Milan is rarely sold as a golf city, yet within an hour of the Duomo there are clubs that have hosted the Italian Open many times, a 27 hole layout inside a walled royal park, and a Pete Dye course among the Franciacorta vineyards. The catch is access: several are member clubs with weekend restrictions and handicap limits. This guide covers seven courses, their visitor rules, drive times and where to stay with a non-golfing partner.
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Quick answer: golf near Milan
- Best course overall: Circolo Golf Villa d’Este in Montorfano, which the club says Leading Courses ranks first in Italy, and which celebrates 100 years in 2026.
- Best for a resort stay: Franciacorta Golf Club, paired with L’Albereta in Erbusco and a few wine tastings.
- Best for high handicappers or a short round: the 9 hole par 27 Executive course at Le Rovedine, about 20 to 30 minutes from the centre.
- Best base: central Milan for Monza, Molinetto and Le Rovedine; Cernobbio on Lake Como for Villa d’Este and Barlassina.
- Best months: April to June, then September and October.
For the wider picture, see our hub on the best golf resorts and golf hotels in Italy. Lake Como’s clubs, such as Menaggio and Monticello, have their own guide to golf courses on Lake Como.
Check prices and availability
Milan prices jump during Design Week and the fashion weeks, which overlap with the best golf months.
The best golf courses near Milan
Drive times are estimates from central Milan in normal traffic; routes north are slow at rush hour. Green fees appear only where the club publishes them itself.
Golf Club Milano, Monza park
The club opened in 1928 inside the Parco di Monza, a walled royal park of close to 700 hectares north of the city. It grew from 9 to 27 holes by 1958, according to FAI, the Italian heritage trust. The designer is James Peter Gannon; the Lombardy tourism portal also names Cecil Blandford alongside him. The championship 18 is par 72 and measures about 6,400 metres from the back tees, with a forward tee of around 5,500 metres. Expect flat parkland golf between mature trees. The club has hosted the Open d’Italia nine times and has a pool and spa.
Visitors: the club’s own site could not be checked. Golf directories report a handicap limit of 36 with a certificate from your home club, unaccompanied visitors welcome Tuesday to Friday, and weekends and holidays reserved for guests of members. The Lombardy portal lists the season as February to December and Mondays as the closing day, except bank holiday Mondays. Electric carts are reported. Green fee: check with the club.
Distance: about 20 km from central Milan, roughly 30 to 45 minutes; Linate about 35 minutes; Malpensa around 45 to 60 minutes.
Circolo Golf Villa d’Este, Montorfano
Founded in 1926 and designed by Peter Gannon, Villa d’Este sits among more than 30,000 pines, chestnuts and birches above the small Lake Montorfano. The club gives the length as 5,760 metres; directories list the red tees at about 4,890 metres and the par as 69. Short on paper but narrow and hilly, it holds the Italian record for Open d’Italia editions hosted, with twelve. It turns 100 in 2026.
Visitors: tee times are bookable online through the club’s website. Directories report a handicap limit of 54 and electric carts. On the closing day our research turned up contradictory information: some sources say the club is closed on Tuesdays, while a golf directory says the course is open every day and only the restaurant closes on Tuesdays. It was not clear to us which applies, so check with the club. Green fee: check with the club. Hotels nearby are in our golf hotels on Lake Como.
Distance: about 50 to 60 minutes from central Milan; Malpensa around 45 to 50 minutes; Cernobbio about 25 minutes.
Barlassina Country Club, Birago di Camnago
North of Milan in the Groane park, Barlassina was long one of Italy’s few private clubs. The original design is credited to John S.F. Morrison, assisted by Donald Harradine, with later work by John D. Harris and Marco Croze. The founding year is unclear: sources we checked give 1954, 1956 and 1958, so we cannot state it with confidence. The 18 holes are par 72 and about 6,135 metres from the back. The club’s hole guide describes woodland, tight doglegs and well guarded, often elevated greens, and calls the 4th, a dogleg left with woods and a ditch, the hardest hole.
Visitors: the club lists online tee time booking and opening hours of Tuesday to Sunday, 8:30 to 18:00, so it is closed on Mondays. The Lombardy portal mentions a winter break from 20 December to 20 January. Handicap rules, weekend access, buggies and green fees: check with the club.
