In 1985 the Italian Open was played at Cernusco sul Naviglio, about ten kilometres from central Milan, and the winner finished 21 under par. For a golf weekend in Milan, the hard part is not going far but choosing where.
Milan is surrounded by one of the densest concentrations of golf courses in Italy, and many have hosted the Italian Open: Monticello seven times, Villa d'Este twelve, the Golf Club Milano nine, and Molinetto, Le Rovedine and Tolcinasco at least once. Anyone with a free weekend can therefore play championship courses without going near an airport.
The courses that follow are all within about 35 kilometres as the crow flies from the Duomo and open to visitors. The real road is longer than the straight line, and ring-road traffic changes from one hour to the next, so an hour by car is an order of magnitude, not a promise.
Inside the metropolitan area: Rovedine, Molinetto, Tolcinasco
For a tee time after work or a free morning, the three closest courses lie south and east of the city.
Le Rovedine, at Noverasco di Opera, is about eight kilometres from Piazza Duomo. The club has been playing since 1976 and has 27 holes: the par 72 championship course of 6,259 metres, venue of the 52nd men's Italian Open, with lakes on seven holes, and a nine-hole par 3 executive course (836 metres), which hosted the Pitch & Putt Italian Open in 2022-2023. The website claims a practice range of more than 100 bays, 60 of them covered, the largest in Italy according to the club. The price list shows €65 on weekdays and €100 at weekends for 18 holes (nine holes €40 and €60), with no reference year; the closing day is not stated.
The Molinetto Country Club, at Cernusco sul Naviglio, is where in 1985 the Spaniard Manuel Piñero won the Italian Open, finishing on 267 strokes, 21 under par, by one stroke. Today it is an 18-hole course on about 50 hectares, closed on Mondays: in low season (1 November to 28 February) the green fee is €60 on weekdays and €70 on public holidays, in high season (1 March to 31 October) €65 and €80. Visitors must hold a playing handicap or the green card and pay at the office before going out.
Tolcinasco, at Pieve Emanuele, is about 13 kilometres from the Duomo. It has 36 holes designed by Arnold Palmer and opened in 1993: three championship nines (Blue, Yellow, Red) plus an executive course. The club revolves around a sixteenth-century castle, which serves as the clubhouse. In high season (1 March-14 July and 1 September-31 October) 18 holes cost €70 on weekdays and €100 at weekends; in low season €50 and €80. It is closed on Mondays; the golf cart costs €50 for 18 holes.
To the north, between Brianza and Groane: Barlassina, Zoate, Carimate
Heading north and north-west the landscape changes: fewer artificial lakes, more woodland.
The Barlassina Country Club, in the Groane Park, has 18 holes, par 72, of 6,135 metres, designed by the Englishman John Morrison and opened in 1954. The club says it is 25 minutes from Milan. In 1961 its clubhouse was the set of Michelangelo Antonioni's La Notte, with Mastroianni and Jeanne Moreau. There is a guesthouse with eight double rooms. The website publishes neither a price list nor conditions for visitors: you have to phone, and the course is closed on Mondays that are not public holidays.
The Golf Club Carimate, in the grounds of the Castello di Carimate, is a par 71 of 6,021 metres from 1962, designed by Piero Mancinelli. The clubhouse by Vico Magistretti is the birthplace of the "Carimate" chair, produced by Cassina. The course is open all year and closes on Mondays that are not public holidays.
To the south-east, in the Parco Agricolo Sud Milano, the Circolo di Campagna di Zoate has a par 72 of 5,854 metres from 1984 and a clubhouse carved out of a former riding school. The online price list, with no year, shows €50 on weekdays and €70 on public holidays for 18 holes.
The Golf Club Milano, in Monza Park
The Golf Club Milano is about twenty kilometres from the Duomo as the crow flies. Founded in 1928 in the Royal Park of Monza, where Victor Emmanuel II raised pheasants for hunting parties, it has 27 holes designed by Peter Gannon and has hosted nine Italian Opens, the last in 2017. For a golf weekend, however, there is one condition that changes the plans: on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays the course is reserved for members and their guests, and the website allows visitors "up to six times" a year without specifying the conditions. It is therefore a weekday choice, unless you know a member.
