Walking from your bed to the first tee, or returning to a city after the round: at La Meridiana in Garlenda the course is a walk away, while from the Excelsior on the Lido it takes about 20 minutes by car, and a free shuttle runs to St Mark's.
The choice between a golf resort and a city hotel is usually made on the price of the room. It would be better made on another question: how will you spend the hours when you are not playing? An 18-hole round takes up the morning; the rest of the day, in a resort, is made of spa, restaurant and pool; in a city, of streets, museums and dinners out. There is no right answer, which is why it pays to look at what the hotels really offer, one by one.
The advantages of the golf resort
1. The course is a few steps away, or a walk. The Golf Club Garlenda can be reached on foot from La Meridiana: the reception books tee times, lessons and practice, and for guests the green fee is 60 euros on weekdays and 80 at weekends for 18 holes, with a pass for five consecutive days. Terme di Saturnia also has its course within the resort: 18 holes, par 72, by Ronald Fream.
2. Packages that put golf in the price. At Saturnia the Golf Inclusive offer requires at least two nights and includes one 18-hole green fee per day per player, a 50% discount for the second player and the practice range. At Verdura the Golf Inclusive Offer includes two green fees per room per night, the practice range and a 30-minute lesson with Trackman. At Argentario, in 2026, all hotel bookings include access to the practice range.
3. Less logistics. No early-morning journeys: at Picciolo, for example, guests pay 90 euros in 2026 for 18 holes instead of 110, and the practice range is included.
4. Variety in everyday play. Is Molas, in Sardinia, has 27 holes within the resort, and its unlimited packages of 3, 5 or 7 nights are valid from April to October, excluding July and August.
The drawbacks of the golf resort
1. The course is not always what you imagine. The course at Due Lune in Puntaldia has nine holes: for 18 holes the nearest option is Pevero. And a course, even when there is one, may be under works: as of 3 October 2026 at Verdura the East is open, the West is open with works in progress and the Executive is closed until spring 2027.
2. The course does not always belong to the hotel. The QC Grand Hotel Villa Arzaga adjoins Arzaga Golf, 27 holes by Jack Nicklaus II and Gary Player, but the club is run separately from the hotel and green fees are paid to the golf club; the club's Stay & Play package includes accommodation in the apartments of Borgo Drugolo, not in the villa.
3. The cost of the course adds up. At Argentario the 2026 green fee ranges from 120 euros in low season to 170 from June to September; at Verdura, which has 45 holes, it takes about 80 minutes by car from Palermo airport, according to the resort: the transfer is booked through the resort.
4. The sea, or the city, may be elsewhere. At Argentario, for example, the beach is about 10 minutes away and a shuttle on a fixed timetable serves it only from June to September.
The advantages of the hotel without a course (in the city or nearby)
1. More courses to choose from. The Hotel Castel in Tirolo has no course, but includes the South Tyrol Golfcard in the stay: a 20% discount on the green fee at the nine courses of the province, and the staff book the tee times. A resort has one course; here the Golfcard covers nine.
2. The city after the round. The Excelsior Venice is about 20 minutes by car from the Circolo Golf Venezia, the links at Alberoni; Guest Relations books tee times, the transfer and equipment hire. In season a free shuttle leaves the hotel's jetty every half hour, from 9 am to 9 pm, and lands near St Mark's: according to the hotel the crossing takes a quarter of an hour.
3. Non-players have something to do. On trips as a couple or in a mixed group, the city is the simplest way to keep everyone happy.
The drawbacks of the hotel without a course
1. The journey. Twenty minutes by car from Venice to Alberoni is short, but it is repeated every morning. And not every hotel arranges the transfer: Excelsior Palace in Rapallo states that it has no dedicated services and lets guests book directly with the club.
2. The green fee is outside the price. Unless there are agreements (such as the Golfcard), it is paid separately, and the bill grows with every round.
How to choose: four questions
- How often will you play? Only once: the city. Four rounds in five days: the resort.
- Does everyone travelling with you play? If not, weigh the resort's spa against the city, according to taste.
- Do you like changing courses? In that case a hotel with a Golfcard or agreements is worth more than a single course.
- Is the resort's course an open 18-hole course? Check before booking, as the Verdura case shows.
Frequently asked questions
Is a golf resort or a city hotel better?+
It depends on how much you play. A resort makes it convenient to play every day on the same course; a city or nearby hotel offers more courses and more to do in your free time.
Is the green fee included at a golf resort?+
It depends on the package. At Terme di Saturnia the Golf Inclusive offer includes one green fee per day per player; at Verdura two green fees per room per night; elsewhere it is paid separately.
Does the resort's course always belong to the hotel?+
No: Arzaga Golf, next to the QC Grand Hotel Villa Arzaga, is run separately from the hotel.
Can you play without staying at the course's hotel?+
At many courses yes, paying the green fee on the price list; private clubs have their own rules, to be checked case by case.
How much does it cost to play at Argentario?+
In 2026, 18 holes cost 120 euros in low season, 160 in April, May and October, and 170 from June to September.
What should you ask the hotel before booking?+
Who books the tee times, whether there is a transfer, whether the green fee is discounted and whether all the holes of the course are open.