Distance: about 25 km north of central Milan, roughly 35 to 45 minutes; Malpensa around 40 minutes.
Molinetto Country Club, Cernusco sul Naviglio
On the eastern edge of the city, Molinetto opened in 1982 and is par 71, about 5,914 metres from the white tees and 5,004 metres from the red. The designer is not published.
Visitors: the club’s regulations reserve the course for players with a handicap and ask members of other clubs to show their federation card. Members cannot invite guests on Saturdays and Sundays between 14:00 and 19:00, and singles and two-balls are not allowed at weekends unless the secretary agrees. The club is closed on Mondays. Its current rate card, which does not state a year, lists 18 holes at 65 euros on weekdays and 80 euros at weekends in high season (1 March to 31 October), and a golf car at 50 euros for 18 holes for guests.
Distance: about 15 km from central Milan, roughly 25 to 35 minutes; Linate around 15 to 20 minutes.
Le Rovedine, Noverasco di Opera
The closest course to the city, just south of Milan, Le Rovedine opened in 1978 according to golf directories. The 18 hole championship course is par 72, about 6,259 metres from the white tees and 5,332 metres from the red. The designer is not published. A 9 hole Executive course, par 27 and only 836 metres, sits alongside.
Visitors: the club’s current rate card, without a year, lists 18 holes at 65 euros on weekdays and 100 euros at weekends and holidays, and the Executive at 30 and 45 euros. A golf car costs 40 euros for 18 holes. Handicap rules for each course, and any closing day: check with the club.
Distance: about 10 km from the centre, 20 to 30 minutes; Linate around 20 minutes.
Circolo Golf Villa Paradiso, Cornate d’Adda
Halfway between Milan and Bergamo, Villa Paradiso was designed by Franco Piras on a former quarry inside the Adda Nord regional park. It is par 72, with a separate 9 hole course of par 3s. Five lakes shape the strategy, notably at the 8th, a long par 4 with water on drive and approach. Our research turned up contradictory information on the opening year (2001 or 2002) and on the back tee length (between about 6,220 and 6,600 metres), so check with the club if those details matter to you.
Visitors: a golf travel operator reports a handicap limit of 36 and Mondays as the closing day; electric carts are listed for hire. The club’s own site could not be checked, so confirm access rules and green fees with the club.
Distance: roughly 40 to 50 minutes from central Milan; Bergamo airport around 30 minutes.
Franciacorta Golf Club, Corte Franca
The most complete golf stop east of Milan has 27 holes in three loops named after Franciacorta wine styles. Brut and Satèn, the original 18 by Pete Dye with Marco Croze, opened in 1986; Rosè, by Fulvio Bani, followed in 2009. The club’s site lists Brut at par 36 and 3,072 metres and Satèn at par 36 and 3,071 metres, so the classic 18 is par 72 and just over 6,140 metres from the back. (One tourism portal gives Brut as par 37; the club’s own figure is used here.) Rosè is a par 34 of 2,765 metres. Satèn has an island green at the 2nd.
Visitors: the club’s current rate card, last updated in 2025 and without a stated year, lists 18 holes at 80 euros on weekdays and 105 euros at weekends from 1 March to 31 October, and a golf car at 50 euros for 18 holes. Handicap limit and closing day: check with the club.
Distance: about 75 to 80 km from Milan, roughly an hour or more; Bergamo airport around 30 minutes; Erbusco around 10 minutes.
Golf near Milan compared
| Course | Area | Holes / par | Best for | Drive from central Milan |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Golf Club Milano | Monza park | 27 / 18 hole par 72 | Historic parkland, weekday rounds | 30 to 45 min |
| Villa d’Este | Montorfano, Como | 18 / par 69 | Golf heritage, Lake Como stay | 50 to 60 min |
| Barlassina | Groane park | 18 / par 72 | Woodland golf, low handicaps | 35 to 45 min |
| Molinetto | Cernusco sul Naviglio | 18 / par 71 | A round near Linate | 25 to 35 min |
| Le Rovedine | Noverasco di Opera | 18 par 72 + 9 hole par 27 | Short rounds, beginners | 20 to 30 min |
| Villa Paradiso | Cornate d’Adda | 18 par 72 + 9 par 3s | Modern water golf | 40 to 50 min |
| Franciacorta Golf Club | Corte Franca | 27 / 18 hole par 72 | Golf and wine weekend | 60 to 75 min |
How to plan a golf trip around Milan
Best months and weather. April to June and September to October bring the most comfortable conditions. July and August are hot and humid, so book early tee times. Winter mornings can be foggy, and some clubs take a seasonal break.
