In 2009 the golf tournament of the Mediterranean Games was played among the olive groves and vineyards of Miglianico, in Abruzzo. The same course has since hosted a stage of the Alps Tour: it is the starting point of a coast where golf is small, little known and almost always cheap.
Those looking for golf in Italy think of lakes, Tuscany and the islands. The central Adriatic coast, between Marche and Abruzzo, has a smaller offering. The trip takes in four clubs, one in Marche and three in Abruzzo, all with simple pricing and modest green fees. These are not resort courses, but they have hills, the sea in the distance and, in one case, a history on the professional circuit. For a hotel of real standing it is worth widening the search to the north, in Romagna, where there are three courses and a five-star luxury hotel.
Golf courses in Marche and Abruzzo at a glance
| Course | Region | Holes | Character | Green fee 18 holes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Il Cerreto (Miglianico) | Abruzzo | 18, par 72 | Hills, Alps Tour | €55 (2026) |
| Adriatico Golf Club (Chieti) | Abruzzo | 18 + 9, par 71 | Lakes, sea views | On request (2025 price list in images only) |
| San Donato (L'Aquila) | Abruzzo | 18 | Apennines, Gran Sasso | €30 (price list undated) |
| I Lauri (Montefiore dell'Aso) | Marche | 9 | Valley, stream | €40–50 (price list undated) |
Abruzzo: three courses, three landscapes
Il Cerreto di Miglianico, the professionals' course
The course, designed by the American Ronald Kirby, has 18 holes, par 72, over 5,875 metres among olive groves, vineyards, bunkers and artificial lakes: more an Abruzzo farming landscape than an English park. In 2009 it hosted the golf tournament of the Mediterranean Games in Pescara; according to the club, it has hosted an Italian stage of the Alps Tour for nine years, and Matt Wallace and Guido Migliozzi, later winners on the European Tour, won here too. The 2026 price list is a single figure, 55 euros for 18 holes, the same on weekdays and weekends; the course is closed on Mondays and bookings can also be made online. From Pescara airport it is about 19 minutes.
Adriatico Golf Club: lakes and riviera
The Adriatico is based in Brecciarola, on the hills above the Pescara valley. The club speaks of a panorama stretching from the Apennines to the Abruzzo riviera and of several lakes placed at strategic points on a par 71 of about 5,400 metres. Next to it is the nine-hole executive course Torre Valeria. The club is open Tuesday to Sunday from 8:30 am to 7 pm. For prices, the website publishes only images of the 2025 price list: ask the secretary's office for the one currently in force. From Pescara airport it is about 23 minutes.
San Donato, the Gran Sasso as a backdrop
At Santi di Preturo, on the edge of L'Aquila, Peter McEvoy and Craig Cooke designed a course that opened in March 2005. The club describes the mountains as a natural backdrop, with the Gran Sasso massif on the horizon, a single small lake, a few streams and undulating greens that are hard to read. The published price list, undated, gives 30 euros for the green fee, with no distinction between number of holes or day. Rules: soft spikes and a collared shirt. From Pescara airport it takes about 103 minutes: it is the most isolated course of the group.
Marche: I Lauri and the Aso valley
In Marche the stop is I Lauri, at Montefiore dell'Aso. Born as a practice range in 2003 and inaugurated with nine holes in 2007 to a design by Jeremy Pern, it has an enemy that is not length but a stream, which cuts across holes 2 and 4 in a narrow valley of the Val d'Aso. From the tee of hole 8 you can see the Adriatic Sea; the hills stand at about 185 metres. The undated price list gives 40 euros on weekdays and 50 on Saturdays and public holidays for 18 holes (35 and 40 for nine). Every Sunday at 3 pm the club holds an Open Day for those who want to try the game. From the A14 motorway, leave at Pedaso coming from the north and at Grottammare coming from the south. From Ancona airport it is about 69 minutes, from Pescara about 76.
Heading north: Romagna from Cervia to Rimini
For those who want the sea and a hotel of standing, the Romagna coast offers three courses.
