In 1934 the Bogliaco course was sown with wheat, during the war it served as an airstrip, and the Americans played baseball on it. Today, on the same shore of Garda, there are courses open twelve months a year and three hotels to start from.
On Lake Garda a golf hotel rarely has the course in its garden. The opposite is more often true: the hotel sits on the lakeshore and within an hour's drive there are a dozen clubs, from the moraine hills of the Valtènesi to the vineyards around Verona. Choosing where to sleep therefore means choosing which side of the lake you prefer to play from.
Three golf hotels on Garda compared
Two hotels are on the Lombard shore and one on the Veneto side; for each, here is where you really play and on what terms.
| Hotel | Where | The golf | What it really offers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grand Hotel Fasano | Gardone Riviera (BS) | Recommends Bogliaco, Gardagolf and Arzaga | Private concierge and transfers, no golf package |
| QC Grand Hotel Villa Arzaga | Calvagese della Riviera (BS) | Adjoins Arzaga Golf | The course is run separately |
| Quellenhof Luxury Resort Lazise | Lazise (VR) | Twelve courses within an hour and twenty minutes | Reduced green fees, equipment hire, course for the handicap licence |
Grand Hotel Fasano: the imperial hotel and the three Brescia courses
The Grand Hotel Fasano was built in 1888 as a hunting lodge for the Austrian imperial family and has been a national monument since 1989. It has no course of its own and publishes neither golf packages nor green fee discounts, but on its sport page it names three courses: Bogliaco, Gardagolf and Arzaga. Tee times are booked with the clubs, and the concierge can arrange the transfer.
The three suggestions differ from one another. The Golf Club Bogliaco, founded in 1912, is a par 70 18-hole course of 5,235 metres in a small valley running parallel to the lake; in 2026 the weekday green fee runs from 53 euros in winter to 76 in summer. GardaGolf, with 27 holes on 110 hectares, has hosted three Italian Opens, in 1997, 2003 and 2018, and holds Bernhard Langer's course record, a 64 in 1997. Further inland, Arzaga offers 27 holes in the American style.
Villa Arzaga: sleeping beside the 27 holes by Nicklaus II and Player
The QC Grand Hotel Villa Arzaga occupies a fifteenth-century Renaissance residence and adjoins Arzaga Golf: the 18 holes by Jack Nicklaus II (par 72) and the 9 by Gary Player (par 36) spread over 144 hectares. It must be said plainly that the club is run by a different company from the hotel: green fees are paid to the golf club.
In 2026 the 18 holes cost 110 euros on weekdays and 130 at weekends in high season, from 16 March to 8 November; from January to mid-March and from November to December they drop to 65 and 80 euros, about 40% less. A golf cart costs 60 euros for 18 holes, an electric trolley 25. One detail that matters: the club's Stay & Play packages include accommodation in the apartments of Borgo Drugolo, not in the villa, so those who want to sleep in the hotel book hotel and golf separately. The QC Terme spa has seven pools and twelve relaxation rooms.
Quellenhof Lazise: the base for the Verona courses
On the Veneto shore the Quellenhof Luxury Resort Lazise, opened in 2019 by the Dorfer family, has no course and says so. On its golf page it lists twelve courses, from the nearest, Paradiso del Garda in Peschiera, about a quarter of an hour away, to Bogliaco, reached by ferry. In between are the 27 holes of Ca' degli Ulivi and the 36 of Chervò San Vigilio.
The hotel reserves reduced green fees, rental equipment and personal advice for its guests. Those without a handicap licence can book the seven-night package with a course, training sessions several times a week and a final exam during the stay. Those who already play have the 7=6 Golf Getaway, scheduled between 25 October and 8 November 2026: seven nights for the price of six and four green fees to use at Golf Club Verona, Paradiso del Garda, Ca' degli Ulivi and Chervò. Verona airport, according to the hotel, is about 20 minutes away.
The Garda courses at a glance
| Course | Holes | Character | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arzaga | 27 | Hills, Nicklaus II and Player | Open all year |
| GardaGolf | 27 | Moraine hills | Three Italian Opens |
| Bogliaco | 18, par 70 | Parkland in a small valley | Since 1912, open all year |
| Chervò San Vigilio | 36 | Parkland with a twelfth-century abbey | 77th Italian Open in 2020 |
| Paradiso del Garda | 18 | Five lakes, quartzite bunkers | One kilometre from the motorway exit |
| Ca' degli Ulivi | 27 | Olive trees and a view of Garda | Championship par 72, 6,059 m |
| Il Colombaro (Salò) | 9, par 29 | Olive groves | 28 euros for nine holes in 2026 |
| Golf Club Verona | 18, par 72 | Hills of Custoza | 70-90 euros in 2026 (weekdays) |
When to go
On Garda you can play in winter too: Arzaga, Bogliaco, Paradiso del Garda and Chervò are open all year. The hotels, however, keep their own calendars. The Grand Hotel Fasano reopened on 27 March 2026 and for the first time stays open at Christmas too, closing on 6 January 2027; the Quellenhof Lazise has packages from 28 January to the following 10 January, with its heated sky pool open all year. For golf the most comfortable window runs from March to November; in the cold months prices fall but the usable day is shorter.
Three curiosities
- A course sown with wheat. Bogliaco, founded in 1912, was turned into a wheat field in 1934; golf returned in 1952.
- Quartzite bunkers. Those at Paradiso del Garda are made of white quartzite and cover 8,000 square metres.
- Golf around an abbey. The park of Chervò San Vigilio is centred on a twelfth-century Benedictine abbey.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best golf hotel on Lake Garda?+
It depends on how you play: Villa Arzaga to stay beside the course, Grand Hotel Fasano for the Brescia shore and its three courses, Quellenhof Lazise for moving between the Verona courses. None of the three has the course on its grounds.
Can you play golf on Garda in winter?+
Yes: Arzaga, Bogliaco, Paradiso del Garda and Chervò San Vigilio are open all year, with lower winter rates. At Arzaga the low season costs about 40% less.
How much does a green fee on Garda cost in 2026?+
It depends on the club: 53-76 euros at Bogliaco on weekdays, 70-90 at Golf Club Verona, 65-110 at Arzaga. At GardaGolf, according to the club's price list, 100-160 euros.
Can I learn to play during my stay?+
Yes, at the Quellenhof Lazise: the seven-night package with a course includes training sessions several times a week and the handicap licence exam.
Which course is closest to Verona?+
Golf Club Verona, in Sommacampagna, and Paradiso del Garda, about a quarter of an hour from the Quellenhof Lazise.
Do I need a handicap and a membership card?+
Almost everywhere, yes: at Ca' degli Ulivi, for example, the Championship course requires a playing handicap of 36 or lower. Il Colombaro in Salò also accepts players without a handicap, subject to a rules test.
