Villa d’Este: Italian Golf Heritage Near Lake Como

If Marco Simone represents modern championship golf, Circolo Golf Villa d’Este represents something rather different: tradition, history and exclusivity.

Located in Montorfano, near Lake Como, Villa d’Este is one of Italy’s most prestigious historic golf clubs.

Its 2026 green fee ranges from €140 to €165 for 18 holes, with the highest rate applying from May through October. Visitors are welcome every day, subject to reservation and handicap requirements.

What makes Villa d’Este particularly attractive for luxury travellers is not simply the price.

It is the combination of:

• a historic golf club;
• the landscape of Lombardy;
• proximity to Lake Como;
• Italian hospitality;

For a traveller looking for golf and Italian lifestyle, this combination can be more important than paying the highest possible green fee.

Argentario Golf Club: Golf, Wellness and the Tuscan Coast

In southern Tuscany, Argentario Golf Club offers another interpretation of luxury golf.

The 18-hole course is part of the Argentario Golf & Wellness Resort, a five-star property combining golf, accommodation and wellness in the Monte Argentario area.

The 2026 green fee reaches €170 during the high season, from June to September, with lower rates during other periods. Visitors are welcome every day, although advance booking and a valid handicap certificate are required.

The golf course has also hosted the Italian Open in 2025, adding an important competitive dimension to the destination.

Golf can be combined with:

• a five-star resort;
• a large wellness centre;
• fine dining;
• the Mediterranean landscape;
• Porto Ercole and Porto Santo Stefano;
• and the beaches and nature of the Argentario area.

This is a good example of why luxury golf in Italy is not necessarily about the most expensive tee time.

Castiglion del Bosco: When Exclusivity Matters More Than the Green Fee

There is one Italian golf destination that makes a simple price comparison particularly difficult.

The Club at Castiglion del Bosco, in the Val d’Orcia near Montalcino, is officially described as Italy’s only private members’ golf club.

The club is reserved for members and resident guests of Rosewood Castiglion del Bosco, with individual golfers potentially admitted through a specific guest programme and subject to confirmation.

This means there is no conventional public green fee that can simply be compared with Marco Simone, Villa d’Este or Argentario.

And that is precisely what makes Castiglion del Bosco so interesting.

The experience combines:

• a Tom Weiskopf-designed 18-hole course;
• the UNESCO landscape of Val d’Orcia;
• a luxury Rosewood resort;
• access to the estate’s winery;
• Brunello di Montalcino;
• fine dining;
• wellness;
• and an exceptionally private atmosphere.

The official Tuscany Golf Experience for 2026 includes accommodation in a suite for two, breakfast, one 18-hole round per night, golf cart, equipment, practice facilities, a 60-minute golfer massage and lunch for two. Tee times are subject to availability and advance reservation.

This is a completely different definition of luxury.

The question is no longer:

“How much does one round cost?”

It becomes:

“How much is the complete experience worth?”

Royal Park I Roveri: Luxury Golf in Northern Italy

Near Turin, Royal Park I Roveri is another prestigious destination for golfers looking for an upscale Italian golf experience.

The club’s official 2026 rate is €160 for 18 holes, both on weekdays and weekends. Golf cart rental is available separately for €60.

The club combines two courses, a strong championship tradition and a location close to Turin and the former Savoy royal residences.

For international golfers, its position in Piedmont also makes it interesting as part of a wider itinerary combining:

• golf;
• Turin;
• the Langhe;
• Barolo and Barbaresco wines;
• Italian cuisine;
• and luxury accommodation.

Royal Park I Roveri therefore fits particularly well into the concept of a multi-experience golf holiday in Northern Italy.

So, What Is the Most Expensive Golf Course in Italy?

If we based our analysis only to 18-hole gree fee, the answer coulb be Marco Simome Golf & Country Club.

But calling it simply “the most expensive golf course in Italy” would be misleading.

Why?

Because some of Italy’s most exclusive golf experiences do not operate like conventional public golf courses.

Castiglion del Bosco is the clearest example. Its private-club model means that access itself is part of the luxury proposition.

At the other end of the spectrum, destinations such as Argentario and Villa d’Este demonstrate how a relatively high green fee can become part of a much broader travel experience.

So perhaps the better question is:

What is the most luxurious golf experience in Italy?

And that question has a much more interesting answer.

The Difference Between Expensive Golf and Luxury Golf

An expensive green fee does not automatically create a luxury golf holiday.

For an international traveller, luxury can mean:

Exclusivity
Access to a private or highly prestigious club.

Location
Playing golf among the landscapes of Tuscany, Lake Como, Piedmont or the Italian coast.

Accommodation
Staying in a luxury resort.

Food and wine
Combining golf with Michelin-starred dining, wineries and authentic Italian cuisine.

Personalisation
Private transfers, selected tee times, equipment, guides and experiences organised around the golfer.

Privacy
A relaxed environment away from mass tourism.

This is why Italy is particularly well suited to luxury golf travel.

A golf trip can become much more than a series of rounds.

It can combine golf, wine, gastronomy, culture, wellness and Italian lifestyle into one tailor-made journey.

👉Discover our golf holidays in Italy and start planning your next Italian golf experience with Sportravelit.