- Adriatic Golf Club Cervia: 27 holes in three nines (Red in the pine forest, Blue around the lakes, Yellow inspired by links golf), commissioned in 1984 by the municipality and the hoteliers of Milano Marittima. The 2026 price list runs from 70 euros on weekdays in low season to 120 on weekends in high season.
- Rimini Verucchio: 18 holes, par 72, by Brian M. Silva, opened in 1995 in the Valmarecchia; from holes 17 and 18 you can see the three towers of San Marino. The 2026 green fee is 57 euros on weekdays and 63 on weekends.
- Rivieragolf: 18 holes, par 70, in the Conca wildlife sanctuary, plus a par 27 executive course where the San Marino International Pitch & Putt Open is played; closed on Mondays.
Where to stay: the Grand Hotel Rimini
The reference hotel is the Grand Hotel Rimini, a five-star luxury hotel opened in July 1908 and a national monument since 1994. Its golf package includes at least two nights, breakfast, a welcome drink and two green fees per person at Rimini Verucchio, with tee-time booking and bag storage; to play elsewhere, reception applies discounts on green fees. The package price changes with the dates: ask the hotel.
A 4-day itinerary in Abruzzo and Marche
Recommended base: Pescara. Estimated driving times, without traffic.
- Day 1: Il Cerreto di Miglianico (about 19 minutes from Pescara airport).
- Day 2: Adriatico Golf Club in Chieti, about 31 minutes from Il Cerreto.
- Day 3: San Donato in L'Aquila. It is 103 minutes from Pescara airport and about 107 from Chieti: a day to itself.
- Day 4: I Lauri at Montefiore dell'Aso, about 76 minutes from Pescara airport (80 from Il Cerreto).
When to go and how to plan
Monday is the day to avoid: Il Cerreto, the Adriatico in Chieti and Rivieragolf are closed. For the courses with no published closing day (San Donato, I Lauri) a phone call remains the safest choice: I Lauri publishes hours that change with the seasons, for example the 2026 summer ones. The Adriatic Golf Club Cervia, in Romagna, states that it is playable all year round thanks to Bermuda fairways with autumn overseeding.
Curiosities
- A course created to keep tourists. The golf course at Cervia was commissioned in 1984 by the municipality and the hoteliers of the Riviera to give Milano Marittima one more reason to stay.
- Three towers on a mountain. From holes 17 and 18 at Rimini Verucchio you can see the three towers of San Marino, on Monte Titano.
- A stream instead of bunkers. At I Lauri the main hazard is the water that cuts across holes 2 and 4.
- An international pitch & putt course. The executive course at Rivieragolf hosts the San Marino International Pitch & Putt Open every year.
How to get there
The most convenient airports are Pescara for Abruzzo and Ancona for Marche; for Romagna, Rimini. From Ancona airport to Il Cerreto it takes about 120 minutes. A car is needed to move between the courses.
Frequently asked questions
Are there golf courses on the Adriatic coast of Marche and Abruzzo?+
Yes. In Abruzzo there are Il Cerreto di Miglianico, the Adriatico Golf Club in Chieti and San Donato in L'Aquila; in Marche, I Lauri, at Montefiore dell'Aso.
How much does it cost to play in Abruzzo?+
At Il Cerreto the 18-hole green fee is 55 euros on the 2026 price list; at San Donato the undated price list gives 30 euros. The Adriatico in Chieti publishes its price list only as 2025 images, so you need to ask the secretary's office.
Which Abruzzo course has hosted professional tournaments?+
Il Cerreto di Miglianico: the golf tournament of the Mediterranean Games in 2009 and, according to the club, a stage of the Alps Tour for nine years.
Is the I Lauri course suitable for beginners?+
The club holds an Open Day every Sunday at 3 pm for those who want to try golf; the course has narrow, sloping fairways, with a stream in play.
Which is the most convenient airport for playing in Abruzzo?+
Pescara: about 19 minutes from Il Cerreto and 23 from the Adriatico in Chieti.
Where to stay for golf on the Adriatic coast?+
One reference is the Grand Hotel Rimini, in Romagna, with a package that includes two green fees per person at Rimini Verucchio.
