Five courses, four drives and a change of scenery that runs from the Savoy hunting reserve to the olive groves above Sanremo. The trip begins where the Molinari brothers grew up and ends in front of the sea.
Italian golf lends itself to a road trip more than you might think: many courses sit in hill country, and keeping the bag in the boot removes the problem of airline excess charges. The route crosses two regions and five landscapes, from the Mandria park on the edge of Turin to the Riviera dei Fiori: five days, five courses, roughly 400 kilometres in all. Every stop is a course with a story of its own.
Allow extra time for the drives, especially on hill roads and along the coast in summer.
The itinerary at a glance
| Day | Course | Holes | Transfer from the previous course |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | La Mandria (Fiano, Turin) | 36 | Start |
| 2 | Cherasco (Langhe) | 18 | about 75 minutes, 90 km |
| 3 | Colline del Gavi (Tassarolo) | 27 | about 95 minutes, 118 km |
| 4 | Garlenda (Ligurian Riviera) | 18 | about 105 minutes, 128 km |
| 5 | Sanremo, Circolo Golf degli Ulivi | 18 | about 60 minutes, 69 km |
Day 1: La Mandria, the Molinari course
The trip starts on the edge of Turin, inside the Mandria regional park, once a Savoy hunting reserve. Circolo Golf Torino La Mandria has been played here since 1956 and has two 18-hole, par-72 courses. The Blue is the course of John Stenton Fleming Morrison, host of the 2013 and 2014 Italian Opens; the Yellow has its most photographed hole at the 14th, a par 3 with the green on an island beyond the lake. It is also the course where Edoardo and Francesco Molinari grew up: from here Francesco set out towards the Claret Jug he won at Carnoustie in 2018.
Worth knowing before you book: the visitor price list published by the club does not state the year, and the restaurant, run by the starred chef of La Credenza, is according to the club reserved for members except during events. For the evening, it is therefore best to look to Turin or the area around Venaria.
Day 2: Cherasco, between the Tanaro and the Stura with Monviso in the background
About 75 minutes south and you enter the Langhe. Golf Club Cherasco is a two-level parkland course built at the confluence of the Tanaro and the Stura, with more than 1,500 mature trees and water in play on nine holes. The club points out a curious detail: the lakes are home to grass carp and tortoises that help keep the lake beds clean. The hole to remember is the 13th, a downhill par 4 with the green beyond a lake.
The alluvial soil drains quickly, so, the club explains, play stays consistent even after rain. Mind the calendar: the club is closed on non-holiday Tuesdays, and the latest price list online is the 2025 one, so the figures need to be confirmed. At the table, the restaurant with its veranda serves tajarin, Val Maira cheeses, snails and meat from the Granda.
Day 3: Colline del Gavi, the club born in a farmhouse
The longest stage apart from the one to the sea: about an hour and a half east, in the province of Alessandria. Golf Club Colline del Gavi has a story that is told with pleasure: the founders' first practice ground was on land so steep that the balls rolled back by themselves. The group then found an abandoned farmhouse, the Cascina Spinola, and there, on 1 May 1990, they hit the first ball.
Today there are 27 holes across 110 hectares of hills, ponds and streams; the 18 championship holes are by Luigi Rota Caremoli. The club warns that the elevation changes demand good legs: this is the right day for a golf buggy. From 1 March 2026 the course is listed as always open. Those who want to stay can use the club's guesthouse, with eleven rooms, and the restaurant La Locanda, with game, mushrooms and seasonal truffles and a list of local white wines.
Day 4: Garlenda and the Ligurian "Amen Corner"
You head down towards the coast: about 105 minutes to the Val Lerrone, inland from Alassio. Golf Club Garlenda is a par 72 of 6,085 metres designed in 1964 by John Morrison and John Harris, with the front nine among centuries-old olive trees and farmhouses and the back nine among oaks and pines. The club has christened its 11th hole "Amen Corner", after the most feared stretch at Augusta, and keeps photographs of the 1971 Italian Open. It is open every day of the year.
Here the journey can slow down: La Meridiana, a Relais & Châteaux since 1978, is a few steps from the course, and the reception books tee times, lessons and golf buggies. The hotel also offers a pass for five consecutive days and a 9 holes from the afternoon option, useful if you arrive after lunch. The club's price list published online dates from 2024: for current rates, ask the club office or the hotel.
Day 5: Sanremo, the short course among the olive trees
The last transfer is the shortest, about an hour along the riviera. Circolo Golf degli Ulivi is a short course, 5,203 metres, par 69, but anything but easy: it has eleven par 4s, five par 3s and only two par 5s, and narrow holes among the olive trees. The 14th, a 210-metre par 3 with olive trees on both sides, is for the club the hardest; the 16th, originally a par 4, is now a 228-metre par 3.
The 2026 price list sets the 18-hole green fee at 65 euros on weekdays and 80 on public holidays, with a promotion at 50 euros on non-holiday Thursdays. A practical notice: the club is closed from 29 September to 9 October 2026 for aeration and overseeding. For the last night, the Royal Hotel Sanremo is among the hotels affiliated with the club and each autumn hosts the Royal Golf Challenge: in 2026 on 24 and 25 October.
Tips for the road trip
- Direction matters. Driving the route from Turin to the sea means finishing with the shorter stages and the coast; the other way round you end on the plain, near Turin airport.
- Plan around closing days. Cherasco closes on Tuesdays: do not put it on the wrong day. Sanremo has a maintenance closure straddling September and October.
- Golf buggy in the hills. Colline del Gavi warns about the elevation changes; Garlenda and Sanremo are in hill country. Book the buggy with the tee time.
- The bag in the boot. By car the problem of airline excess charges disappears, but do not leave the equipment in view in the parked car during stops in town.
- Book everything in advance. The rates at La Mandria, Cherasco and Garlenda need to be confirmed: the price lists online are not from 2026.
Frequently asked questions
How many days does a golf road trip between Piedmont and Liguria take?+
Five days are enough for five courses, one a day, with transfers of between one and two hours. With an extra day you can double up on a stop, for example at La Mandria, which has two 18-hole courses.
How many kilometres do you drive in total?+
The route from La Mandria to Sanremo is about 400 kilometres, divided into four transfers of between 69 and 128 kilometres.
Can you play at La Mandria without being a member?+
Yes, the club has a dedicated visitors' page with the green fee price list. The restaurant, however, is reserved for members except during special events.
Which is the easiest course on the trip?+
None is truly easy: Sanremo is the shortest, but has narrow holes among the olive trees and five par 3s. Colline del Gavi is the most tiring because of the elevation changes.
Where to stay during the road trip?+
La Meridiana in Garlenda is very close to the course, and the Royal Hotel Sanremo is affiliated with Circolo Golf degli Ulivi. At Colline del Gavi there is the club's guesthouse.
When is the best time for this itinerary?+
Garlenda is open all year and Colline del Gavi is listed as always open; do check, however, the closures at Cherasco (Tuesdays) and the seasonal ones at Sanremo.
