I also have just returned from Amalfi Coast and spent a couple weeks there for second time in two years. From these trips and previous tour around there in 2002, having hiked a great deal above the coast line, and auto toured extensively in that area, I on found a few places where the soil and terrain would be compatible. The best I saw were the sandy dunes and seaside plains south of Salerno.
But as Ally notes, the golf culture there is non-existent. The notorious Italian bureaucracy would be monumental to overcome because not only the state government, but provincial and local codes and customs would be a nightmare. And, the way parcels of land are owned, assembling enough for a course lay-out would be impossible and priceless. Also, the entire coast is a UNESCO World Heritage zone.
I don't know much about the northern Italy scene. But I doubt that the land ownership hurdles are much different.
I can say that my family and friends around Ravello/ Scala, Amalfi loved seeing my photos of my golf excursions to Ireland and Scotland. They all seem to desire to vacation in Ireland. So, while golf is a strange pass-time to these Calcio crazed sports fans, they like the wild Irish coastal atmosphere. It is just that most of them never had a golf club in their hands....
