A nine-hole course is played twice, which is why place matters more than design: at Courmayeur a river runs through it, at Carezza there are 400 metres of elevation change, at Cortina every hole is named after a peak. Ten short courses, chosen because each has a reason to go.
In the minds of many golfers, the nine-hole course is the fallback: the place you go when time is short. Yet Italy has some remarkable ones, because in the Alps and on the islands there was often room for nothing else, and the designers bet on the setting. A nine-hole course with double tees is played twice, with different distances on the second loop, and the sums work out: 18 holes in a day, without the hours of queuing at the big clubs.
The Alps and the Dolomites: four courses above 1,000 metres
Courmayeur, where the river crosses the course
The Golf Club Courmayeur, in the Val Ferret at the foot of Mont Blanc and the Grandes Jorasses, is a nine-hole course with double tees, fairly flat, which follows the Dora and crosses it with two par 3s. It dates from the 1930s, to a design by Peter Gannon, revised in the 1940s by Henry Cotton. With the 2026 rates, the weekday green fee for 18 holes is 59 euros between 29 May and 30 June, 69 in July and 99 in August.
Carezza, "The Mountain Beast"
The Golf Club Carezza stands at 1,680 metres, beneath the Catinaccio, and plays as a par 70 over 18 holes. What sets it apart is the elevation change: up to 400 metres in a single round, according to the club, hence the nickname. The club publishes neither a price list nor season dates, which must be requested at the office; on Wednesdays there is a half-price Super Greenfee.
Alta Badia, the most scenic hole
Just above Corvara, the Alta Badia is a nine-hole course of 2,730 metres, par 72 over 18 holes, designed by the Scot Michael Green. The 5th, a par 4, was awarded, the club reports, the title of "most scenic hole in Italy". According to the tourist board, it is played from June to September or October.
Cortina, nine holes and nine peaks
At Cortina Golf every hole is dedicated to the peak you can see from the tee: from the 2nd, "Cinque Torri", a 135-metre downhill par 3, to the 9th, "Becco di Mezzodì". The course, a par 35, dates from 2010 and grew out of the old practice ground. The published price list, undated, covers June to September: 18 holes cost 100 euros.
South Tyrol, Lombardy and Piedmont: among orchards and lakes
Among the apple trees of South Tyrol, the Blue Monster in Appiano owes its nickname to water: according to the club, the designer Thomas Himmel filled the course with water hazards, and tourist guides count eight lakes. The published price list, undated, gives 60 euros for nine holes and 100 for 18.
On the Mottarone, above Lake Maggiore, the Golf Alpino di Stresa is, according to the club, the cradle of the Italian Open: the first three editions were played there, and in 1927 Percy Alliss won after a play-off. The nine-hole course, designed by Peter Gannon, is a par 69 on which the 6th goes from a par 5 to a par 4 on the second loop. The price list tied to the 2026 promotional rates gives 50 euros for 18 holes on weekdays. Guests of Villa e Palazzo Aminta in Stresa have, according to the hotel, two courses 5 kilometres away: the Alpino and the Golf des Iles Borromées.
Sea and islands: Liguria, Tuscany, Sardinia
The Golf Club Marigola in Lerici is a par 28 on the Gulf of Poets: it began in 1960 as a private three-hole course in the park of Villa Marigola. Every hole has a name, from the "terrace over the Gulf" to the "Silent Fear", and on the 3rd you play beneath Lerici Castle. In the 2026 price list the daily green fee is 35 euros. It is closed on Mondays.
On Elba, Acquabona, dating from 1971, is according to the club one of the first courses built on an Italian island. Its hardest hole by stroke index is the 3rd, a par 4 of just 298 metres. The 2026 price list makes no distinction between weekdays and weekends: 55 euros for 18 holes. On the island there is an alternative for those staying at Biodola: the Golf Club Hermitage, nine holes with eight par 3s and one par 4 over 1,275 metres, behind the Hotel Hermitage.
In Sardinia the Golf Club Puntaldia, at San Teodoro, has nine holes with six par 3s, and the 6th, a par 4, is played right above the rocks. The idea came to Peppino Fumagalli, founder of Candy; the reference hotel is the Due Lune, and every year the Moonlight Cup is played, ending in the evening. The 2026 rates must be requested from the club. Near Olbia, the Botanic Golf Sacuba is a nine-hole par 36 inside a botanical garden of mastic trees, cork oaks, olive trees and myrtle, in the Nuragic area of Pedres. The 2026 price list runs from 35 euros for nine holes in low season to 100 euros for eighteen in high season.
At a glance: comparing the rates
| Course | Region | Par and length | Published rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Courmayeur | Aosta Valley | not published | 59-99 euros, 18 holes on weekdays (2026) |
| Carezza | South Tyrol | par 70, 2,670 m | not published |
| Alta Badia | South Tyrol | 2,730 m, par 72 over 18 | on the club's website |
| Cortina | Veneto | par 35, 2,450 m | 100 euros, 18 holes (undated) |
| Blue Monster | South Tyrol | not stated | 100 euros, 18 holes (undated) |
| Alpino di Stresa | Piedmont | par 69, approx. 5,400 m over 18 | 50 euros, 18 holes on weekdays (2026) |
| Marigola | Liguria | par 28 | 35 euros daily (2026) |
| Acquabona | Tuscany | par 68 over 18, 5,144 m | 55 euros, 18 holes (2026) |
| Puntaldia | Sardinia | par 30 | on request (2026) |
| Sacuba | Sardinia | par 36, 2,379 m | 60-100 euros, 18 holes (2026) |
Curiosities
- The sun over the Becco. At Cortina, at midday, the sun stands above the Becco di Mezzodì, and the locals used it as a sundial.
- A twelve-hour tournament. Carezza hosts the Alpin Iron Man every year, lasting about twelve hours.
- Three holes in 1960. Marigola began with just three holes, in the park of a villa.
- A hole that changes. At the Golf Alpino the 6th is a par 5 on the first loop and a par 4 on the second.
Frequently asked questions
Can you play 18 holes on a 9-hole course?+
Yes, by playing the loop twice: nine-hole courses with double tees offer different distances the second time round, and clubs generally publish a green fee for 18 holes as well.
Which are the highest 9-hole courses?+
In the Dolomites: Alta Badia reaches 1,800 metres at the 4th hole, while Carezza stands at 1,680 metres, with up to 400 metres of elevation change in a round.
Where can you play golf in Alta Badia and Cortina in summer?+
At Alta Badia, according to the tourist board, from June to September or October. At Cortina the published price list covers June to September.
Which 9-hole course has hosted the Italian Open?+
The Golf Alpino di Stresa, on the Mottarone: it hosted the first three editions. According to the club, Auguste Boyer won in 1926 and Percy Alliss in 1927.
How much does it cost to play at Marigola?+
The 2026 price list gives 35 euros for the daily green fee and 20 euros for nine holes.
Where can you play nine holes of golf in Sardinia?+
At Puntaldia, in San Teodoro, and at the Botanic Golf Sacuba, near Olbia. The 2026 price list at Sacuba starts at 35 euros for nine holes in low season.
