Golf Santa Maria

The course occupies a basin ringed by high mountains and conifer woods. The federation course, valid for handicap calculation, is a par 30 of 1,512 metres for men and 1,425 for women: six par 3s and three par 4s. The modest length is deceptive, the club warns: the fairways are narrow, the greens well defended and the elevation changes typical of mountain courses.

Three holes deserve attention. At the 2nd the slightly elevated tee forces you to carry a stream into a tree-lined channel leading to a green guarded by a bunker. The 7th has a pronounced dogleg to the left of about 90 degrees at the 155-metre mark, then climbs to the green. At the 6th two large rocks in the middle of the fairway are a reminder that you are in the mountains.

Since 2024 the club has also offered a 12-hole course (par 40, 2,051 metres), not recognised by the Federation, and the federation 18-hole course (par 59, 2,992 metres), built with double tees and with a double green at holes 1 and 10. The practice area exceeds 180 metres and has a putting green and a pitching green.

The 2026 season began on Saturday 9 May. The course is open from 8 am to sunset, the practice area from 8 am to 7 pm; before heading out you must register at the office (8 am to 6 pm), pay and read the rules. For information: +39 347 0440107.

The 2026 price list provides for €20 for a 9-hole green fee and €30 for the daily one; for under-18s the daily fee is €15. Entry to the practice area is €5 and a token of balls costs €2. You can rent pull trolleys (€3) and bags (€10); the clubhouse has a changing room, bar and refreshments, and there is a professional instructor for lessons.

Golf Santa Maria was born in 2013. The idea of a course in the pinewood was initially met with mistrust and the first years were unstable, with management changing often. Since 2020 the club has found continuity, thanks also to its president Cesare Toniutti, who died in July 2024 while preparing the tees for the next day's competition.

Today the calendar is busy: the competitions are mostly over 9 holes, but there is no shortage of events over 12 and 18 holes, using every combination of the layout. The club's website keeps the roll of honour, seasonal rankings and course records. The cool climate of the valley makes it a summer choice: Milan, Novara and Varese are just over an hour away.

• Stream on the first shot: at the 2nd hole you start by carrying mountain water.
• Six par 3s out of nine: the par 30 is played with short irons.
• An 18-hole par 59: with double tees and a double green the course turns into three layouts.
• Rocks on the fairway: on holes 6, 7, 8 and 9 they are part of the design.