Golf Club Padova

The original layout is the work of the English architect John D. Harris, of the London firm of Cotton: in 1962 the first 18 holes, par 72, were laid out at the foot of the Euganean Hills. Today the club has 27, divided into three nines: the Yellow and the Blue are the historic ones, while the Red is the championship nine (par 36) added in 2003 and signed by Marco Croze. Every nine is a par 36 and can be combined with the others for rounds of 18.

The terrain is undulating, with water and trees on all three nines; the Red and Blue add small lakes. The club rates each nine as moderate to difficult. From the white tees the Yellow measures 3,003 metres, the Red 3,100 and the Blue 3,110, with shorter tees for every level down to the 2,413 metres of the Yellow.

The course covers 78 hectares inside the Euganean Hills Regional Park, established in 1989. According to the club, the design stands out for its technical and landscape harmony: 8,000 trees and shrubs, chosen for aesthetic and playing reasons, with small lakes and sand bunkers carefully placed. The most photographed scene is the 2nd hole of the Yellow, whose backdrop is the Porta di Diana, the monumental water entrance to the gardens of Villa Barbarigo.

The club publishes a green fee list on its website without stating the year it applies to, so it is wise to confirm the figures with the secretary's office. According to that list, the rate for 18 holes for FIG members is 80 euros in January, February, July, August and December and 90 euros in March, April, May, June, September, October and November; nine holes cost 45 euros. Members of clubs in the Triveneto area get reduced rates (65 and 75 euros) and juniors pay 40 euros.

You can hire a golf buggy (25 euros for nine holes, 45 for 18), an electric trolley (25 euros) and a set of clubs (40 euros), and use the practice ground for 15 euros. Honorary federation cards are not accepted; players using promotional cards such as GolfAmore or Golfy pay the rates set for foreign visitors.

The course is closed on Monday, except during the seven-days-a-week period that the prices page gives as April to October (the home page instead mentions April to June and September to October). Dogs are not allowed on the course.

The club was originally called Golf Club Euganeo. It was founded in 1962 by the industrialist Iginio Kofler with a group of enthusiasts. In the following years, under the presidency of Benedetto Sgaravatti, the course earned a reputation for its balance between technical challenge and landscape; the club recalls having hosted professional and amateur championships and international opens, and having long been among the top twenty courses in Italy, with about 780 members.

The clubhouse houses a relais on the second floor, with double and single rooms, junior suites and suites overlooking the course (breakfast from 8 to 10:30 am; pets are not allowed). The Ser Petracco restaurant has a panoramic terrace over the Euganean Hills, open in summer, and a room with a fireplace for themed dinners in autumn and winter. Other facilities include the outdoor swimming pool, the pro shop, the practice ground and the Padova Golf Academy, with lessons given by qualified instructors.

• A name taken from the hills. The club began as Golf Club Euganeo, after the Euganean Hills that surround it.
• A water gate as a target. On the 2nd hole of the Yellow the backdrop is the Porta di Diana of Villa Barbarigo.
• Extinct volcanoes. The park in which the course lies is made up of hills of volcanic origin formed about 35 million years ago; the highest peak, Monte Venda, reaches 601 metres.
• Eight thousand plants. Between trees and shrubs the club counts about 8,000, and presents them as part of the park's microclimate and air quality.