The two great names of the lakes: Monticello and Villa d'Este
About 35 kilometres away as the crow flies, towards Como, are the two clubs that dominate the history of the Italian Open.
The Golf Club Monticello, at Cassina Rizzardi, has 36 holes: the Red, a par 72 of 6,410 metres, has hosted seven Italian Opens, from 1975 (Billy Casper) to winners such as Sandy Lyle and Greg Norman; the course record, 63 strokes, belongs to Norman and Costantino Rocca. The published price list, with no year, gives €90 (FIG members) or €100 for 18 holes on weekdays and €120 or €135 on public holidays. The clubhouse is by Luigi Caccia Dominioni.
The Circolo Golf Villa d'Este, at Montorfano, at an altitude of about 400 metres, is a par 69 of 5,760 metres designed by Peter Gannon in 1926, with the Italian record of twelve Italian Opens and its centenary in 2026. The website publishes neither a price list nor a handicap limit: tee times are requested from the office. It is open from March to December and closes on Tuesdays. Those who want to turn the weekend into a stay will find Villa d'Este on the lake, at Cernobbio.
The comparison in a table
| Course | Holes | Distance from the Duomo (as the crow flies) | Green fee, 18 holes | Closing day |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Le Rovedine | 27 | about 8 km | €65-100 (no year) | not stated |
| Molinetto | 18 | about 11 km | €60-80 (season and day) | Monday |
| Tolcinasco | 36 | about 11-13 km | €50-100 | Monday |
| Zoate | 18, par 72 | about 15 km | €50-70 (no year) | Monday |
| Barlassina | 18, par 72 | about 22 km | not published | Monday, except public holidays |
| Carimate | 18, par 71 | about 27 km | not published | Monday, except public holidays |
| Monticello | 36 | about 35 km | €90-135 (no year) | not stated |
| Villa d'Este | 18, par 69 | about 35 km | not published | Tuesday |
How to organise a weekend
- Booking the tee time by phone or e-mail remains the rule where the website has no online system; keep your membership number and handicap to hand.
- Weekends and public holidays cost more almost everywhere and the Golf Club Milano reserves them for members: if you have flexibility, you play better and pay less on weekdays.
- On Mondays many clubs close: Molinetto, Tolcinasco, Zoate and Barlassina are examples.
- The dress code varies: ask when you book.
Curiosities
- A film set. Barlassina appears in Antonioni's La Notte (1961).
- A chair named after a course. Vico Magistretti's "Carimate" was born from the clubhouse restaurant.
- Royal pheasants. The Golf Club Milano stands where the House of Savoy raised pheasants for hunting.
- A shared record. The 63 at Monticello belongs to both Greg Norman and Costantino Rocca.
Frequently asked questions
Which golf courses are there near Milan?+
Within about 35 kilometres as the crow flies from the Duomo there are Le Rovedine, Molinetto, Tolcinasco, Zoate, Monza, Barlassina, Carimate, Monticello and Villa d'Este, as well as other minor courses.
Which is the closest course to central Milan?+
Le Rovedine, at Opera, which says it is about eight kilometres from Piazza Duomo. Molinetto, at Cernusco sul Naviglio, is about ten kilometres away.
How much does it cost to play near Milan?+
It depends on the club and the day: from €50 on weekdays at Tolcinasco in low season up to €135 at Monticello on public holidays (price list with no year). Prices should be confirmed before booking.
Can you play at the Golf Club Milano at weekends?+
On Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays the course is reserved for members and their guests; the club allows up to six visits a year for guests, without specifying the conditions. For the rest of the time it is best to contact the office.
Which courses near Milan have hosted the Italian Open?+
Monticello (seven times), Villa d'Este (twelve), Golf Club Milano (nine), Molinetto (1985), Le Rovedine (the 52nd edition) and Tolcinasco (five, according to Top100GolfCourses).
Do you need a handicap to play?+
At Molinetto you need a playing handicap or, for those without one, the green card. At other clubs the website does not state the limit: ask at the office.
