14 September 2026
Golf on Lake Garda: the best courses for sport, scenery and lifestyle
Golf on Lake Garda is one of the most elegant ways to experience the Garda area, surrounded by moraine hills, centuries-old olive groves and views stretching from the lake’s waters to the Prealps.
Over recent decades, the area has attracted both Italian and international golfers thanks to a significant number of golf clubs, with courses designed by world-renowned architects and clubhouses that combine hospitality with sporting tradition.
Those looking for a golf club on Lake Garda will therefore find a wide range of options, capable of catering to both experienced players and those approaching the sport for the first time.
In this article, we explore the main golf courses around Lake Garda, the services available, indicative costs and the reasons why a day on the green can become part of a broader experience that also includes the lake itself.
Which Golf Club are there on Lake Garda
The Garda area, particularly the Brescia side of the lake and the surrounding Garda hinterland, is home to some of Italy’s most renowned golf clubs.
Each of these courses has its own distinct history and identity: some focus on tradition, others on courses designed by leading names in international golf, while some offer a more accessible and informal experience.
Gardagolf Country Club
Gardagolf Country Club is located among the hills of Valtenesi, between the municipalities of Soiano del Lago, Polpenazze del Garda and Manerba del Garda, a short distance from the lake. Founded in 1986 and designed by the British firm Cotton, Pennink, Steel & Partners, the club features 27 holes divided into three nine-hole courses, Red, White and Yellow, set within the historic Omodeo family estate.
It is one of Italy’s most highly regarded courses from a sporting perspective: it has hosted three editions of the Italian Open, in 1997, 2003 and 2018, as well as the Ladies Italian Open in 1990. The Red course, a parkland-style layout with mature trees and rolling fairways, is considered one of the most challenging in the area due to the reading of its sloping greens.
The clubhouse, housed in the estate’s historic villa, features a restaurant, bar and guest accommodation with rooms for those wishing to extend their stay.
Arzaga Golf Club
Set within a 144-hectare park in the Garda hinterland, in the municipality of Calvagese della Riviera, Arzaga Golf Club owes much of its reputation to the profile of its designers. The club’s 27 holes are divided between an 18-hole championship course designed by Jack Nicklaus II, par 72, and a 9-hole course designed by Gary Player, whose style recalls Scottish links courses with deep bunkers and well-defended greens.
The Nicklaus course stands out for its wide fairways and open design, while the Player course favours a more technical and strategic game, with lakes and streams adding further challenges.
Arzaga is located inland from the lake, in a peaceful hilly setting, yet remains an important reference point for those staying on Lake Garda and looking for a golf course with a high technical profile.
Golf Bogliaco
Located in the hills above Toscolano Maderno, around one hundred metres above the lake, Golf Bogliaco is the third-oldest golf club in Italy, founded in 1912 at the initiative of hotelier Stefano Biglia in response to the growing demand from international tourism at the time.
Its history includes some unusual events, from its transformation into a wheat field in the 1930s to its use as a landing strip first by German and then American troops during the Second World War. Golfing activities resumed in 1952, and the course was expanded to 18 holes in 2004, becoming a par 70 in 2017, the year in which the club was acquired by Terme di Sirmione.
Surrounded by centuries-old olive and cypress trees, the course occupies an elevated basin offering one of the most striking panoramic views across much of the lake, an element that makes it one of the most distinctive golfing experiences in the Garda area.
Chervò Golf San Vigilio
Nell’entroterra tra Pozzolengo e Sirmione, non lontano dalla sponda meridionale del lago, si trova il Chervò Golf San Vigilio, uno dei complessi più estesi e moderni della zona. Disegnato dall’architetto Kurt Rossknecht, il campo si sviluppa su 110 ettari e comprende 27 buche da campionato suddivise nei tre percorsi Benaco, Solferino e San Martino, oltre a un tracciato executive di 9 buche pensato per chi vuole perfezionare il gioco corto o muovere i primi passi.
