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Scott Warren

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Golf in Florence, Italy?
« on: November 06, 2012, 05:40:36 AM »
Any golf courses within striking distance of Lucca or Cinque Terre that are worth half a day and a few brownie points?
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Mark_Rowlinson

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Re: Golf in Florence, Italy?
« Reply #1 on: November 06, 2012, 05:58:50 AM »
You might want to consider Circolo Golf Ugolino. I've never played it but photos of it show it to be in ravishing countryside. Peter Gannon design, I think. It hosted one European Tour event some years ago, but I think it was remembered more for the food and wine than the course itself.
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Mark Chaplin

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Re: Golf in Florence, Italy?
« Reply #2 on: November 06, 2012, 06:20:19 AM »
Florence is an all world city, time playing golf, unless to play an all world course is time wasted IMVHO.

Replying to Mark below San Gimignano - the NYC of the middle ages - is a wonderful place to visit and even better to stay over when the day trippers have gone.
« Last Edit: November 06, 2012, 06:30:10 AM by Mark Chaplin »
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Cave Nil Vino

Mark Pearce

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Re: Golf in Florence, Italy?
« Reply #3 on: November 06, 2012, 06:24:10 AM »
Quote from: Mark Chaplin on November 06, 2012, 06:20:19 AM
Florence is an all world city, time playing golf, unless to play an all world course is time wasted IMVHO.
This.  To take time away from the city to play golf, the course would have to be world top 50 at least.  Even then and assuming you really wanted to get out of Florence for a trip, I'd go to Sienna.
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Scott Warren

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Re: Golf in Florence, Italy?
« Reply #4 on: November 06, 2012, 06:32:59 AM »
Have seen Florence before and will go back on this trip (based out of Lucca). Sienna as well.

But always happy to take a half day out of 10 to play golf in a new culture. Always fascinating to see how the approach to the game varies in different places.

Unfortunately Ugolino may be a little too far from Lucca.
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Ally Mcintosh

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Re: Golf in Florence, Italy?
« Reply #5 on: November 06, 2012, 06:34:05 AM »
I was lucky enough to live in Florence for a while.... I didn't play golf once...

Lucca's a lovely spot - Enjoy it Scott
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Adam Lawrence

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Re: Golf in Florence, Italy?
« Reply #6 on: November 06, 2012, 06:53:52 AM »
Castilglion del Bosco is a magnificent place, and the golf course is good, but it is a helluva hike from Lucca. OTOH, take the lady wife there for a night and you'll be earning brownie points, not spending them. It'll cost you a fortune in real money, of course....
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Adam Lawrence

Editor, Golf Course Architecture
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Author, 'More Enduring Than Brass: a biography of Harry Colt' (forthcoming).

Short words are best, and the old words, when short, are the best of all.

Ulrich Mayring

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Re: Golf in Florence, Italy?
« Reply #7 on: November 06, 2012, 08:00:57 AM »
You'll love Ugolino, it's a great golf course. Just make sure to either call in advance or speak Italian :)

From Lucca, you'll be on the course a lot faster than in the city :)

Ulrich
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Brad Wilbur

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Re: Golf in Florence, Italy?
« Reply #8 on: November 06, 2012, 08:56:36 AM »
The Cinque Terre is wonderful!!  The walk between the villages is like a step back in time--the little villages are postcard perfect.  They had some major flooding a year ago or so, but I believe they have recovered.  Rick Steves is a great source of info for this area.  I too wouldn't waste time golfing during a short trip.
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Aidan Bradley

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Re: Golf in Florence, Italy?
« Reply #9 on: November 06, 2012, 10:41:11 AM »
Castiglion del Bosco......















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Scott Warren

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Re: Golf in Florence, Italy?
« Reply #10 on: November 06, 2012, 06:15:19 PM »
Thanks all for the feedback. Who'd have thought that posing the above question on a golf forum I would receive post replies, PMs and emails urging me not to spend time playing golf in the area?!

My wife now has new faith in the GCA cognoscenti and I am considering shipping my clubs to London (end of the trip) after Paris (start of the trip) and not playing any in Italy...
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Sean_A

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Re: Golf in Florence, Italy?
« Reply #11 on: November 06, 2012, 06:52:36 PM »
Scott

I don't know if you are going to make it to Venice or if its worth luggin' sticks around (unless you are driving), but Circolo Golf Venezia is the most interesting course I have come across in Italy.

It ain't top 50, but I found the course and club utterly charming - hard not to when one realizes that to get back to Venice requires a lovely boat ride. 

http://www.top100golfcourses.co.uk/htmlsite/productdetails.asp?id=1255

Ciao
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Scott Warren

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Re: Golf in Florence, Italy?
« Reply #12 on: November 06, 2012, 07:37:26 PM »
Looks fun Sean, but not heading that way this time. Purely Lucca and CT while in Italy.
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David Stamm

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Re: Golf in Florence, Italy?
« Reply #13 on: November 06, 2012, 11:51:34 PM »
Scott, leave the clubs. It's Italy for cryin' out loud!


Love Lucca. It's really neat to walk around the ancient walls in the late afternoon. Having an espresso in the squares where Puccini once composed his works was great.


 San Gimignano is one of favorite hill towns, AFTER the crowds are all gone. And the gelato around the corner from the church is top notch!

