Golf Club Bologna

The course has 18 holes, par 72 and, the club says, measures 5,846 metres. More than length, it is the hilly terrain that counts: almost every official description speaks of banks, steep slopes and two-tier greens. The 15th hole, a par 4 of up to 365 metres, has a fairway that climbs steeply and woods on the right, where it is easy to lose the ball: it is the number 1 handicap hole.

The 6th is the longest par 5 at 528 metres, with a narrow fairway on the second shot; the 7th is a par 4 of just 286 metres to be played with caution, because the green is small and guarded by bunkers. At the 2nd, a downhill par 3, you must avoid the bank that drops towards a water channel. The 11th, a par 5 of 451 metres, can be reached in two shots by the longer hitters.

The club is open from Tuesday to Sunday. The club’s website does not publish a green fee list for visitors or the handicap required: before setting off, it is best to phone the office on 051 969100. The changing rooms are split into a members’ area and a guest area, with dedicated staff.

The club has 25 golf buggies for hire, with a lithium battery, a 12-inch on-screen GPS and a minibar; hand trolleys and bags are available in limited numbers, by reservation. Anyone who has never played can try with a free lesson: the first-quarter offer costs €449, with access to the club for three months and ten individual lessons, while the monthly one costs €149 with three lessons.

Golf Club Bologna remembers its 28 founding members as a reference point for its values. The clubhouse has the restaurant, where “typical Bolognese” cooking of ragù, tagliatelle and tortellini is enjoyed with a view of the driving range, the bar, the pro shop and a meeting room with a TV.

The panoramic pool, measuring 20×10 metres, was renovated in 2013 to a design by Gianpaolo Gazziero; it has hydromassage jets and lanes for swimming, and is open from late May to late September. The academy is led by the PGAI professionals Matia Malagutti and Giacomo Fortini, with group courses from March to October, except July and August. The competition calendar features La Secchia Rapita, the annual challenge against Modena Golf, and the Trofeo Emilio Pallavicino, a national under-18 team championship.

• A match like a poem. La Secchia Rapita, Tassoni’s mock-heroic poem about the rivalry between Modena and Bologna, gives its name to the challenge between the two clubs.
• The hardest hole is uphill. The 15th is the par 4 with stroke index 1.
• A 286-metre par 4. The 7th is short but has a small green and a steep drop behind it.
• A 20×10 pool. Forty years after its creation, it was completely redesigned in 2013.