Impressive culture and varied golfing in Sicily

Five-star resort directly by the sea

From the capital Palermo, we set out to take a closer look at three very different golf resorts. First, we head to the southwest of the island. Here we find the luxurious five-star Verdura Golf Resort, a Rocco Forte Hotel, which extends over an area of 230 hectares. The view of the surrounding hills and the directly adjacent Mediterranean Sea are impressive. 

If you travel by car, you park your vehicle in the car park after passing through the entrance area and then use golf carts or bicycles to cover the sometimes large distances between the facilities. The architecture of the buildings is characterised by straight lines. Stone, wood and sugar cane lend them a naturalness. 

The resort has 203 rooms and suites and 20 new private villas. My modern and tastefully furnished Deluxe Room offers plenty of space and has a great view over the terrace to the sea.

Internationally recognised and a leader in the golf business for over three decades, Donato di Ponziano has recently taken over as the resort’s Golf Development Manager. He gives us a comprehensive overview of the resort and its goals. With his equally experienced Golf Manager Allessandro Mario Cardini, who takes up his position on the day of our visit, he wants to establish the current number one resort in Italy among the leading international ones.

Golf at its best on 45 holes

Originally created about 10 years ago, the championship golf courses were redesigned by US golf course architect Kyle Phillips after the course was flooded in 2019. In 2021, the East Course was reopened. Today, it shines in new splendour as a par 73 with a length of 6,763 metres. Its left character has also convinced the golf media. In 2022, it was rated Italy’s number 1 by Golf World Top 100.

In particular, its holes 5, 6 and 7, 12 and 13, with direct access to the sea, have taken my fancy.

If you stay on the fairways, the course is to manage despite its length. If you stray off the fairways and land in the current deep rough, your score is ruined, because searching in the rough makes no sense. The snow-white bunkers are just as convincing as the fast but fair greens.

The West Course is a par 70 course with a length of 6,547 metres. Its holes are much hillier and narrower. They first lead inland, past olive trees and lemon groves. It is more like a parkland course on this part, but this changes from the 14th hole onwards. From here on, the remaining holes meander along the bright blue sea until the end and offer spectacular views.

A 9-hole par 3 executive course and a well-equipped academy perfectly round off the golfing offer. The resort is an official partner of the PGA of Germany.

The elegant 4,000-square-metre Irene Forte Spa has several outdoor thalasso pools, an indoor pool, a hammam and a Finnish sauna. Sports activities include tennis courts, football pitches and various water sports.

Guests are treated to Mediterranean dishes, fresh fish and seafood as well as high-quality wines in four different restaurants and five bars. The linguine pasta with lobster served in the main Zagara restaurant is just as exceptional as the spaghetti in garlic oil with tuna eggs.

Valley of the Temples

From the resort, we head east across the island to Syracuse. After about 40 km we stop in Agrigento, which is famous for its well-preserved Greek and Roman temples. We visit the archaeological sites of the Valle dei Templi (Valley of the Temples) with the Roman Temple of Hera (Juno) and the Temple of Concordia, one of the best-preserved Greek temples of antiquity. These represent only a small part of the vast array of former architecture spread across the island.

Sightseeing Syracuse

After another 2.5 hour drive, we reach Syracuse in the southeast of the island. The port city is the birthplace of Archimedes and is known for its numerous historical and cultural sights. Our guided tour takes us to the Temple of Apollo, the Fountain of Diana and the imposing, gleaming white Cathedral of Santa Maria delle Colonne in the Piazza del Duomo. It impresses with its baroque façade and open staircase.  

In the narrow, atmospheric alleys of the old town, we come across a multitude of pubs, restaurants and shops, which also sell the colourful mosaic figures famous for the region.

Former Benedictine monastery in an idyllic setting

We also encounter these figures at our next accommodation, the stylish five-star Borgo di Luce Luxury Resort, to which the I Monasteri Golf Club is attached. It is located not far from Syracuse in complete tranquillity and is surrounded by palm, citrus and olive trees.