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"The object of golf architecture is to give an intelligent purpose to the striking of a golf ball."- Max Behr

Bill_McBride

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Re: Golf in Florence, Italy?
« Reply #14 on: November 07, 2012, 12:24:44 AM »
Quote from: Scott Warren on November 06, 2012, 07:37:26 PM
Looks fun Sean, but not heading that way this time. Purely Lucca and CT while in Italy.

Something to look into - there is a boat service from La Spezia (a short train ride from Lucca) to Portovenere and the five Cinque Terre villages.  Great way to arrive there. 
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Scott Warren

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Re: Golf in Florence, Italy?
« Reply #15 on: November 07, 2012, 01:51:58 AM »
David,

Quote
San Gimignano is one of favorite hill towns, AFTER the crowds are all gone.

This is one of the great thiongs about staying overnight somewhere like Bruge, Obidos or Mont St Michel - the atmosphere and intimacy of the place after the hoardes get back on their buses cannot be beat.

I think I have officially shelved 'golf in Italy' plans. The people spoke decisively!
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Ivan Morris

Re: Golf in Florence, Italy?
« Reply #16 on: November 07, 2012, 03:22:38 AM »
I have played golf at both Poggio and Ugolino - neither made much of an impression - maybe because I was flu stricken and didn't complete either 18-holes. I can barely remember a hole on either, either. What struck me was the lack of local golfers - unless you count those 'beautiful folks' decked out in their finery hanging out around the clubhouse. They weren't on the golf courses. I, too, preferred walking on the Vecchio and along the city walls of Lucca and having a 'nice chat' with Puccini's statue. 
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David_Elvins

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Re: Golf in Florence, Italy?
« Reply #17 on: November 07, 2012, 03:42:24 AM »
Scott,

Sounds like Florence is the Sydney of Europe. 
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Steve_ Shaffer

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Re: Golf in Florence, Italy?
« Reply #18 on: November 07, 2012, 10:13:39 AM »
We did not take our clubs to Florence. Why? What a great city. We also visited Sienna and Assissi. When there, we were on the "gelato a day diet." For a great meal,   I heartily recommend the Bistecca alla Fiorentina at Leo S. Croce in Florence.
http://www.fodors.com/community/europe/leo-s-croce-florence.cfm
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Adam Lawrence

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Re: Golf in Florence, Italy?
« Reply #19 on: November 07, 2012, 10:21:54 AM »
Sostanza is famous as being the best source for bistecca in Florence. And based on extensive sampling, Vivoli has the best gelato!
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Adam Lawrence

Editor, Golf Course Architecture
www.golfcoursearchitecture.net

Principal, Oxford Golf Consulting
www.oxfordgolfconsulting.com

Author, 'More Enduring Than Brass: a biography of Harry Colt' (forthcoming).

Short words are best, and the old words, when short, are the best of all.

Ally Mcintosh

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Re: Golf in Florence, Italy?
« Reply #20 on: November 07, 2012, 12:29:53 PM »
Quote from: Adam Lawrence on November 07, 2012, 10:21:54 AM
Sostanza is famous as being the best source for bistecca in Florence. And based on extensive sampling, Vivoli has the best gelato!

I never eat in Sostenza but I certainly had the gelato in Vivoli many a time... There's a wonderful under the radar pizza joint on the same street (Via Isola delle Stiche) that is just grab a bench, no fuss & no menu (there are only three choices of pizza and one choice of beer - nothing else)... Can't recall the name... maybe it didn't have one...

But it doesn't sound like Scott will be there for long if he is based in Lucca and west of that...
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Andy Stamm

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Re: Golf in Florence, Italy?
« Reply #21 on: November 07, 2012, 04:33:10 PM »
For the other side of the coin, I'd play.

I've spent a lot of time in Italy and especially Florence. I've had the pleasure of playing a lot of football and some basketball and Bocce with Italians, and it's wonderful. For all of the (very good) reasons set out in this thread, I never played golf. But (for me) that was a mistake. Golf is obviously a minor sport there, but I'd love to experience it in Italy, just to see what it's like. I'd really treasure a game with Italians.

I've played golf in a few places where the sport is not very old/popular. It's always fasciniting to me to see what it's like and how people come to the game in places like that and to see how it's similar and different to American, British, etc. golf.

At an Italian members club, what's the walking, riding, caddie, trolley/pull-cart culture like, anybody know?
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Ulrich Mayring

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Re: Golf in Florence, Italy?
« Reply #22 on: November 07, 2012, 04:44:18 PM »
It's mostly walking, hardly any carts, but still a bit of a wealthy crowd. I've never had any less than great fun playing in Italy.

Ulrich
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Andy Stamm

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Re: Golf in Florence, Italy?
« Reply #23 on: November 07, 2012, 05:35:02 PM »
Quote from: Ulrich Mayring on November 07, 2012, 04:44:18 PM
It's mostly walking, hardly any carts, but still a bit of a wealthy crowd. I've never had any less than great fun playing in Italy.

Ulrich

Thanks, that's what I imagined. My impression is that it's even more for the "wealthy crowd" than say in Italy, France, or Germany, but that may be down to legitimate cost/scarcity of land issues.

How were the players, skill wise, compared to other places in continental Europe?
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Tiger_Bernhardt

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Re: Golf in Florence, Italy?
« Reply #24 on: November 07, 2012, 07:52:50 PM »
The Brits have built or caused to have built numerous courses in the greater Florence area.
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