Circolo Golf Venezia

Tucked away on the Lido of Venice, between the Adriatic Sea and the Venetian Lagoon, lies one of Italy’s most prestigious and storied golf destinations: the Venetian Golf Club. Founded in 1928 and inaugurated in 1930, this course is not only the oldest in the region, but also one of the most historically significant in the country. Originally established by 25 noble Venetian families, the club quickly became a magnet for golf legends such as Arnold Palmer, Tony Jacklin, Seve Ballesteros, Johnny Miller, and more recently, the Molinari brothers and Matteo Manassero.

With its timeless charm and technical excellence, the course embodies the essence of traditional links-style golf. Winds from the Bora and Sirocco add an extra layer of challenge, demanding a thoughtful, strategic approach to reach its well-guarded greens. Recognized by Golf Digest as one of Italy’s top 10 courses and recipient of the Silver and Golden Star for Sporting Merit, Circolo Golf Venezia continues to shine on the international stage.

The 18-hole, par-72 course stretches across 6,039 meters (6,199 from championship tees) and was expanded to its current layout in 1951. Nestled on a dramatic strip of land, the course offers a golfing experience unlike any other. It features narrow fairways framed by maritime pines, willows, poplars, and mulberries, emphasizing accuracy off the tee. On the front nine, players face three distinctive par 3s, including the short yet demanding hole 2, the wind-swept and lengthy hole 5, and the iconic hole 9, a blind shot across the historic Fort – a true links-style gem. The back nine is longer and includes two exceptional par 5s at holes 11 and 13. A closing sequence of five par 4s snakes through tree-lined corridors, testing precision and finesse until the very end.

Despite its modest yardage by modern standards, Circolo Golf Venezia proves that finesse, not force, wins the game.

Then, just steps from the bustling crowds of Piazza San Marco, a hidden treasure awaits: the WWF-protected Oasis of the Alberoni Dunes. This biodiverse haven stretches along the course’s edges and features a rare sequence of evolving dunes—from embryonic to stabilized forms—culminating in a serene pine forest born from postwar reforestation.

The landscape flourished after the 1872 construction of the Malamocco jetty, which shaped a unique ecosystem where plants like the sparto grass play a vital role in dune stability with their deep, sand-binding roots. Alongside the course, golfers will glimpse native vegetation like stone pines, hornbeams, and white poplars. The course is alive with the sounds and sights of nature. Ducks wander near the clubhouse, while herons, pheasants, and even the elusive Kentish plover may appear along the fairways.

Even the great Johann Wolfgang von Goethe was mesmerized by this corner of the world. During his Italian journey, he wrote of the dunes’ unique vegetation: “I found plants that were at once fleshy and strong, succulent and tough, like those of the Alps… It’s clear that the ancient salt of the sandy soil and the briny air give them these properties.”

Here, golf becomes an immersion into a poetic landscape where history, nature, and passion converge.