At the 11th hole in Garlenda, members say they play their own “Amen Corner”; at Rapallo a stream was moved to make room for the last nine holes; at Sanremo the course closes every autumn for reseeding. Liguria has few courses, nearly all short, nearly all open year-round: here is how to build a trip around them.
Anyone arriving in Liguria with clubs in the boot has to change their habits. Here there are no seven-kilometre championship courses: the land, squeezed between sea and Apennines, has produced short, technical layouts, often nine holes, with views over the Tyrrhenian Sea and fairways running between olive trees and pines. In return you can play almost all year round, and the grand hotels of the Riviera, from Sanremo to Rapallo, make an ideal base for alternating golf, sea and food.
The trip follows the coast from west to east, from Sanremo to Lerici, with prices taken from the clubs' own price lists.
Why play golf in Liguria
The first reason is the climate. Garlenda says it is open every day of the year; Albisola and Castellaro state that you can play in every season; Rapallo opens all year from 7:30 am, except on non-holiday Tuesdays.
The second is brevity. Sanremo measures 5,203 metres, par 69, Rapallo 5,539, par 70: rounds you can finish without hurry, ideal for anyone who wants to leave half the day for the beach, a stroll or a seafood lunch. The third is history: Rapallo dates from 1929, Sanremo from 1932, and Garlenda hosted the 1971 Italian Open.
Riviera di Ponente: Sanremo and Castellaro
The Circolo Golf degli Ulivi in Sanremo climbs a hillside among olive trees and mimosas, with sea views. The design is attributed to Peter Gannon, and the course opened in 1932. It is a par 69 of 5,203 metres with an unusual structure: eleven par 4s, five par 3s and just two par 5s. The 16th hole, now a par 3 of 228 metres with a bank on the right, was originally a par 4.
The 2026 price list asks €65 on weekdays and €80 at weekends and on holidays for 18 holes, €50 on non-holiday Thursdays; guests of partner hotels pay €55 and €65. Mind the calendar: in 2026 the club is closed from 29 September to 9 October for aeration and reseeding.
Inland from Sanremo and Imperia, at an altitude of 150 metres, lies the Castellaro Golf Club: nine holes, par 33, in Mediterranean scrub, five of them par 3s (the 8th is barely 98 metres long). The published price list dates from 2025: €45 on weekdays and €50 at weekends and on holidays for 18 holes.
Riviera delle Palme: Garlenda and Albisola
In the Lerrone Valley, about 10 minutes by car from Alassio according to the Grand Hotel, the Golf Club Garlenda is the longest of the 18-hole courses on this itinerary: 18 holes, par 72 over 6,085 metres, designed in 1964 by the British architects John Morrison and John Harris. The round changes scenery halfway: nine holes among centuries-old olive trees and old farmhouses, nine among oaks and pines. The 11th, a straight and difficult par 4, is christened “Amen Corner” by the club; the 1971 Italian Open was played here. The driving range is a Toptracer.
The club says it is open every day of the year, but the Grand Hotel Alassio reports a closure on non-holiday Mondays from November to March: better to phone on +39 0182 580012. The latest online price list dates from 2024: €80 to €100 on weekdays, €100–120 at weekends and on holidays.
Further east, in Albisola Superiore, Filanda is a nine-hole course by Graham Cooke with double tees, which over 18 holes plays as a par 65 of 4,066 metres. It is open daily and the 2026 price list for non-members shows €40 (€50 from 1 May to 30 September).
Riviera di Levante: Arenzano, Rapallo and Lerici
At Arenzano, on the edge of Genoa, the Golf Club della Pineta has nine holes, par 36, built in 1959 by the Englishman Don Harradine, a specialist in confined spaces. The 2026 price list for FIG members shows €35 for nine holes on weekdays; the club is closed on non-holiday Tuesdays and, in 2026, from 5 to 23 October.
The Golf Club Rapallo is the oldest course on the Riviera. The project began in 1929, when the local tourist board started work on five tennis courts and nine holes along the Boate stream; the extension to 18 began in 1970 and even required the stream to be diverted. The course is a par 70 of about 5,540 metres, with small greens, narrow fairways and a course record standing at 63. Behind the green on the 7th, a par 5, stands the Romanesque monastery of Valle Christi, a thirteenth-century building. Among its visitors the club recalls the Duke and Duchess of Windsor and Guglielmo Marconi.
The price list, with no year given, shows €60 on weekdays and €95 at weekends and on holidays for FIG members (€70 and €115 with a foreign membership card); tee times are booked online. The dress code rules out jeans, tracksuits, T-shirts, vests, Crocs and flip-flops.
