In Rome a round of golf can last two hours: at Tiber, on the Via del Mare, the eighteen holes measure between 40 and 90 metres. Those with a whole weekend, though, can choose between a volcanic crater, a Ryder Cup course and a layout in the Tuscia.
For a golf weekend, Rome has an advantage few capitals share: the courses are inside or just outside the ring road, and from one to the next everything changes, from terrain to climate to the kind of game. There is a Ryder Cup venue, one at the bottom of a volcanic crater, and another where the 9th green seems to rise out of the water.
All the courses below welcome guests and lie no more than about 40 kilometres as the crow flies from the centre of Rome. The real road is longer and the ring road has its rush hours: "within an hour" is an order of magnitude, not a guarantee.
Inside the ring road: four courses for a day round
Anyone with a free morning has plenty of choice. The Circolo del Golf Roma Acquasanta, about six kilometres as the crow flies from the centre, on the Torlonia family's land, has been playing since 1903 and presents itself as the oldest in Italy; the Claudian aqueduct forms the backdrop to the 7th hole. The price list, undated, shows 120 euros on weekdays (140 for non-FIG members) and 150-170 at weekends and on public holidays, and the dress code is spelled out: polo shirt and long trousers or knee-length Bermuda shorts.
Parco di Roma, in the Veio Regional Park to the north, is a par 72 of 6,440 metres designed by PB Dye in 1999; the dome of St Peter's is visible from the 14th green. No closing day, and a green fee that the price list (undated) sets at 100 euros on weekdays and 130 at weekends for FIG members, 125 and 160 for foreign players.
To the south-west, Parco de' Medici, with 27 holes on three courses (White, Blue, Red), declares itself ten minutes from Fiumicino airport: 90 euros on weekdays and 110 at weekends, undated. On the same Via del Mare, Tiber Golf is a pitch & putt with a par of 54 and 1,142 metres, a green fee of 25 euros on weekdays (undated price list), free for under-16s and a three-hour rules course: the right place for those accompanying a golfer who want to try.
Olgiata and Marco Simone: the two tournament courses
At Olgiata, about 18 kilometres as the crow flies, the West course was redesigned in 2012 by Jim Fazio and hosted the Italian Open in 1973, 2002 and 2019: the 2026 price list shows 130 euros on weekdays and 160 at weekends, and the club closes on Mondays that are not public holidays.
Marco Simone, in Guidonia, about 13 kilometres away, is the 2023 Ryder Cup course: Europe won 16.5 to 11.5 between 28 September and 1 October. The 2026 price list sets 195 euros in low season and 270 in high season; the club closes only on 1 January and 25 December.
Castelli Romani: the Castelgandolfo crater
About 21 kilometres as the crow flies, in the Castelli Romani, the Country Club Castelgandolfo occupies the floor of an ancient volcanic crater, where a lake was drained in imperial times: the tunnels built by Roman engineers, the club says, still work. The design is by Robert Trent Jones Sr., with 93 bunkers, three small lakes and a course rating of 73.3 from the professional tees (6,245 metres). The clubhouse is the seventeenth-century villa of Cardinal Flavio Chigi. The price list shows 100 euros on weekdays and 130 at weekends, with 70 and 90 euros for FIG members; for the closing day and the minimum handicap it is best to ask the secretary's office.
A little further on, in Marino, Fioranello, on the edge of the Appian Way Regional Park, has 18 holes, par 70, dating from 1990: for 18 holes the fees range from about 40 to 70 euros depending on category and day.
Towards the Tuscia: Monterosi and Sutri
To the north, beyond Lake Bracciano, golf changes scale. Terre dei Consoli, in Monterosi, has a par 72 Championship course by Robert Trent Jones Jr. (6,885 metres according to the club), the 9th hole, "The Island", with its green surrounded by water, and two editions of the European Challenge Tour behind it. It closes on Mondays; the undated price list shows 70 euros on weekdays and 80 at weekends until 31 May, 80 and 100 from 1 June.
At Sutri, about 40 kilometres from Rome and at an altitude of 300 metres, the Golf Nazionale is a par 72 of 6,462 metres with lodging on the course. In low season (1 November to 30 April) it costs 80 euros on weekdays and 100 at weekends, in high season 100 and 120. According to specialist guides, the layout was called Le Querce and hosted the 1991 World Cup.
The comparison in a table
| Course | Holes | Distance from the centre (as the crow flies) | Green fee, 18 holes | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Acquasanta | 18 | about 6 km | 120-170 euros (undated) | club founded in 1903 |
| Parco di Roma | 18, par 72 | about 7 km | 100-130 euros (FIG, undated) | open every day |
| Parco de' Medici | 27 | about 12 km | 90-110 euros (undated) | close to Fiumicino |
| Marco Simone | 18, par 72 | about 13 km | 195-270 euros (2026) | Ryder Cup 2023 |
| Olgiata West | 18 | about 18 km | 130-160 euros (2026) | closed on Mondays |
| Castelgandolfo | 18 | about 21 km | 100-130 euros | in the crater |
| Terre dei Consoli | 18, par 72 | about 36 km | 70-100 euros (undated) | closed on Mondays |
| Sutri | 18, par 72 | about 38 km | 80-120 euros | lodging on the course |
How to organise the weekend
- A single base in the city makes it possible to combine two courses over two days.
- Spring and autumn are the most comfortable months; Marco Simone treats April to June and September to October as high season.
- Book your tee time directly: at Mare di Roma, in Ardea, tee times can be booked online up to six months ahead.
- Mondays: Olgiata and Terre dei Consoli are closed.
Curiosities
- Sheep on the fairways. At Acquasanta, in the early years, the grass was cut once a year and the rest of the time sheep grazed.
- A lake drained by Roman engineers. The floor of the Castelgandolfo crater was once a lake.
- A cistern on the course. Between the 13th and 14th holes at Parco di Roma lies the settling basin of a Roman aqueduct.
Frequently asked questions
Which golf courses are near Rome?+
Within about forty kilometres of the centre: Acquasanta, Parco di Roma, Parco de' Medici, Marco Simone, Olgiata, Castelgandolfo, Fioranello, Terre dei Consoli and Sutri, plus the Tiber pitch & putt and the nine-hole Mare di Roma.
Where was the 2023 Ryder Cup played?+
At Marco Simone Golf & Country Club, in Guidonia, near Rome. Europe beat the United States 16.5 to 11.5.
Which course is closest to the centre of Rome?+
By distance as the crow flies, Acquasanta, about six kilometres away, followed by Parco di Roma and by Archi di Claudio, nine holes in the Appian Way Park.
How much does it cost to play golf in Rome?+
From 25 euros at Tiber (pitch & putt, undated price list) to 270 euros at Marco Simone in 2026 high season. Most 18-hole courses fall between 90 and 160 euros.
Which course is most convenient for those landing at Fiumicino?+
Parco de' Medici, which declares itself ten minutes from the airport.
Is there a course open every day?+
Yes: Parco di Roma declares no closing day, and Mare di Roma, in Ardea, is open every day from 8 am to 8 pm.
