From the 2,050 metres of Cervino to the roughly 1,000 of Premeno and Lanzo Intelvi, golf in Italy is played across a drop of more than a thousand metres, and every mountain club claims its own record.
When is a course "the highest"? The answer depends on who is giving it, because in Italy several mountain clubs claim a record: the highest 18-hole course in Italy, the highest in Europe, the highest in South Tyrol. It is worth lining up the altitudes that the clubs and tourist boards publish, seeing where they disagree and adding what anyone who actually wants to play needs: seasons and 2026 green fees.
Ranking of the highest golf courses by altitude
The order follows the declared altitude given by the clubs or tourist boards, sometimes rounded ("about", "over").
| # | Course | Declared altitude | Holes | 2026 season |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cervino (Valtournenche) | 2,050 m | 18, par 69 | 30 May–13 September |
| 2 | Sestriere | 2,035 m | 18, par 65 | June–September |
| 3 | Alta Badia (Corvara) | about 1,700 m | 9 | June–September or October |
| 4 | Carezza (Nova Levante) | 1,680 m | 9, par 70 | dates not published |
| 5 | Campo Carlo Magno (Madonna di Campiglio) | 1,650 m | 9, par 70 | 19 June–13 September |
| 6 | Ponte di Legno | 1,500 m | 9, par 70 | from 30 May |
| 7 | Petersberg (Nova Ponente) | about 1,250 m | 18, par 71 | 17 April–1 November |
| 8 | Bormio | 1,225 m | 9 | April–November |
| 9 | Folgaria | over 1,200 m | 18, par 72 | May–October |
| 10 | Aosta Arsanières (Gignod) | 1,050 m | 9 | almost nine months, from March |
| 11 | Cansiglio (Tambre) | 1,027 m | 18, par 71 | 1 May–end of October |
| 12 | Premeno / Lanzo Intelvi | about 1,000 m | 9 | April–October (Premeno) |
Cervino and Sestriere: which is the highest?
The Golf Club del Cervino presents itself as the highest 18-hole course in Italy: 2,050 metres, par 69, about 5,300 metres long, a design by Donald Harradine from the early 1950s. From the tee you look at the Gran Becca, as the people of the Aosta Valley call the Matterhorn. In 2026 the course is open from 30 May to 13 September; the green fee runs from 55 euros in June to 75 in August.
The Golf Club Sestrieres stands at 2,035 metres, and the Piedmont tourist board presents it as the highest course in Europe. The two altitudes, 2,050 and 2,035, are close, and neither body says how they were measured. Sestriere has 18 holes, par 65, laid out in 1932 by Edoardo Agnelli and British architects, on the ski slopes that hosted world championships and the Olympics, open from June to September. For rates, it is best to ask the club. In 1936 the Italian Open was played here, won by Henry Cotton.
Dolomites: Alta Badia, Carezza, Campo Carlo Magno
Three high-altitude nine-hole courses cluster in the Dolomites. Alta Badia lies at about 1,700 metres, three kilometres above Corvara: at the 4th hole the fairway climbs to 1,800, yet the whole course has a drop of only 45 metres. At Carezza, at 1,680 metres, the club calls itself the highest course in South Tyrol and, over one round, you climb as much as 400 metres of elevation: they call it "The Mountain Beast". The official website publishes neither a price list nor dates: you have to ask.
The Campo Carlo Magno, at 1,650 metres and founded in 1919, describes itself as "first in Europe for altitude": a claim that, given the figures above, should be read as the club's own formula. In 2026 it opens on 19 June; the adult daily green fee is 50 euros from 13 June to 12 July and from 24 August to 13 September, and 75 euros from 13 July to 23 August.
Lombardy and South Tyrol: Ponte di Legno, Bormio, Petersberg
At Ponte di Legno you play at 1,500 metres, in the Valbione basin, at the foot of the Corno d'Aola. The 2026 green fee is 40 euros on weekdays, 55 on public holidays and 70 in August; it reopens on 30 May. Bormio, at 1,225 metres, is a nine-hole course from 1989 with a view, from the 8th hole, of the Stelvio ski run: the 2026 green fee is 45 euros in low season and 85 in August.
The Golf Club Petersberg, at about 1,250 metres, is instead the first 18-hole course in the province of Bolzano, founded in 1988. The 2026 price list sets 90 euros on weekdays until 5 June and from 30 September, and 96 euros on public holidays and in high season from 6 June to 29 September.
Folgaria, Aosta, Cansiglio: mid-mountain golf
Folgaria, on the Alpe Cimbra, lies at over 1,200 metres: 18 holes, par 72, open from May to October, with a 2026 green fee from 50 euros on weekdays to 70 in August. At Aosta Arsanières, at 1,050 metres, the microclimate allows almost nine months of play a year, starting again in March. The Cansiglio, at 1,027 metres, has 18 holes among firs and beeches and a cool microclimate even in midsummer.
Where to stay at altitude
In South Tyrol, three properties state driving times on their pages: the Andreus Golf & Spa Resort in San Leonardo in Passiria (Petersberg and Alta Badia about 50 minutes away, Carezza about 85), the Castel Fragsburg in Merano (Petersberg about an hour) and the Romantik Hotel Turm in Fiè allo Sciliar (Petersberg between half an hour and an hour). As for seasons, at altitude golf is played mostly in summer: between June and September.
Curiosities
- A drop within a round. At Carezza you climb as much as 400 metres in a round; at Corvara the whole course has only 45.
- From piste to green. At Sestriere the holes are laid out on the ski slopes.
- Records compared. Cervino, Sestriere, Campo Carlo Magno and Carezza each claim a different record.
- Avalanches in spring. At Gressoney, in 2018, the 6th hole was playable only from late July, after avalanches in April and snowfalls until May.
Frequently asked questions
What is the highest golf course in Italy?+
The Golf Club del Cervino, at 2,050 metres, which presents itself as the highest 18-hole course in Italy. Sestriere declares 2,035 metres and is presented by the Piedmont tourist board as the highest in Europe.
When can you play at high-altitude courses?+
Mostly from June to September. In 2026 Cervino is open from 30 May to 13 September, Campo Carlo Magno from 19 June, Alta Badia from June to September or October.
How much does it cost to play at Cervino?+
In 2026 the club lists 55 euros in June, 55 euros on weekdays in July and September (65 at weekends) and 75 euros in August.
How much does it cost to play at Campo Carlo Magno?+
In 2026 the adult daily green fee is 50 euros from 13 June to 12 July and from 24 August to 13 September, and 75 euros from 13 July to 23 August.
Are there 18-hole courses above a thousand metres?+
Yes: Cervino, Sestriere, Petersberg, Folgaria and Cansiglio have 18 holes, with declared altitudes between 1,027 and 2,050 metres.
Is golf at altitude different?+
Mostly the season and the climate change: at high altitude the summer is cool and the opening period is short. The Cansiglio, for example, reports a cool microclimate even in midsummer.
