On 22 June 2014 UNESCO inscribed the wine landscapes of Langhe-Roero and Monferrato on the World Heritage List. Golfers who arrive with a bag of clubs will find courses among the hills, and one that grew out of a practice range so steep that the balls rolled back by themselves.
On 22 June 2014, in Doha, the UNESCO World Heritage Committee inscribed "The Vineyard Landscape of Piedmont: Langhe-Roero and Monferrato", Italy's fiftieth site. The listing covers six components, from the Langa del Barolo to the hills of Barbaresco, from Nizza Monferrato and its Barbera to Canelli and Asti spumante. For a golfer this is an opportunity: wine country in Piedmont is also golf country, and many of the courses are hilly, with green fees between 50 and 100 euros.
The four-day itinerary takes in courses open to visitors, within or on the edge of the wine areas. The distances given are as the crow flies: by road the journey is longer.
Day 1: Cherasco, on the edge of the Langhe
The Golf Club Cherasco is an 18-hole, par 72 parkland course of 5,991 metres, at the confluence of the Tanaro and Stura rivers, with the hills of the Langhe on one side and Monviso in the background. Large grass carp and tortoises live in the lakes and, according to the club, help keep the bottoms clean. The 13th (par 4, 383 metres, downhill with a lake in front of the green) is, for the club, "the most characteristic".
The latest online price list dates from 2025, so the figures need to be reconfirmed: 18 holes cost 65 euros on weekdays in low season and 80 from March to November, 90 and 100 on public holidays and weekends (non-FIG members). The club is closed on Tuesdays that are not public holidays, and the restaurant serves tajarin and cheeses from the Val Maira. The 2026 calendar includes the Coppa del Tartufo Bianco d'Alba on 4 October.
Day 2: Roero, at Carmagnola
The Golf Club I Girasoli, about 23 kilometres as the crow flies from Cherasco, has 18 holes, par 71, which follow the natural undulations of the Roero hills, with all fairways in natural grass; it opened in 1992. According to the club, not a single cubic metre of earth was moved to build it. The price list in force from 1 January 2026 sets the green fee at 50 euros on weekdays and 65 at weekends (40 and 50 for Italian Golf Federation members).
Alternatively, to the south, there is the Golf Club Boves, 18 holes, par 72, along the Gesso stream with the Bisalta facing the 18th hole: in 2026, 50 euros on weekdays and 60 on public holidays and weekends.
Day 3: Monferrato, the Margara
The Margara, at Fubine, about 53 kilometres as the crow flies from Cherasco, is the largest course in the area: 36 holes, par 72, with the Glauco Lolli Ghetti and La Guazzetta courses, 22 editions of the Challenge Tour and two Ladies Italian Opens. The 11th hole has a ring of water designed by the founder. The undated price list shows 70 euros on weekdays and 100 on public holidays and weekends; a one-hour lesson costs 70 euros for guests. Dress rules apply in the common areas: no swimwear or flip-flops.
Day 4: Gavi, Tassarolo and Capriata d'Orba
About 35 kilometres as the crow flies from the Margara, the Golf Club Colline del Gavi grew out of a failed practice range, because the ground was so steep that the balls "rolled back by themselves". On 1 May 1990 a group of friends hit the first ball at the Cascina Spinola, and from that meadow came 27 holes designed by Luigi Rota Caremoli (the 18 championship holes were completed in 1998). It costs 50 euros on weekdays and 80 on public holidays and weekends for 18 holes; since 1 March 2026 the club has declared itself always open. It has a guesthouse with 11 rooms and the restaurant La Locanda, run by chef Andrea Bisio, with game, mushrooms and truffles according to the season and a list of native white wines and Piedmontese reds.
About 6 kilometres away is the Golf Club Villa Carolina, 36 holes on the hills of Ovada: La Marchesa by Cornish & Silva and Paradiso by Graham Cooke. The undated price list shows 60 euros on weekdays and 100 on public holidays and weekends. A little further on, the Serravalle Golf Club has nine holes, par 36 (2,910 metres), among the Gavi vineyards, closed on Mondays that are not public holidays; its published price list dates from 2016, so rates should be requested.
The comparison in a table
| Course | Holes | Area | Green fee 18 holes | Closed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cherasco | 18, par 72 | Langhe | 65-100 euros (2025 price list) | Tuesday |
| I Girasoli | 18, par 71 | Roero | 50-65 euros (2026) | not stated |
| Boves | 18, par 72 | Cuneo area | 50-60 euros (2026) | not stated |
| Margara | 36 | Monferrato | 70-100 euros (undated) | not stated |
| Colline del Gavi | 27 | Gavi | 50-80 euros | always open since March 2026 |
| Villa Carolina | 36 | Ovada | 60-100 euros (undated) | not stated |
When to go
The hills are at their best in September and October, and at Cherasco the Coppa del Tartufo Bianco d'Alba takes place on 4 October 2026.
Curiosities
- A course the ball came back from. At Tassarolo the first practice range was abandoned because the balls rolled back.
- Gardener carp. At Cherasco, grass carp and tortoises keep the lakes clean, according to the club.
- Zero earth moved. I Girasoli says it was built without moving any earth.
Frequently asked questions
Which golf courses are there in the Langhe and Monferrato?+
Cherasco (Langhe), I Girasoli (Roero), Margara (Monferrato), Colline del Gavi, Villa Carolina and Serravalle in the Gavi area.
How much does it cost to play golf in Piedmont?+
According to the clubs' price lists, 18 holes cost from 50 euros (I Girasoli, Boves and Colline del Gavi on weekdays) to 100 euros on public holidays and weekends at Margara or Villa Carolina.
Where to stay near the Gavi courses?+
The Golf Club Colline del Gavi has a guesthouse with 11 rooms on the course.
When is the best time to visit the Langa?+
September and October are the months of the grape harvest and the truffle; at Cherasco, the Coppa del Tartufo Bianco d'Alba takes place on 4 October 2026.
Is there a course closed on Tuesdays?+
Yes: Cherasco is closed on Tuesdays that are not public holidays; the Colline del Gavi was too, until 1 March 2026.
Is the landscape a UNESCO World Heritage Site?+
Yes, since 22 June 2014, as "The Vineyard Landscape of Piedmont: Langhe-Roero and Monferrato".