Beyond Portofino, in the Gulf of Poets, Marigola in Lerici is a nine-hole par 28 on terraces overlooking the sea, born in 1960 from a private course of just three holes. In the 2026 price list the daily green fee is €35; it is closed on Mondays. In summer (15 June–31 August) the restricted traffic zone of Lerici and San Terenzo requires you to give your registration number to the secretary's office.
Where to stay: four hotels for four bases
None of these Ligurian hotels has a course on site: all are affiliated with, or close to, a club.
| Hotel | Location | Reference course | Good to know (according to the hotel) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Royal Hotel Sanremo | Sanremo | Circolo Golf degli Ulivi | Golf package: 3 nights minimum, 2 green fees per person and a dinner; seawater pool by Gio Ponti |
| La Meridiana | Garlenda | Golf Club Garlenda, on foot | Relais & Châteaux since 1978; guest green fee €60 weekdays and €80 weekends and holidays |
| Grand Hotel Alassio | Alassio | Garlenda, about 10 minutes by car | 1,500 m² spa with seawater; no golf package |
| Excelsior Palace | Rapallo | Golf Club Rapallo, in town | Five-star luxury, two infinity pools; no golf package |
For a golf-focused weekend, La Meridiana is the most convenient choice: the course is reached on foot. For a stay mixing golf and relaxation, Royal and Alassio have the most complete offerings, with a package and a spa respectively. The Excelsior suits those who want to stay between Rapallo and Portofino, 6 kilometres away according to the hotel. The Royal is not always open: the hotel reports winter closures, reopening for the Sanremo Festival, but the dates are not published.
Getting there and planning the trip
The useful airports are Genoa Cristoforo Colombo (32 km from Rapallo and about an hour from Garlenda, according to the hotels) and Nice (62 km from Sanremo, about an hour by car; about an hour and a half from Garlenda). A car is needed to get between courses; the stations of Sanremo (1.8 km from the Royal) and Rapallo (1 km from the Excelsior) are indicated by the hotels themselves.
A four-day itinerary has its own logic:
- Day 1, Sanremo: Circolo Golf degli Ulivi, the afternoon free in town.
- Day 2, Garlenda: 18 holes among olive trees and pines, based at La Meridiana or in Alassio.
- Day 3, Albisola or Arenzano: a nine-hole course at an easy pace, the sea in the afternoon.
- Day 4, Rapallo: the town course and the Portofino coast.
Before leaving, check the maintenance closures, which in Liguria fall close to autumn: Sanremo in 2026 from 29 September to 9 October, Arenzano from 5 to 23 October.
Curiosities
- A stream moved. To extend Rapallo to 18 holes, in 1970, the Boate was diverted; at the 4th it runs to the right of the tee and marks the out of bounds.
- A hole that changed par. Sanremo's 16th was a par 4 and is now a par 3 of 228 metres.
- Three holes, then nine. Marigola in Lerici began in 1960 as a private three-hole course for the owners of Villa Marigola.
- Herons in the cedars. At Rapallo, grey herons perch on the cedars of Lebanon at the 3rd.
Frequently asked questions
Can you play golf in Liguria in winter?+
Yes. Garlenda and Albisola say they are open all year, Rapallo opens all year except non-holiday Tuesdays, and Castellaro states that you can play in every season. Check the maintenance closures in autumn.
What is the best golf course on the Ligurian Riviera?+
For length and variety, Garlenda (18 holes, par 72, 6,085 metres), which hosted the 1971 Italian Open. For history and atmosphere, Rapallo and Sanremo.
How much does a green fee cost in Liguria?+
According to the clubs' price lists, from €35 at Lerici (2026) to €65 at Sanremo (2026); Rapallo starts at €60 for FIG members (price list with no year) and Garlenda at €80 in the 2024 price list.
Which luxury hotels have golf nearby in Liguria?+
In Garlenda, La Meridiana with the course on foot; in Sanremo, the Royal with a golf package; in Alassio, the Grand Hotel about 10 minutes from Garlenda; in Rapallo, the Excelsior Palace, close to the town course.
Do you need a membership card and handicap to play in Liguria?+
The clubs do not always publish a minimum handicap. Some, such as Rapallo, distinguish rates between FIG members and foreign membership cards: it is best to ask the secretary's office before booking.
Can you reach a course by train?+
The Ligurian clubs do not indicate direct rail connections: the stations of Sanremo and Rapallo are 1–2 kilometres from their respective hotels, but for the courses a car or taxi is best.
