A nine-hole course beneath a castle, an 18-hole “target golf” layout at the end of a valley and another at 1,250 metres: three South Tyrolean courses, 18 holes for 90 to 106 euros on the published price lists. How to choose between Val Passiria, Lana and Petersberg, and which hotel serves as the base for each.
Three South Tyrolean courses combine well in a stay based in Merano, and they invite a direct comparison. Passeier.Meran in Val Passiria, Lana beneath the ruins of Brandis Castle and Petersberg in Nova Ponente differ widely in format, altitude and price. The driving distances quoted further on are those given by the hotels.
The three courses at a glance
| Passeier.Meran | Lana | Petersberg | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Holes and par | 18, par 71 | 9, par 35 (18 by playing the loop twice, par 70) | 18, par 71 |
| Length | 5,791 metres | 2,887 metres for nine (5,774 for 18) | not published |
| Architect | Wilfried Moroder (with MPS-Golf Design) | Michael Pinner | Marco Croze |
| Opened | 1996 (nine holes), 18 since 2004 | 29 August 1998 | club founded 1988, 18 holes since 1993 |
| Green fee, 18 holes | 106 euros (price list with no year) | 90 euros (2026 price list) | 90 or 96 euros (2026 price list) |
| To play you need | federation card with handicap or course permit | federation card with handicap or Platzreife | not stated |
| Season | office open March to November | not stated | 17 April to 1 November 2026 |
Passeier.Meran: a family’s target golf
The course grew out of the stubbornness of Karl “Schaly” Pichler, who opened nine holes in Val Passiria in 1996 and extended them to 18 in 2004. It is still a family business, now run by his granddaughter Carolin Pichler. The layout, covering about 60 hectares, is a par 71 of 5,791 metres that the club calls “target golf”: precision counts for more than power, with ponds, water hazards and bunkers placed strategically.
The local rules show how it is built: on nine holes the out-of-bounds is marked by nets or fences, and the retaining walls at the 14th and 17th greens are part of the course. Distance-measuring devices are allowed. To play you need a federation card with handicap or a course permit, and everyone must carry a bag of their own.
The price list with no year shows 106 euros for 18 holes and 60 for nine; after 3 pm, from April to November, the sunset green fee is 64 euros for 18 holes. A golf cart costs 44 euros for 18 holes, electric trolleys 20, full sets of clubs 35 or 45. The club has a bistro, nicknamed the 19th hole, with a panoramic terrace, and a two-tier driving range with 20 bays.
Lana: nine holes beneath Brandis Castle
At Lana you play among the orchards, beneath the ruins of Brandis Castle, with the Adige Valley in front of you. The master plan is by Enrico Lee and the design by the Briton Michael Pinner; the course opened on 29 August 1998. It is a nine-hole par 35, fairly flat and long for South Tyrol: 2,887 metres from the white tees. To play 18 holes you repeat the loop: the scorecard gives 5,774 metres, par 70.
The 2026 price list shows 50 euros for 9 holes and 90 for 18; guests of the founding and partner hotels get 20% off. You need a federation card with handicap or the Platzreife, and you play with your own bag; blue jeans are banned and only soft spikes are allowed. The driving range has 12 bays, eight of them covered, and the Gutshof Brandis restaurant has a terrace overlooking the valley.
Petersberg: South Tyrol’s first 18-hole course
The Golf Club Petersberg, at about 1,250 metres above sea level, is according to the club the first 18-hole course in the province. It was founded on 19 September 1988 by fifteen members; the first nine holes opened in August 1989 and the second nine was completed on 6 August 1993. Until 2001 the layout was a par 67, then it was converted to par 71. Marco Croze designed it among clumps of old trees and ponds; the signature hole is the 17th, where an old mill pond separates the tee from the green.
In 2026 the season runs from 17 April to 1 November, with the course open every day from 8 am. The green fee for 18 holes is 90 euros on weekdays until 5 June and from 30 September, 96 on public holidays and in high season (6 June to 29 September); from 2 pm there is a 20 per cent discount and nine holes cost 55 euros. Guests of member or partner hotels and players from South Tyrolean clubs pay 72 and 77 euros.
How to choose
- You want a real 18 holes and a valley-floor course: Passeier.Meran.
- You are after a short round or a couple of hours with a view: Lana, with nine holes.
- You want to play at altitude, with a season that starts in April: Petersberg.
- Price matters: Lana and Petersberg have published 2026 price lists; Passeier does not state the year.
Where to stay near each course
Val Passiria. The Andreus Golf & Spa Resort and the Golf Lodge Andreus, adults only, stand right on the Passeier.Meran course. The Quellenhof Luxury Resort Passeier is, according to the hotel, a founding member of the club and five minutes away by car: it has four holes of its own and, for its guests, an 18-hole green fee of 72 euros instead of the roughly 105 on the price list.
Lana. According to the hotel, the Inderst family of the Parkhotel Marlena founded and runs Golf Club Lana. The hotel is for adults aged 14 and over and also offers a package for obtaining a handicap in five days.
Merano. Neither Castel Fragsburg nor the Hotel Castel has a course. Castel Fragsburg gives Val Passiria and Lana as about half an hour by car and Petersberg as about an hour; the Hotel Castel includes the Golfcard with 20% off the green fee at the nine courses in the province.
For those based at Andreus, the hotel gives Lana as about 25 minutes away and Petersberg as about 50.
Frequently asked questions
Which is the cheapest of the three courses?+
For 18 holes, on the 2026 price lists Lana costs 90 euros and Petersberg 90 or 96; Passeier.Meran, with a price list showing no year, 106. Lana has nine holes and you repeat the loop to play 18.
Do you need a handicap to play?+
At Passeier.Meran you need a federation card with handicap or a course permit; at Lana, the card with handicap or the Platzreife. Petersberg does not say: ask the office.
When do the courses open?+
Petersberg has a 2026 season from 17 April to 1 November; the Passeier.Meran office is open from March to November. Lana does not give months, but speaks of a very long season.
Which course has the most holes?+
Passeier.Meran and Petersberg have 18 holes, par 71. Lana has nine, par 35, and you repeat the loop to reach 18.
Can you play without staying in a hotel?+
Yes, all three clubs have a price list for outside guests; guests of partner hotels get reductions at Petersberg and at Lana.
How far apart are the three courses?+
Distances depend on the starting hotel. According to Andreus, Lana is about 25 minutes away and Petersberg about 50; according to Castel Fragsburg, Val Passiria and Lana are about half an hour away and Petersberg about an hour.
