Our friends at Rough Guides toiled with the classification conundrum when it comes to Italy. ‘Of all European countries, Italy is perhaps the hardest to classify. It is a modern, industrialized nation. It is the harbinger of style, its designers leading the way with each season’s fashions. But it is also, to an equal degree, a Mediterranean country, with all that that implies.’ When you think of Italy - you think of the wonderful landscapes around Tuscany & Lake Como, you think of the wine from the sun kissed south, you think of the Mediterranean culture that is evident much further north than the geography would suggest and ever increasingly you think of Italy as a golf destination.

A melting pot of cultures sitting pretty like a comfortable shoe in the Mediterranean, Italy promises great golf, great food and nation of gregarious people; its a promise few can resist. If you are planning to go on a golf tour to Italy, take some time to get the best out of your trip. There is a lot more golf to be played than you can pack into one golf vacation and you still get to see all the sites, eat pizza and pasta whilst drinking all the wine you can wish for.

Northern Italy, the region surrounded by the Alps is home to some fabulous courses that one must include in your visit. Three top lake side courses that immediately spring to mind are Arzaga Golf Club, Garda Golf Club and Iles des Borromees Golf Club.

Arzaga resort is in fact made up of two courses an 18-hole Jack Nicklaus design and a smaller 9-hole course designed by Gary Player. Overlooking the Lake Garda, Arzaga is famous for the huge bunkers and large open greens. It will set you back by EUR 115 on a weekend and EUR 88.50 on a weekday but the experience is worth it.

The Garda Golf Club is a 27-hole course set between Rocca di Manerba and Valtenesi hills, overlooking Lake Garda. A tough course, Garda GC was designed by Cotton, Pennick, Steel & Partners to spread over 110 hectares of land liberally peppered with cypress trees and olive groves. With some very interesting holes to play at affordable rates (EUR 70), Garda can make your golf holiday memorable.

Another fabulous course that you can try on your golf holiday is the Iles des Borromees Golf Club planted strategically in the middle of the Lake Maggiore area. Just 45 minutes from Milan, Borromees is an 18 - hole toughie designed by Marco Croze. Hazards are aplenty and all are naturally created making Iles de Borromees a test of a golf holiday makers skills. While you are at Borromees take a visit to The Alpino, Italys first course and play one of the most scenic courses the country has to offer. Another interesting course in the northern part of Italy is the Golf Club de Castelconturbia a mouthful when spoken and when played.

Other courses and this may need you to take more than one golf vacations to Italy that no self respecting golf holiday can drop are the Golf Club Trieste with a charming sea view and Golf & Country Club Travisio, designed by Graham Cooke. Add to the list the 1993 Italian Womens Open site Golf Club Lignano and the parkland style Golf Club Castel DAviano located in Villa Poliicreti and your first round of golf travel to Italy would start looking a little tasty.