7 nights with breakfast at the Villa Carolina Resort including 2 green fees per person (Golf Club Villa Carolina and Margara) and 1 dinner

As soon as you leave the county road connecting Novi Ligure to Ovada and take the avenue lined with centuries-old chestnuts, leading to the clubhouse, Villa Carolina Golf Club will fascinate you, from the very first moment. The clubhouse, an eighteenth century villa, carefully restored according to listed building regulations, offers a wide range of facilities in the heart of a big park: the complex belonged to a noble family from Genoa and in 1992 was acquired by a group of 5 co-founding partners. Nowadays in the estate there are two 18-hole golf courses, tennis courts, two swimming pools and several dwellings, some of which made out of the renovation of ancient farmhouses. The historical imprint and the familiar atmosphere define the charm of a club where you really feel at home. The “La Marchesa” course was the first one created and alternates an American style – long fairways, light undulating ground, large greens – with more delicate holes such as hole 10, 11 and 12, that leave little margin for mistake. The “Paradiso” course, with its back 9 holes, completed in 2014, is much more hilly, with more important height drops and rather insidious greens. La Marchesa most beautiful spots are on tee 7, a 305m par 4, from which, with a little luck, you may see many ducks and herons in the nearby stream; hole 11, a 402 m par 4, stunning in its natural beauty, runs through the woods without any intervention on the ground; after the second shot, getting closer to the green, you may happen to see deers grazing the grass. Last but not least, the most refined dining, (and the best value for money) is undoubtedly here. Pro’s comments Villa Carolina offers two outstanding courses: La Marchesa and Il Paradiso. La Marchesa is the more level of the two, with broad greens that are well-defended by insidious bunkers. I would like to mention two very challenging par 3s on this course: Holes 5 and 12, very long (both 189 meters from the yellow tees) with greens well-defended by water (the 12th) and bunkers (the 5th). Scoring two pars is complicated even for expert players. Il Paradiso is completely different, as it is more undulating with small and difficult greens. I recommend Hole 7 to Bubba Watson’s emulators: a par 5 of 561 meters from the furthest tees, all uphill, with a lake on the right side which affects the second and third shots and a split-level green. Majestic and imposing, a signature hole you aren’t likely to forget. Technical details: Course: “La Marchesa”, 18 holes, Par 72, 6161 meters Architect: Bryan Silva Topography: flat Distinctive features: great concentration is required because of artificial hazards. Course: “Paradiso”, 18 holes, Par 72, 5820 meters Architect: Graham Cooke Topography: flat Distinctive features: easy at first sight, but it requires a technical game mostly on the green

Founded in 1972 by Dr. Glauco Lolli Ghetti, today the Margara Golf Club is a renowned golf club both nationally and internationally. With two 18-hole championship courses, every year it welcomes tourists and professional golfers from all over the world. The oldest course, “Glauco Lolli Ghetti”, named after its founder, has a Parkland-type structure: it is surrounded by trees that are now imposing, has wide fairways that extend over the rolling hills of Monferrato and greens that put even the most experienced players to the test. The more recent “La Guazzetta” course, completed in 2006, is also 18 holes and has a more modern, links-style character, with wide bunkers that design the slopes and covers important distances. Margara has hosted 22 European Challenge Tours, 1 Italian Ladies Open and every year is the scene of several Italian National Championships. Technical Details Course : 18+18 holes, par 72/72, 6048/6176 meters Architect : Topography: Sometimes hilly landscape with some woods, sometimes flat Distinctive features: It has a varied topography that requires a good strategy from the player who must continually adapt his play to the landscape. Pro’s comments The two Margara courses have a great virtue. If you don’t face them from the furthest tees, they are entertaining and stimulating for all playing levels. The Glauco Lolli Ghetti 18-hole course hosted tournaments on the European Challenge Tour for 17 years and all the professionals have always given very positive reviews of the course. The amen corner (Holes 15, 16, 17,18) must be faced with great attention and respect: 4 very delicate holes that can ruin your score in no time. La Guazzetta is very long but also very wide except for Holes 10 and 11 where erring to the right is absolutely forbidden. A forest thick with water hazards is waiting there to receive your sliced shots. So be careful!!!!!