From the Mottarone of the early editions to Argentario for the 82nd, played on 29 June 2025: over a century the Italian Open has toured an entire geography of courses, and many can still be booked.
The Italian Open was founded in 1925, according to Wikipedia, and was played every year until 1960; then, after an eleven-year pause, it returned in 1971. It was not held in 1933 or during the Second World War. In a century it has changed home dozens of times: the Alps, the lakes, the Riviera, Rome, Sardinia. Good news for travellers: most of those courses still welcome visiting golfers, each with its own access rules to check with the club office before booking.
The overall picture
| Course | Italian Opens hosted | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Alpino di Stresa | first three editions (from 1925) | Percy Alliss in 1927 |
| Villa d'Este (Montorfano) | twelve editions | Italian record |
| Sestriere | 1936 | Henry Cotton, 268 strokes |
| Sanremo (Ulivi) | 1930s and 1940s | according to the Royal hotel |
| Golf Club Milano (Monza) | 1951, 1952, 1956, 1981, 1984, 1990, 2015, 2016, 2017 | nine editions |
| Circolo Golf Venezia | 1955, 1960, 1974 | links by the Adriatic |
| Varese | 1958 | |
| Garlenda | 1971 | |
| Olgiata (Rome) | 1973, 2002, 2019 | |
| Monticello | seven, from 1975 | first: Billy Casper |
| Is Molas | from 1976 (Dassù) | four in all, according to the hotel |
| Pevero | 1978 | Dale Hayes, 293 |
| Ugolino (Florence) | 1983 | Langer, play-off with Ballesteros |
| Molinetto | 1985 | Piñero, 267 |
| Albarella | 1986 | Italian International Open |
| Castelconturbia | 1991, 1998 | |
| Modena | 50th Open | Greg Turner |
| Le Rovedine | 52nd Open | |
| L'Albenza (Bergamo) | 1996 (53rd) | Jim Payne, 275 |
| GardaGolf | 1997, 2003, 2018 | |
| Torino La Mandria | 1999, 2013, 2014 | |
| Tolcinasco | five, from 2004 | |
| Royal Park I Roveri | 2009-2012 | |
| Chervò San Vigilio | 2020 (77th) | |
| Marco Simone | 2021, 2022, 2023 | |
| Argentario | 2025 (82nd) | Adrien Saddier |
The origins: Stresa, Villa d'Este, Sestriere, Sanremo
The Golf Alpino di Stresa, on the Mottarone, claims to be the cradle of the Italian Open: the first three editions were played here. In 1926 Auguste Boyer won with 147 strokes; in 1927 Percy Alliss won with 145, after a play-off against Marcel Dellemagne. The course has nine holes, par 69, designed by Peter Gannon. For a place to stay in Stresa, the hotel Villa e Palazzo Aminta lists the Golf Club Alpino among the two nearest clubs, 5 kilometres away, together with the Golf des Iles Borromées.
The Circolo Golf Villa d'Este, founded in 1926 and designed by Peter Gannon, holds the Italian record: twelve editions. The Villa d'Este hotel in Cernobbio, which brought the course back among its facilities in 2024, offers a golf package for 2026 with a two-night minimum.
At Sestriere, at 2,035 metres, the Open was played in 1936: Henry Cotton won with 268 strokes, six fewer than Joe Ezar, and it is the only edition the course has hosted. In Sanremo, the Circolo Golf degli Ulivi hosted the Open in the 1930s and 1940s, according to the Royal Hotel Sanremo, which organises the Royal Golf Challenge every autumn.
The years of great international golf
After the war the Open moved down to central and southern Italy. The Golf Club Milano, in Monza Park, has hosted nine editions, the last in 2017, won by Tyrrell Hatton with 263 strokes. The Circolo Golf Venezia, at Alberoni, hosted it in 1955, 1960 and 1974: the club declares a links character, and the Hotel Excelsior Venice reckons about twenty minutes by car from the Lido.
