I may be one of those who affirm the importance of authentic immersion and ‘Instagramability’ when picking a golf travel destination. Probably, because of the long lockdown I am looking for opportunities for relaxation and escaping from urban life plus to discover a totally unknown golf destination.
This description is just right for the Italian Antognolla Golf Club. A resort 25 minutes from Perugia, 110 minutes from Firenze, 2,5 hours from Rome, and 40 minutes from Lake Trasimeno + less than 3 hours from Bologna.
However, Antognolla Golf Club is not so cut off from the world. Perugia International Airport receives Ryanair, British Airways, Transavia (among the others) direct flights from London, Vienna, Brussels, Rotterdam, Barcelona, etc. It can be exciting to come by car and enjoy the beauty of the Umbria region too.
Umbria is known as the “green heart of Italy” because of its lush green hills, fertile farmland, green valleys, wooded hills, and mountains, the landscape is very reminiscent of Tuscany.
Wine fans attention please!
Before I get to the introduction of Antognolla Golf Club, I have to tell you what a fabulous wine experience awaits you here in the vicinity of the golf club.
The Umbria wine region is located in central Italy, surrounded by Tuscany, Lazio, and Marche wine regions. A large number of different grape varieties thrive here. In Umbria, basically more red than white wines are produced. Here you can learn more about the wine offers of the region: https://www.umbriatourism.it/wine-and-oil
Antognolla Golf Club’s hidden surprises
I know not everyone thinks of Italy as a typical golf tourism destination. The country comes with a surprising number of surprises for skeptical golf tourists. One such surprise is that there are 3 Robert Trent Jones Jr. designed golf courses. One of them can be found in Antognolla Golf Club (since 1998; 18 holes, 6071m, par-71).
Despite the fact that this golf course is a resort, residential type golf course – designed to be a pleasure to play for their guests, regardless of the standard of golf they play – Antognolla Golf Club has already hosted two major golf tournaments:
- 2019 PGA Italian Championship,
- 2021 Antognolla Alps Open (as part of the 2021 Alps Tour).
At least at 4 holes, your level of accuracy will heavily influence your scores and results:
- Hole 2.: This is a short par 4. Prioritize accuracy over distance from the tee, to leave a short iron or wedge to the green. The green is undulating and guarded on the left and right by bunkers. This is my favorite hole!
- Hole 4.: The fairway lies between the lake on the left and an out of bounds on the right. The green is elevated, so consider choosing a longer club on your approach shot. The green is on two levels with a slope from back to front, distance control is important.
- Hole 5.: From the elevated tee a long hitter will clear the fairway bunker on the right. A more conservative strategy is to try to place the ball to the left or before the bunker.
- Hole 7.: On the right side lies an out of bounds, on the left a slope moves to deep rough at a much lower level than the green. The green itself is long and on two levels.
After our long and exciting game, from 2025, the luxurious Six Senses Antognolla will wait for us with 71 rooms and 79 branded residences, diverse wellness and cultural offerings like cookery school, organic farm, wellness center, and an equestrian center.
The 12th-century Castello di Antognolla on the hill will be transformed.
Don’t wait until the opening of the luxurious Six Senses Antognolla, you can stay in one of the 12 superior hotels near the resort (e.g. Castello Monterone, Tenuta di Murlo, Chiesa del Carmine, etc.) or in one of their superior onsite villas.
Encompassing a 1,335-acre (540-hectare) site, the surrounding contours and forest provide privacy and exclusivity, while the variety of facilities and activities (e.g., hiking, cycling, and horse-riding trails) make it a year-round destination.
I hope after that you are at least as excited as I am. Let’s go to Antognolla Golf Club as soon as we can!
This article is brought to you by Antognolla Golf Club.