La combinazione di più percorsi consente formule di gioco flessibili, adatte sia a giocatori esperti sia a principianti, mentre il driving range con postazioni coperte e scoperte e i due putting green completano una dotazione pensata per un pubblico ampio. Il resort che ospita il campo comprende hotel, spa e ristorante, rendendo il circolo una destinazione capace di intrattenere anche chi non gioca a golf.
Golf Il Colombaro
A pochi chilometri da Salò, immerso in tredici ettari di oliveti, il Golf Il Colombaro rappresenta una valida struttura secondaria rispetto ai grandi circoli da campionato descritti sopra. Il percorso, di 9 buche par 29 su terreno pianeggiante, è pensato soprattutto per chi si avvicina al golf o desidera una sessione più breve e informale, completabile in circa un’ora e mezza.
Il circolo è stato tra i primi in Italia a dotarsi di un Toptracer Range, sistema che consente di analizzare in tempo reale la traiettoria e le statistiche di ogni colpo. Pur non avendo la caratura sportiva di Gardagolf o Arzaga, Il Colombaro resta un’opzione interessante per famiglie e giocatori meno esperti che soggiornano nella zona di Salò.
Oltre a queste strutture, altri circoli minori sono presenti nell’entroterra tra Brescia e Verona; la selezione qui proposta privilegia tuttavia i campi con la connessione più diretta, per posizione e notorietà, con l’esperienza turistica del Lago di Garda.
What services do Golf Clubs on Lake Garda offer
Beyond the characteristics of the individual courses, those choosing Lake Garda for a golf holiday will find an ecosystem of services designed to accompany the entire day, not just the round on the course.
It is useful to distinguish between the different categories of services available in the area.
- Golf services: driving ranges, putting and pitching greens, bag and club hire, golf carts and the opportunity to take private lessons with professional instructors, often organised through dedicated academies within the clubs themselves.
- Hospitality: Chervò Golf San Vigilio is integrated into a resort with a hotel, spa and swimming pool directly on the course, while Golf Bogliaco offers a lodge with rooms and apartments within the club, although without a spa; Gardagolf and Arzaga, on the other hand, offer more modest guest accommodation for those wishing to stay close to the course.
- Dining: clubhouses almost always feature an in-house restaurant, often open to non-golfers as well, with panoramic terraces overlooking the course and, in some cases, the lake itself.
- Services geared towards a premium experience: lounge areas, well-stocked pro shops, food and wine tastings featuring local products and, at some clubs, game analysis technologies such as ball-tracking systems.
This combination of sport, hospitality and gastronomy is one of the elements that distinguishes Lake Garda’s golf offering from other Italian destinations, making it possible to create a complete day out even for those travelling in a group with people who do not play golf.
Why is It worth spending a day at a Golf Club on Lake Garda
Playing golf on Lake Garda is not simply about playing any course in a pleasant setting. The mild climate, which allows for golf during much of the year, even in the colder months, combines with a distinctive landscape of moraine hills, vineyards and olive groves that makes every hole different from the last.
Imagine looking up from the green and suddenly seeing the lake open up between two rows of cypress trees: it is an image that recurs at many of the clubs described here, from Bogliaco to Gardagolf.
There is also an important historical factor to consider: clubs such as Bogliaco, one of the oldest in Italy, and Gardagolf, which has hosted the Italian Open three times, allow players to experience courses with recognised sporting significance, not just tourist appeal.
Those looking for a more relaxed experience will find executive courses, such as the one at Il Colombaro, to be a more accessible alternative for enjoying the atmosphere of the Garda area without the commitment of a championship course.
In both cases, the added value lies in the opportunity to combine sport with a day that includes good food and beautiful scenery, as well as other experiences connected with the lake.
How much does a day of Golf on Lake Garda cost
The cost of a day of golf on Lake Garda depends on several factors: the club chosen, the season, the day of the week, the number of holes played and the package booked, which may or may not include equipment hire and a golf cart.