Transfers with clubs. Beyond Le Rovedine and Molinetto, hire a car with a large boot or book a private driver. Our Italy travel planner covers car hire and airport transfers.
Booking tee times. Villa d’Este and Barlassina take online bookings through their websites. Elsewhere, contact the secretary a few days ahead with your handicap certificate. Plan rounds for Tuesday to Friday.
Dress code. Molinetto’s published rules are typical: no jeans, tracksuits, tank tops, T-shirts or hoodies; collared shirts and knee-length shorts are fine; soft spikes only.
Days off the course. Pair Franciacorta Golf Club with our Franciacorta wine tours from Milan and Lake Iseo. For a city day, our guide to the best museums and sights in Milan covers the Last Supper and the Duomo rooftops, and a partner who prefers a racket to a club will find options in our guide to tennis courts in Milan.
Charlotte’s tip: split the week between Milan and the lake
Spend three nights in Milan and play Monza and Le Rovedine midweek, then move to Cernobbio for Villa d’Este and Barlassina. Weekday rounds avoid member restrictions, and a non-golfing partner gets both city and lake.
Where to stay for golf near Milan
Mandarin Oriental, Milan (Milan)
A 104 room hotel in four 18th century buildings on Via Andegari, around five minutes’ walk from La Scala. Antonio Guida’s Seta holds two Michelin stars, and there is an indoor pool, a spa and a 24 hour fitness centre. Le Rovedine is roughly 20 to 30 minutes away, Molinetto and Monza 30 to 45 minutes, traffic permitting. Ask the hotel about transfers and club storage.
Best for: couples who want golf in the morning and a starred dinner at night.
Check rates at Mandarin Oriental, Milan
Bulgari Hotel Milano (Milan)
At the end of a private street between Brera and the fashion district, the Bulgari has 61 rooms, 17 of them suites, about an acre of garden and a mosaic pool. Allow around 30 to 45 minutes to Monza park; ask the hotel about golf transfers.
Best for: a quiet garden after a round in Monza park.
Check rates at Bulgari Hotel Milano
Villa d’Este (Cernobbio)
The grand hotel on Lake Como has regained majority ownership of the golf club and offers golf experiences through Guest Relations, such as a morning nine with lunch. The course is about 25 minutes away and Barlassina roughly 40. Transfers are charged, so ask the hotel for rates. The hotel is seasonal and closes in winter. See our full Villa d’Este review.
Best for: golfers who want the most golf-focused stay within reach of Milan.
L’Albereta (Erbusco)
A Relais & Châteaux villa in the Bellavista vineyards, with 53 rooms and suites, a Chenot spa and two pools. Franciacorta Golf Club lists L’Albereta as an affiliated hotel and is around 10 minutes away by car. The package on the club’s site dates from 2020, so ask the hotel about 2026. Read our L’Albereta review.
Best for: a golf, spa and wine weekend.
Check prices and availability
Staying in the city keeps Monza, Molinetto and Le Rovedine within an easy drive, with Lake Como and Franciacorta as day trips.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can visitors play Golf Club Milano at the weekend?
Directories report unaccompanied visitors Tuesday to Friday only, with weekends for members’ guests. Confirm with the club.
Is a handicap certificate needed to play near Milan?
For the 18 hole courses, yes: reported limits range from 36 to 54. Bring a certificate from your home club. The par 27 Executive at Le Rovedine is the gentlest option; check its entry rules with the club.
Which golf course is closest to central Milan?
Le Rovedine in Noverasco di Opera, about 10 km south of the centre, is the closest of the courses here, followed by Molinetto to the east, which is also the easiest from Linate.
Is Milan or Lake Como the better base for golf?
Milan suits Monza, Molinetto and Le Rovedine, plus culture and dining. Cernobbio suits Villa d’Este and the Como courses.
