortsleeve warm as early as March.
It also has international airports dotted around the island, making it one of the most surprisingly easily-accessed destinations in continental Europe. The two leading lights in golfing terms are the luxury 36-hole resorts of Donnafugata and Verdura. The former is located in the south west near the town of Ragusa and just 10 minutes from Comiso airport. It sits in rolling hills lined with neat row after neat row of olive trees. Within this deeply secluded countryside, sitting on a dusty B-road is a world-class golf and spa resort.
Golf is at the heart of everything here, with superb practice facilities and the courses right next to the imperious accommodation. The Parkland course by Gary Player has the higher profile and hosted the European Tour, but the Links by Franco Piras is at least as good – and played at dawn or dusk, its rippling fairways are an awesome sight. Further up the west coast is Verdura Golf and Spa Resort, on the outskirts of the seaside resort of Sciacca. It is a Rocco Forte resort and the high calibre off the course continues in terms of the design, with Kyle Phillips behind both the East and West.
The American resisted the temptation to make one course notably more sensational than the other and shared the clifftop holes between the two. The hotel and spa are predictably immense. There are local courses to augment a golf holiday here too – and they would be pleasing additions to an itinerary.
Il Picciolo is 10 miles south west of Taormina and was the island’s first course, in 1989. Its 18 holes are routed among ancient lava flows and through oak trees, vineyards and hazelnut trees. Five miles west of the eponymous town is Siracusa Golf, which is part of the I Monasteri Golf Resort, a four-star hotel set in an historic country house.
The distinctive white limestone Iblea hills are the backdrop to the 2nd, 3rd and 4th holes. Villa Airoldi in the city of Palermo is a scenic nine-hole course while Le Saie Golf, by Piras, 15 miles south of Catania is the most recent addition to Sicily’s portfolio.
Travel essentials
THE CLIMATE Its southerly location (see left) gives it slightly longer ‘summer’ than the usual Mediterranean season, and thus incorporates early May to late October.
WHEN TO GO June is ideal – warm enough to dip in the pool, but not blisteringly hot… and no school holiday flight hikes. But for a purely golf break – with no sunbathing – that will likely be dry and definitely be mild, you will get a super deal in the Nov-Feb period.
GETTING THERE Fly BA, Ryanair, easyJet and many others from Gatwick, Stansted, Luton, Manchester and East Midlands to Comiso, Palermo and Catania.
CURRENCY Euros TIME GMT+1
Donnafugata
Two classy courses, a stylish hotel and sumptuous food make this Sicilian resort difficult to resist.
Sicily is famous the world over for Mount Etna, Europe’s tallest volcano, but the largest island in the Mediterranean has so much more to offer to visitors – and the five-star Donnafugata Golf Resort & SPA serves it up to guests on a plate.
Situated just 15 minutes from Comiso International Airport in the cultural heart of the province of Ragusa and also easily reached from Catania Airport, the deluxe Resort is perfect for both couples and families, delivering an intoxicating cocktail of jawdropping art, ancient history, mouth-watering cuisine and fabulous golf and leisure facilities in equal measure.
Donnafugata has a large number of fantastic historical cities to explore nearby in the Val di Noto area including Ragusa Ibla, Modica, Siracuse, Noto and Scicli. All are deemed fitting of UNESCO World Heritage status. Fans of TV detective ‘Inspector Montalbano’ can indulge themselves with visits to famous landmarks made popular by the cult BBC series (which is filmed in the region) or sample an array of the region’s gastronomic delights – including Modica’s world-famous chocolate.
And then, of course, there is the golf. Taking pride of place at Donnafugata Resort are its two 18-hole championship golf courses; the Parkland and the Links. The former, designed by Gary Player, hosted the Sicilian Open in 2011. Frenchman Raphael Jacquelin claimed the spoils five years ago with a 12-under winning score, a fine effort on a testing course that wanders through carob and olive trees. Offering a pleasant contrast, the Links Course – created by Italian Franco Piras – runs up and down two valleys, nestling between two nature reserves with the Mediterranean as a backdrop.
