5 nights in the Green Hotel with breakfast and 2 green fees

The club is located just 30 minutes by car from Turin, at 450 meters above sea level and at the threshold of the Susa Valley on the road leading to the mountains that hosted the 2006 Olympic Games – Oulx, Bardonecchia, Sansicario and Sestrières – and 3 kilometers from Lake Avigliana, in a magnificent natural context. It is hard to believe that in the same area where John Harris configured the 18 holes built at the request of entrepreneur Giuseppe Maggiora, the Nobel Dynamite Company, the most important factory of explosives in the world from the last century, was still operating here until the 1950s. Only a few of the company’s architectural traces remain, such as the small casemates which occasionally appear semi-hidden on the margins of the course. The course alternates very challenging holes with others that are more relaxing, but precision is always fundamental for a good score. The most spectacular hole is number 2, a par 4 of 420 meters. You must climb up to the tee box, a difference in level of perhaps 30 meters, and the panorama is there to distract you. The Sacra di San Michele, the Rocciamelone and the Castle of Avigliana overlook golfer’s drives which must somehow fit through a sharply curving corridor edged by American oaks and ashes. The out of bounds is there to the right for more than half of the curve. And if that were not enough – the fairway sloping in that direction is an accessory to the crime – there is also a pond waiting to catch the most powerful slices. The green is hidden behind a forest of very tall trees. No shot is possible to the left. Course: 18 holes, Par 71, 5951 meters Architect: John Harris Topography: quite undulating with many water hazards Distinctive features: a tip: avoid long drives and opt for a short game A good score at the Golf Club Le Fronde is unthinkable unless you have played it at least once attentively: blind doglegs, greens and a course with steep slopes and severe differences in level, water hazards that are not always visible, all these combine to make a first approach complicated. Many of the out of bounds have been positioned on the right side of the holes, so it is best to avoid slicing. In compensation, the course is not long and is great fun. Due to its altitude and position at the threshold of the Susa Valley, it often proves to be cool even in summertime.

There are two golf complexes thirty kilometers south of the center of Turin which are distinct yet complementary, for a total of 36 holes in all: the Golf Club I Girasoli and the Golf Club La Margherita. The latter regularly hosts national level competitions and championships. Designed by Marco Croze and Giorgio Ferraris, the 18-hole course, a par 72, it is the complex’s pride and joy. Continuous improvements and constant maintenance have taken it to such a high level of excellence that several editions of the Alps Tour, a third-tier professional circuit, have been hosted there and it was included among the 30 best clubs in Italy. The course demands good technique, but is enjoyable to play even for golfers with high handicaps, as long as they find the right motivation to improve their levels. 20 cozy guestrooms are available inside the complex. The position is ideal as it can be easily and quickly reached, due to its convenient location close to the Carmagnola exit on the Turin-Savona motorway. Technical Details Course : 18 holes, Par 72, 5840 meters Architect : Marco Croze & Giorgio Ferraris Topography : a little hilly, large fairways, a lot of water obstacles Special features : very varied course, which represents a real challenge at all game levels Pro’s Comments Don’t miss this 18-hole course. Just difficult enough with small and steeply sloping greens, the Margherita leaves no room for lapses in concentration. On the first nine holes, allow me to mention Hole 5, a long par 5 with a water hazard on the first shot and greens that slope steeply toward the fairway. Hole 7, a par 4 with a peninsula green with frontal water where it is very important to place the first shot. On the second nine, the very long Hole 16 par 5 with an out of bounds on the right and water on the left on the second and third shots, and Hole 18 par 4 which is great fun and gives powerful players the opportunity to decide whether to risk passing over a water hazard located 230 meters from the tee so as to have a comfortable approach shot to the pin. You must try it.