In 1978 at Pevero Dale Hayes won with 293 strokes, five over par: according to the club it is still the highest winning score on the European circuit. In 1983 the Circolo del Golf Ugolino, at Impruneta, witnessed the play-off between Bernhard Langer, Severiano Ballesteros and Ken Brown; Langer won. The Circolo Golf Is Molas, in Sardinia, hosted its first Open in 1976 (won by Baldovino Dassù) and, according to the hotel, four in all; the Is Molas Resort offers unlimited golf packages of 3, 5 or 7 nights with free play on the 27 holes.
At Garlenda, in Liguria, the club remembers the 1971 Open; the course can be reached on foot from La Meridiana.
The North: Monticello, Milan and Lake Garda
Monticello, 36 holes at Cassina Rizzardi, has hosted seven Opens since 1975, the first won by Billy Casper; here Greg Norman and Costantino Rocca share the course record, 63 strokes. The Molinetto at Cernusco sul Naviglio hosted the 42nd edition in 1985, won by Manuel Piñero with 267 strokes, 21 under par, by a single stroke. At Tolcinasco, signed by Arnold Palmer, the Open has been held for five editions since 2004, on the Blue and Yellow course, according to Top100GolfCourses.
GardaGolf, on the moraine hills of Soiano del Lago, hosted the 1997, 2003 and 2018 editions; in 2018 Thorbjørn Olesen won with 26 strokes under par, and Bernhard Langer, in 1997, set the course record with 64. The 2020 edition, the 77th, was played at the Chervò Golf San Vigilio in Pozzolengo.
The new century: Rome, Turin, Argentario
The last twenty years have moved the tournament to modern courses. In Turin, the Royal Park I Roveri hosted four Opens between 2009 and 2012 and the Circolo Golf Torino La Mandria those of 1999, 2013 and 2014. Olgiata in Rome hosted those of 1973, 2002 and 2019, the 76th edition. The Marco Simone, venue of the 2023 Ryder Cup, hosted the 2021, 2022 and 2023 editions.
The 82nd edition was played from 26 to 29 June 2025 at the Argentario Golf Club: Frenchman Adrien Saddier won with 266 strokes (-14), his first DP World Tour victory after 200 tournaments. Above the Orbetello lagoon, the Argentario Golf & Wellness Resort has rooms with terraces overlooking the course.
Curiosities
- 293 to win. At Pevero, in 1978, Dale Hayes won at +5.
- A 67 in the play-off. In 1927 at Stresa Percy Alliss shot 67 in the replay, a course record.
- Seve's nine-iron. At the last hole of the 1983 Open, according to the club, Ballesteros asked for silence and holed a nine-iron from off the green.
- The high-altitude course. The only Open at Sestriere was played at 2,035 metres.
Frequently asked questions
When was the Italian Open founded?+
In 1925, according to Wikipedia. It was played every year until 1960, with the sole exceptions of 1933 and the years of the Second World War, then returned in 1971.
Which course has hosted the most Italian Opens?+
The Circolo Golf Villa d'Este in Montorfano, with twelve editions, a national record. The Golf Club Milano, in Monza Park, has hosted nine.
Who won the Italian Open at Argentario?+
Frenchman Adrien Saddier, in the 82nd edition played from 26 to 29 June 2025 at the Argentario Golf Club in Porto Ercole: 266 strokes (-14), his first DP World Tour victory after 200 tournaments.
Which Open courses can be played as a guest?+
Many, but each club has its own rules. The Golf Club Milano, for example, reserves the weekend for members and their guests; the Royal Park I Roveri and Castelconturbia, by contrast, publish a price list for non-members. Always check the conditions with the club office.
Where were the first editions of the Open played?+
At the Golf Alpino di Stresa, on the Mottarone, above Lake Maggiore: the first three editions were played here.
How many Italian Opens has Monticello hosted?+
Seven, the first in 1975, won by Billy Casper, according to the club.
