The mistral, says the club, is an ally or an opponent at Savelletri depending on the hole, and the sea is in view from every point of the course. An 18-hole Andy Haggar design among centuries-old olive trees and the ruins of ancient Egnathia, a few metres from the Adriatic, which hosted the Challenge Tour Grand Final.
The San Domenico Golf course is read through the wind. According to the club, the mistral acts as an ally or an opponent depending on the hole, and strategy changes accordingly. The course, at Savelletri di Fasano in Apulia, is an 18-hole par 72 of more than 6,300 metres designed by Andy Haggar of European Golf Design, the London firm, with Brian L. Jorgensen as shaper, built to USGA standards.
The course among olive trees and the Adriatic
The club presents it as a Mediterranean links: gentle slopes, strategic bunkers, a layout shaped by the wind and by a coastline just metres away, because the southern boundary is, they say, “as close to the sea as the coastal road allows”. On its own website it speaks of an “endless view of the sea from every hole”.
The landscape is Apulian: centuries-old olive trees, thyme, rosemary and sage, glimpses of the ruins of ancient Egnathia and of the rooftops of Borgo Egnazia. The grasses were chosen for their role: bermuda on the fairways, fescue in the rough, pencross on the greens, which the club describes as fast and with demanding slopes.
Tournaments and certification
The course has hosted the PGAI Masters Championship, the Italian PGA Championship, the European Challenge Tour Grand Final and the National Open Championship. Among the champions the club recalls hosting are Martin Kaymer and Rafa Cabrera Bello. The tournament named after the founder is the Sergio Melpignano Senior Italian Open, scheduled for 21 to 25 October in 2026.
On the environmental side, San Domenico Golf earned the GEO Certificate from the GEO Foundation in 2019: the certificate and the report can be downloaded from the club’s website.
Who wanted it
The club was founded by the lawyer Sergio Melpignano, who brought international golf to Apulia. The group behind both Borgo Egnazia and the club is led by Aldo Melpignano, according to the hotel. The clubhouse overlooks the sea and the ruins of Egnathia; after the round there are the pro shop and the traditional cooking of Mimina.
Playing San Domenico: 2026 fees and rules
The 2026 Pay and Play price list for 18 holes:
| Period | 18-hole green fee |
|---|---|
| Low season | €95 |
| Mid season | €110 |
| High season (May–July, September–October) | €130 |
| August | €150 |
Nine holes cost from €50 to €80. Guests of San Domenico Hotels pay from €65 to €105. A golf buggy costs €55 for 18 holes and €30 for nine, rental clubs €50, and a pull trolley is free. Entry to the practice range, balls included, costs €25 but is allowed only for those who go on to play.
Players are admitted only with an EGA handicap, or the equivalent from another federation, of 36 at most, and in proper attire: trousers, Bermuda shorts and polo shirts; no blue jeans, shorts or vests. The price list gives no closing day or opening hours: to book, call +39 080 4829200.
Where to stay in Savelletri
The Masseria San Domenico, under the same ownership as the course, grew up around a 15th-century watchtower of the Knights of Malta; it has been a hotel since 1996 and has 40 rooms and suites. It accepts guests aged 14 and over and offers a Play & Stay package with three nights, three dinners and two green fees: in 2026 it is valid in spring and in October. It is a seasonal hotel: the Michelin Guide lists it as closed from November to February.
Borgo Egnazia, opened in 2010, has 184 rooms in three hamlets and hosted the G7 summit in June 2024. San Domenico Golf lists it among its partner hotels.
For those who prefer nine holes, the Masseria Torre Coccaro has a nine-hole par-27 executive course 400 metres away, the Coccaro Golf Club, among almond and olive trees.
Did you know
- A mistral to be read. For the club, the wind changes role depending on the hole.
- Ruins from the clubhouse. The ruins of Egnathia can be seen from the clubhouse.
- Three grasses, three roles. Bermuda, fescue and pencross are spread across fairways, rough and greens.
- A fifteenth-century tower. The Masseria San Domenico, under the same ownership as the course, grew up around a watchtower of the Knights of Malta.
Frequently asked questions
How much is the green fee at San Domenico Golf?+
According to the 2026 Pay and Play price list, 18 holes cost from €95 in low season to €150 in August; 9 holes from €50 to €80.
Do you need a handicap to play at San Domenico Golf?+
Yes: access to the course is allowed only with an EGA handicap, or the equivalent from another federation, of 36 at most.
Who designed San Domenico Golf?+
Andy Haggar of European Golf Design, with shaper Brian L. Jorgensen. It is a par 72 of more than 6,300 metres.
Does the course have an environmental certification?+
Yes, the 2019 GEO Certificate, published on the club’s website together with the report.
Is there a dress code?+
Yes: trousers, Bermuda shorts and polo shirts; blue jeans, shorts, vests or skimpy clothing are not allowed.
Which tournaments has San Domenico Golf hosted?+
The European Challenge Tour Grand Final, the Italian PGA Championship, the PGAI Masters Championship and the National Open Championship.