Below are the 2026 rates published in the official price lists of the individual clubs, useful as a general reference: however, it is always advisable to check the latest price list on the chosen club’s website before booking, as rates may change during the season.
- Gardagolf Country Club: according to the 2026 price list, the 18-hole green fee on weekdays ranges from €90 in the low season to €140 in the high season (March-June and September-October); at weekends and on public holidays, the corresponding rates are €100 and €160.
- Arzaga Golf Club: from 1 January to 15 March and from 9 November to 31 December, the 18-hole green fee is €65 on weekdays and €80 on public holidays; from 16 March to 8 November, the rates increase to €110 on weekdays and €130 on public holidays.
- Golf Bogliaco: during the winter season, from 3 November to 23 March, the 18-hole green fee is €53 on weekdays and €69 on public holidays; during the summer season, from 23 March to 1 November, it increases to €76 on weekdays and €97 on public holidays.
- Chervò Golf San Vigilio: during the low season (1 January-13 March and 3 November-31 December), the 18-hole green fee is €65 on weekdays and €80 on public holidays; during the high season (14 March-2 November), it increases to €110 on weekdays and €125 on public holidays, with a 27-hole course allowing players to vary the layouts during their stay.
- Golf Il Colombaro: on the 9-hole course, the 2026 green fee starts at €28 on low-season weekdays and reaches €40 on high-season public holidays; a daily rate is also available, allowing players to repeat the round, ranging from €52 to €65.
These costs may also be supplemented, where necessary, by:
- the cost of hiring a golf bag and clubs,
- the use of a golf cart,
- and any lessons with the club’s professional instructors, generally priced separately in the individual clubs’ price lists.
Those planning a longer stay may also wish to consider the stay & play packages offered by several resorts in the area, which combine accommodation with a certain number of included green fees and are often more convenient than booking each element separately.
The perfect Luxury day: Golf Club and a Yacht Tour
Una giornata di golf sul Lago di Garda può diventare il punto di partenza di un’esperienza più ampia, capace di alternare lo sport al lago vero e proprio. Dopo una mattinata in campo, magari su uno dei percorsi collinari che regalano scorci sull’acqua, molti visitatori scelgono di proseguire la giornata direttamente sul lago, affidandosi a un tour privato in yacht.
È un abbinamento che nasce in modo naturale: entrambe le esperienze condividono lo stesso ritmo rilassato e la stessa attenzione al paesaggio, ma offrono punti di vista complementari sul territorio gardesano.
Un tour privato in yacht rappresenta infatti una delle esperienze più coinvolgenti da vivere sul Garda, perché permette di osservare dall’acqua borghi, ville storiche e scorci che dalla terraferma restano nascosti.
Prestige Boat Charter, con base a Salò, organizza tour personalizzati a bordo di un VanDutch 32, un’imbarcazione che unisce design e comfort e che si presta bene sia a un’uscita di poche ore sia a un pomeriggio più articolato, con soste per un bagno o un aperitivo a bordo.
Per chi ha trascorso la mattina su un percorso come Gardagolf o Bogliaco, spostarsi nel pomeriggio verso l’acqua consente di chiudere la giornata con un ritmo diverso, mantenendo la stessa attenzione ai dettagli che ha contraddistinto le ore precedenti.
Chi desidera approfondire le diverse formule disponibili può consultare la pagina dedicata ai tour in yacht sul Lago di Garda di Prestige Boat, con proposte pensate per vivere il lago attraverso esperienze private e personalizzabili.
Questa combinazione, campo da golf al mattino e lago nel pomeriggio, restituisce forse meglio di ogni altra proposta il carattere del Garda: un territorio capace di offrire esperienze diverse, ma sempre legate a un rapporto stretto con il paesaggio e con l’acqua che lo definisce.
Luxury Experiences on Lake Garda
PRESTIGE S.R.L.
