Robert Trent Jones in Italy: his courses

A lake drained in imperial times, a course commissioned by the Agnelli family, a castle with a Benedictine crypt: the seven Italian courses that bear the signature of Robert Trent Jones, father or son, start from places that no other designer would have chosen together.

The seven courses at a glance

For Pevero the club writes only "Robert Trent Jones", with no Sr. or Jr.: the club recalls that the architect designed more than 500 courses in 34 countries.

Pevero: the mistral on the Costa Smeralda

The Pevero Golf Club dates from 1972: 60 hectares of weathered granite, natural ponds, juniper and myrtle between the bays of Pevero and Cala di Volpe. The difficulty, the club says, comes from the mistral. From the 4th hole you can see the snow-capped peaks of Corsica; the 16th is a tribute to James Bond. In 2026 the 18-hole green fee ranges from 120 to 180 euros depending on the season.

For a place to stay, three Costa Smeralda hotels send golfers here: Cala di Volpe (with an Unlimited Golf package, excluded in high summer according to the conditions published for 2025), Pitrizza and Romazzino.

Castelconturbia: 27 holes and Monte Rosa

Castelconturbia, by Robert Trent Jones Sr., has 27 holes (Yellow, Blue and Red, all par 36) among centuries-old trees, streams and ponds, with the Monte Rosa massif in the background. It hosted the Italian Open in 1991 and 1998. The course record, 66, is shared by José María Olazábal and Costantino Rocca. The 2026 rates for 18 holes range from 91 to 140 euros, depending on weekdays or weekends and holidays and on low or high season.

In Stresa, Villa e Palazzo Aminta lists Castelconturbia among the affiliated clubs within reach of the hotel.

Royal Park I Roveri: the two faces of Turin

Royal Park I Roveri was born in 1971 at the wish of the Agnelli family, in the former hunting reserve of La Mandria, next to the Reggia di Venaria. The Allianz Course by Trent Jones Sr. is a par 72 of 6,566 metres, with bunkers and water hazards used in an innovative way, and the 17th hole is the one that the Gazzetta dello Sport in 2011 called "the most beautiful in Italy". The second course, from 2006, is by Hurdzan and Fry. The club hosted four Italian Opens (2009-2012). The price list shows 160 euros, with no year.

Castelgandolfo: the course in the crater

The Country Club Castelgandolfo occupies the floor of an ancient volcanic crater. The club recounts that Roman engineers drained the lake with tunnels that are still working. Trent Jones Sr. designed 18 holes here with 93 bunkers and 3 ponds; the clubhouse is a 17th-century villa from which every hole can be seen. The price list, with no year, shows 100 euros on weekdays and 130 on weekends and holidays.

Antognolla, La Bagnaia and Terre dei Consoli: the signature of Jones Jr.

Antognolla, from 1997, surrounds a 12th-century castle on an estate of 500 hectares, with a renovation by the same architect completed in 2018; the price list, with no year, shows 140 euros for 18 holes. The Royal Golf La Bagnaia, in the hills of Murlo near Siena, has a clubhouse in a former kiln and the 13th hole with its lake: the 2026 price list runs from 85 to 140 euros. Terre dei Consoli, in Monterosi, has the 9th hole, "The Island", with a green surrounded by water, two editions of the Challenge Tour and a Monday closing day; the price list, with no year, starts at 70 euros on weekdays.

How to choose among the seven

Anyone with only one free day who wants a course with an Open pedigree can aim for Castelconturbia or Royal Park, both by Trent Jones Sr. and both with editions of the Italian Open to their name. Those looking for the most pronounced landscape will turn to Pevero, with the wind and rock of the Costa Smeralda, or to Castelgandolfo, for the crater and its 93 bunkers.

The three Jones Jr. courses have a different personality. Antognolla works with cliffs, elevation changes and undulating greens around the castle, in a design that the club describes as one of risk and reward. La Bagnaia has five par 3s and four par 5s, with the 18th uphill and nine bunkers on the right-hand side. Terre dei Consoli adds a 9-hole Family Course, handy for those playing with beginners.

One caveat applies to all: price lists change every year, and some of those cited are published without a date. Before booking, it is wise to confirm prices, closing day and handicap limit with the club office.