The setting, along with wetland around the early holes and lakes at the end of the round, make the course a haven for migrating birds and other wildlife. Complementing the golf courses is a Darren Clarke Centre of Excellence – the only one of its kind in continental Europe featuring the 2016 European Ryder Cup captain – and the outstanding golf facilities are matched by the luxurious facilities away from the fairways, with a period of further investment to be undertaken across the Resort in 2016. Featuring 202 rooms, Donnafugata is home to an award-winning luxury 900m2 Spa and health club, while it also boasts two swimming pools, a private beach and three restaurants offering a mouth-watering broad selection of ‘0km food’ locally-sourced gastronomic delights, well accompanied by perfect Sicilian wines to enhance flavour.
Want to know more? donnafugatagolfresort.com
Argentario Golf Resort & Spa
Enjoy high-class golf, dining and accommodation at this five-star venue just 90 minutes from Rome.
For decades, the beautiful Italian region of Tuscany has been a popular destination among holidaymakers who enjoy history, culture, art and beautiful landscapes. However, over the past few years, it has also started to establish itself as a favourite destination for golfers too. That is down, in no small part, to the spectacular Argentario Golf Resort and Spa.
It is located in the heart of the Maremma – a beautiful and still-unexplored part of Southern Tuscany, only 90 minutes away from Rome’s Fiumicino International Airport. It comprises 73 designer bedrooms and an independent golf villa, all featuring a private terrace with views of either the stunning, lush Monte Argentario landscape, or the resort’s 18-hole championship golf course. Golf under the Tuscan sun The Argentario course was designed by former European Tour player Baldovino Dassù, an Italian, and architect David Mezzacane, with holes subsequently shaped and revised by Brian Jorgensen.
Thanks to the surrounding hills, the Orbetello Lagoon (a WWF-managed nature reserve) and the Tyrrhenian Sea, Argentario has its own micro climate, meaning golf is possible all year round. At the on-site teaching academy, one of the instructors who works there, Emanuele Canonica, is well known to British golfers as a past winner of the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles. In his lessons he uses the latest technology and equipment to ensure that you leave Argentario a better player than when you arrived. Argentario Resort also has a spa: the stylish Espace Wellness Centre is a 2,700sq/m oasis of tranquility, leisure and indulgence. Here you have the opportunity to get a relaxing treatment, join the personalised ‘Wellbeing Escape’ nutrition and fitness program, or simply use one of the range of other facilities. These include a heated indoor swimming pool, outdoor pools, a hi-tech gym and tennis courts.
The on-site Dama Dama Restaurant offers delicious Tuscan and Mediterranean cuisine, with many of the ingredients having been grown on-site in the resort’s own organic vegetable garden. Argentario Resort is a luxury retreat with design at its heart, and it is the only golf resort in the Design Hotel’s group. The rooms express their individual personality through a sophisticated and comfortable design, ranging from the minimalist look in a contemporary art gallery style, to the most glamorous spirit with chrome plating and stone tubs. If you would rather own your private golf villa in this pristine corner of Tuscany, the resort features an all-new luxury residential project called Argentario Golf Residences.
Some of its distinguishing characteristics: different types of villas with a choice of creative and sophisticated designs, panoramic location surrounded by typical olive groves, topnotch Italian furniture, and private terraces with a hot tub. Membership at Argentario Golf Residences entitles homeowners to enjoy unlimited access to the five-star services of Argentario Golf Resort & Spa. Apart from real estate investments, rental opportunities are available. For more details visit argentariogolfresidences.com
Tuscany is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful parts of Europe to explore. With Argentario Golf Resort and Spa as your base for your trip, you will certainly not be short of things to see and do. Exploring the wider Tuscan area is easy to do, with most of the main towns and cities all within easy reach of the resort. Day trips to Florence, Pisa and Siena, in particular, come highly recommended. The golf resort is located close to idyllic little towns like Orbetello, Porto Ercole, Porto Santo Stefano and Capalbio, which means that you can get to know hidden gems away from mass tourism. Argentario’s fairways alternate with the vineyards and the pristine beaches, both sandy and rocky. Yours will be a golfing holiday with all the best that Tuscany has to offer.
Want to find out more?
t: +39 0564 810292
w: argentarioresort.com
e: booking@argentarioresort.it