The Middle East is home to some of the world’s most spectacular golf courses, but it’s also a gateway to new adventures. With several world-class airports at our disposal, golfers can easily embark on short flights to explore fresh destinations. Will Kent recently did just that as he jetted off to Antognolla Resort and Residences in Italy to uncover one of Europe’s best-kept golfing secrets.
I love living in Dubai, but summer here can feel like living in a giant sauna. Walking out the front door into the usual wave of heat is more of a morning jolt than a triple espresso. It was time for an escape – and my golf clubs were coming with me.
This time the chosen destination was Perugia, a small city just two hours from Rome by car. It’s home to the world-class Antognolla golf course which was designed by Robert Trent Jones Jr, and is well-known for being as spectacular as it is challenging. Despite being deep in the Italian countryside, it’s surprisingly accessible as there’s an airport nearby which is where I flew into.
The course itself surrounds a stunning 12th century castle which is currently being transformed into a luxury Six Senses resort, featuring an upscale hotel, residences, and huge spa.
You can view this castle from nearly every hole, and it offers an incredibly unique view. Lining your tee shot up with a medieval building in the distance is not something many of us do very often, and a welcome change from the usual cranes along our eyeline in Dubai.
Thoughts from an Italian great
“A golf course like this with the upcoming resort is not easy to find,” said Costantino Rocca, the resort’s ambassador who was present during my trip to the venue. “It’s special, and in nature like this it’s important to create a nice experience for everyone.
“I hope more people come here because this region is fantastic, for food, for golf, for everything. When you play on this course you can see the castle, vineyards and all the nature. It’s beautiful.”
It’s hard to disagree with Rocca, an icon of European golf and one of the only players to ever beat Tiger Woods in a Ryder Cup. The Italian also played over 500 times on the DP World Tour, so it’s safe to say he knows what a good course looks like.
“I have agreed to become an ambassador of this big project because in Italy we need something like this,” he continued. “It started back in 2018 with the renovation of the golf course which is now fantastic, and then new buildings and the beautiful castle, and we hope to bring more people here.
“The course is varied with short and long holes, water near to the green, water near to the tee shot. I think it’s a very good composite course which is varied with dog legs, uphill and downhill holes. It’s really interesting.”
My playing experience
After playing the course twice myself, I can’t agree more with the five-time DP World Tour winner. I loved the course, going on to shoot back-to-back 85s which, for me as a mid-handicapper, is a great score on a layout such as this. Every single hole is very different, and it asks so many questions of you as a player. You would definitely not get bored if you played at Antognolla every day.
All four of the par-threes play downhill to varying levels, while the mountainous terrain offers a great challenge throughout all 18 holes. Flat lies are hard to come by, and the water hazards are strategically placed. The par-five dog leg eighth hole is also one of the most distinctive holes of golf I’ve ever played, while I would say the fifth is my favourite. I also really enjoyed the opening hole with the forest and hills as the background for the first tee shot.
Away from the course, there’s a grass driving range, a practice putting and chipping green along with a delightfully quaint restaurant which has a superb menu and even better service. Once the new residences are finished in 2026, this will undoubtedly be one of the leading golf venues in mainland Europe.
“We very much welcome people from the UAE and around the world to come and play at Antognolla Golf ,” said César Burguiere, the Director of Golf at Antognolla. “Italy is well known for culture, gastronomy, and now golf courses.
“One of the issues that Italy has had in the past is people would never think about going to Italy to play golf. But things have changed. Not least because of the Ryder Cup, which helped a lot in drawing attention to Italy as golf destination. It’s very encouraging, and our future guests from the UAE and globally will now find international standards here and a breathtaking view on the 12th century castle, as an icing on the cake
The future is indeed bright for Italian golf. The recent Ryder Cup held at Marco Simone generated a €262 million in economic activity – a record for a Ryder Cup and an 11% increase on 2018 in Paris. It’s a sign of things to come.
But as I packed up my clubs and prepared to leave Antognolla, I couldn’t help but reflect on the seamless blend of history, natural beauty, and challenging golf that this unique destination offers. It’s clear that Italy is rapidly becoming a must-visit for golf enthusiasts, and Antognolla, with its rich heritage and world-class facilities, is poised to be a jewel in the crown.
How do I get there?
Due to Perugia’s central location, you are spoilt for choice with regards to flight options. If you don’t mind a short layover in a destination like Budapest, you can fly from the UAE to Perugia for as little as 500 AED one way with a budget airline.
However, if you’d rather a direct flight, you can fly to Rome or Florence and then drive two hours to the resort. Abu Dhabi to Rome flying with Wizzair can be as little as 300 AED on the correct day, so it’s very affordable.
If you’re flying from Europe, then a direct flight to Perugia’s small airport then becomes possible. I flew from London Stansted with Ryanair, and within five minutes of getting off the plane I was through to the easily-located car hire. It was one of the least painful airport experiences I’ve ever had.
Where should I stay?
If you’re eager to head to Antognolla now to get your fix of golfing action, then there’s an abundance of hotel options in the city all for a reasonable price. I stayed at the four-star Sangallo Palace Hotel which was great. It was located just a short walk from the impressive medieval city, while it was a 30-minute drive to the course.
However, it could be worth delaying – or planning a second trip – to enjoy the upcoming upscale Six Senses resort where there will be 71 guest rooms and 17 branded residences right on the doorstep of the golf course. It’s set to be complete in 2026, and I was fortunate enough to have a tour of the area. Some truly spectacular views to say the least!
What can I expect to pay?
Green fees during the week are currently priced at €90 (360 AED), while at the weekend they rise to €100 (400 AED). I’m told that they’ll be increasing as the developments continue to progress, so if you want to experience the course for cheap then be quick.
Buggy hire is extra and while not essential, it’s a tough walk in places as there are some holes with big elevation changes. However, if you’re bored of the enforced buggy system in the UAE then you may like the walk regardless of the terrain.
Food in the on-site La Boiola restaurant ranges around €20 (80 AED) per dish while hotel prices are reasonable in the surrounding area and are in line with most European cities. All in all, it’s a destination that should not break the bank while still providing a fantastic and enjoyable golf trip.
What else should I know?
I was surprised to see that the buggies didn’t offer a GPS system, so be sure to bring your range finder. Or, use the yardage book which is provided by the club, which is what I did. I actually prefer this method of playing golf, but this is just to pre-warn you in case you plan to hire a buggy.
Also, the surrounding vineyards and wineries are well worth a visit after your round. I took a short trip to Vineria del Carmine where several activities are on offer, from wine tasting to cooking classes. I highly recommend a visit if you have time as this venue is just a 10-minute drive away.
Can Antognolla be compared to any UAE courses?
The only similarity I could find after 36 holes was the brilliant course condition as Antognolla was pristine, and it rivals any Dubai venue for its’ level of upkeep. But what about the actual design of the course?
“Some of the hole designs, maybe they are similar, but the course in general, not really,” replied Rocca. “Here in Antognolla, it’s not flat, this is the difference to Dubai. It’s challenging for this reason.
“For example, if you go to Scotland or Dubai, there are a lot of different characteristics with their golf courses. It’s the same here at Antognolla, it’s unique.
“You can play well golf, but if you never play up or downhill, then you don’t improve as much. It’s trickier to card a good score on a course with a lot of terrain.”
