The Padriciano course was handed over to Trieste's golfers by the Anglo-Americans in early 1955, at Tarvisio the motto is “One club. Three countries”, and Lignano staged the Women's Italian Open in 1993 and 1994. Six 18-hole courses, from the Karst to the lagoon.
Friuli Venezia Giulia does not have the numbers of Italy's big golf hubs, but it has a remarkably varied geography within a tight radius: the Karst above Trieste, the Grado lagoon, the Lignano pinewood, the moraine hills around Udine, and the Julian Alps on the border with Austria and Slovenia. Golf is played on six 18-hole courses, from the coast to the mountains, with weekday green fees between 60 and 95 euros where the price list is published; where the year is missing, it is wise to reconfirm with the office before setting off.
Golf in Friuli Venezia Giulia at a glance
| Course | Area | Holes and par | Green fee 18 holes (weekday) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Golf Club Trieste | Karst, Padriciano | 18, par 70 | 60 euros (2026) |
| Golf Club Grado | Lagoon | 18, par 72 | 80 euros (price list with no year) |
| Golf Club Lignano | Pinewood | 18 | from 45 euros in winter to 75 in October (2026), variable rate in summer |
| Golf Club Udine | Fagagna hills | 18, par 72 | 95 euros (2026) |
| Golf Senza Confini | Tarvisio, 750 m | 18 | 90 euros (2026) |
| Golf Pordenone | Castel d'Aviano | 18, par 72 | not published |
Trieste and the Karst: the region's first course
The Golf Club Trieste stands at Padriciano, 350 metres above sea level on the Karst plateau. It was built by the Anglo-Americans at the end of the war and, in early 1955, handed over to a group of Trieste golfers; according to the club, it was the first course in Friuli Venezia Giulia. The layout measures 5,810 metres, par 70: the extension to 18 holes is by the architect Giacomo Cabrini, who tried to make it hard for a visitor to tell which holes were the historic ones and which the new.
The landscape is Karst: woods, centuries-old oaks, lone pines in the middle of the fairway. From the tee of hole 6 you can see Mount Re, the Slovenian Nanos; from the raised tee of the 17th, the Gulf of Trieste. The longest hole, the 2nd, is a 461-metre par 5 from the back tees. The 2026 price list is clear: 60 euros on weekdays, 80 on public holidays, 40 for nine holes, with no seasonal difference. The course is open all year and closes on Tuesdays that are not public holidays; tee times must be requested at least 48 hours ahead. The restaurant Buca 19 specialises in Trieste-style seafood cooking.
Grado and Lignano: golf between lagoon and pinewood
The Golf Club Grado is an 18-hole par 72 by Marco Croze, designed in the 1990s and developed, the club says, “between land and lagoon”. It is part of the Tenuta Primero resort and has hosted the Friuli-Venezia Giulia Open and the PGA Senior Italia Doubles Championships. The published price list, with no year, gives 80 euros for 18 holes and 50 for nine, with reduced rates for guests of the Tenuta (55 and 40 euros). Play is by reservation only, and the course is reserved for those who can play independently: anyone who has never played must first take whatever lessons the pro considers necessary.
At Lignano Sabbiadoro, the Golf Club Lignano covers 70 hectares in the middle of a pinewood, with small lakes and broad stretches of sand. The club states that it stays open every day of the year and has hosted the Women's Italian Open in 1993 and 1994, the Alps Tour in 2012 and 2015 and the Lignano Open in 2017. In 2022, according to the club, it earned “Outstanding” status on Leading Courses. The 2026 prices depend on the date: 45 euros in December and January, 65 in February, 55 in November, 75 in October; in the high-season months the rate appears at the time of online booking. The Midday (60 euros from 1 July to 23 August, between 12 and 1 pm) and Sunset (65 euros from 5 pm) formulas are meant for playing in the cooler hours of the coast.
Udine and Pordenone: moraine hills and a historic park
The Golf Club Udine, at Fagagna, was founded in 1970 and completed as an 18-hole course in 1995 by Marco Croze, who had assisted the Englishman John Dering Harris on the first nine. Since 2016, the club says, it has hosted a stop of the European Senior Tour. The 2026 price list asks 95 euros on weekdays and 100 on public holidays, with dedicated formulas: the Senior Day on Mondays and Tuesdays at 70 euros, the Ladies Day on Tuesdays at 50, and a reduced rate (75 euros) for guests of the Villaverde Resort and The Lodge.
At Castel d'Aviano, the Golf Pordenone plays inside the historic park of Villa Policreti, with the Piancavallo mountains as a backdrop: 18 holes, par 72, 5,980 metres, three stretches of water and small woods. The club does not publish a price list for guests: prices and tee times must be requested from the office (0434 652305). Dogs are allowed, but only outside competitions and on a lead.
Tarvisio: the golf of the three borders
Golf Senza Confini lies at 750 metres, at the point where Italy, Austria and Slovenia meet; the club claims about 200 days of sunshine a year. The course is an 18-hole layout of 5,263 metres: the first nine in open landscape below the clubhouse, the second nine among woods and hills. The 2026 price list: 90 euros on weekdays, 100 on public holidays, 50 and 55 for nine holes, juniors at half price, free cancellation up to 24 hours before. The club requires a handicap of up to 45; beginners may use only the driving range. For seasonal dates, winter included, it is best to phone the office (0428 2047).
Where to stay
Some clubs list affiliated accommodation: at Grado, the seaside resort Tenuta Primero, with rates that include the course; at Fagagna, the Villaverde Resort and The Lodge, with a reduced rate; at Lignano and Trieste, the choice is made in town.
Getting there and when to go
For flights, the Friuli Venezia Giulia airport is at Ronchi dei Legionari, between Trieste and Grado; Venice is the alternative for Lignano and Pordenone. From Trieste to Grado and Lignano you need a car or a transfer. Trieste and Lignano state that they are open all year; for Udine, Grado, Pordenone and Tarvisio, at 750 metres, it is best to check the dates before leaving, especially in winter.
Curiosities
- The “short” par 5. Trieste's longest hole, the 2nd, measures 461 metres: little for a par 5, and the club makes no secret of it.
- A 535-square-metre green. The largest on the Padriciano course is the 18th; the smallest, at the 3rd, measures 210.
- A green jacket at Lignano. The “Il Club 9 buche” circuit awards the winner a green jacket: 16 stops from April to October.
- In the members' footsteps. At Fagagna the club has laid out three fitness trails for walking round the course, open to members and guests of the Villaverde.
Frequently asked questions
Which are the 18-hole golf courses in Friuli Venezia Giulia?+
Trieste on the Karst, Grado in the lagoon, Lignano in the pinewood, Udine on the Fagagna hills, Tarvisio at the three borders and Pordenone at Castel d'Aviano.
How much does a green fee cost in Friuli?+
In the 2026 price lists, from 60 euros (Trieste, weekday) to 95 euros (Udine); Tarvisio 90 euros, Lignano from 45 to 75 euros depending on the month. Grado gives 80 euros in a price list with no year.
Which is the closest course to Trieste?+
Golf Club Trieste at Padriciano, on the Karst, 350 metres above sea level: 18 holes, par 70.
Can you play in winter?+
At Trieste and Lignano, yes; the clubs state that they are open all year, and Lignano has a winter price list from 45 euros in December and January.
Do you need a handicap to play?+
At Tarvisio, yes, up to 45. Grado wants players to be able to play independently and asks them to complete lessons first, while Trieste and Udine accept guests paying the green fee.
Where was the Women's Italian Open played in Friuli?+
At Lignano, in 1993 and 1994.