Various Sicilian noble families were among the owners. Even today, you can feel the special charm of the glamorous past. I am particularly impressed by the lobby, the bar and restaurants with their round arches, high ceilings and the artistic ceramic figures that always catch my eye. 

The 102 rooms and suites are spread over three buildings and are all on ground level. My superior double room with veranda and views of the golf course is at the back of the resort and is decorated in a contemporary style. 

The resort has a large spa, an outdoor pool and a jacuzzi.

The par 71 course has a length of 6,520 metres. It opened in 2012 and is set in 86 hectares of lemon trees and prickly pears. Its 18 holes with parkland character run around the former monastery through the flat terrain. Several water hazards add to the charm of the course, as on holes 9 -12 and on 18, which are among its highlights.

The fairways, bunkers and greens are in good condition. It would be desirable if the driving range and tee boxes could follow suit.

Golf, relaxation and enjoyment on the northern slopes of Mount Etna

We finish our golf tour at the four-star Il Picciolo Etna Golf Resort & Spa, located in the midst of complete peace and nature. It is located 650 metres above sea level in the east of the island at the foot of Europe’s largest active volcano in the Parco dell’Etna regional park, halfway between Syracuse and Catania. 

Because of the altitude, the temperatures here are lower than on the coast and can be easily endured even on hot summer days. It is beautifully nestled between vines and orchards.

The owners, two sympathetic Sicilian brothers with Swiss roots, explain to us that they first acquired the driving range in 2021. Later, the golf course and the hotel right next to it followed. The goal is to develop this into a 4.5-5 star top golf and holiday destination in the next four years. The first steps have already been taken. At the moment, the technology is being brought up to date and, among other things, a solar system is being installed. The next step will be to modernise the rooms.

My spacious Etna Room offers great views over the vines to the volcano towering in the distance.

The 900-square-metre wellness centre with spa, fitness room, sauna and indoor pool invite you to relax, as does the outdoor pool with large sun terrace.

In the hotel’s main restaurant and the clubhouse, our palates are spoiled with traditional Sicilian cuisine and fine wines from the region. 

The huge clubhouse, which houses a few rooms, has also undergone renovation. Large parts, such as the pro shop with the bar, already impress with their modern ambience. 

Well-kept parkland course with spectacular views

The modernisation also affects the golf course. The fairways and partly huge greens are in top condition. At the moment, the bunkers are being reworked. Some of them already have gleaming white sand. The rest will follow shortly.

The 18-hole parkland course is the oldest on the island. It was built in the eighties of the last century. Between 1995 and 2011, it hosted several renowned tournaments.

It winds its way through the extremely hilly terrain, constantly uphill and downhill, past dense tree population. Again and again, Mount Etna towers in the background. If the weather or the rising smoke allow it, you can enjoy the magnificent view all the way to the top of the 3,357 m high volcano. If you want to admire it up close, you can also book a helicopter flight through the resort.

The layout is very appealing and the courses vary. A special feature is that the par 72 course has five par 5s and par 3s in addition to eight par 4s. Its length is 5,870 m. The use of the driver should be well considered because the holes require a tactical game. Precision is required here. The course is extremely well maintained and is a great pleasure to play.

The club has an academy with the latest technical equipment and experienced PGA professionals who, among other things, successfully dedicate themselves to youth work and see this as a focal point of their activities.

You can tell that the entire golf and hotel team enjoys their work. Everyone is enthusiastic and always smiling, and they transfer this good mood to the guests. First and foremost the Golf Marketing Manager Guy Roberts, who speaks excellent German and is thus able to converse perfectly with the currently largest group of foreign golf guests of the resort in their mother tongue.

Introduction to Sicilian wines

A visit to the resort cannot be complete without a tasting of the many wines grown in the area, as Sicilian ones are now among the leading in Italy. The informative tour and subsequent tasting at the I Custodi delle Vigne dell’Etna Winery round off an enjoyable trip across a culturally and golfing inspiring island, superbly organised by the English AZALEA Group. Grazie mille per i giorni perfetti.

Juergen Linnenbuerger

Cologne, June 2023