Best in class
The Verdura resort in south-west Sicily delivers two fine courses, with the recently upgraded East the star of the show
The East course at Verdura has undergone a renovation and redesign to further improve the golf offerings at this coastal resort in south-west Sicily. The course re-opened this autumn after the original architect, Kyle Phillips, returned to take advantage of some new opportunities that had opened up on the site.
Part of his redesign has been the creation of a spectacular new hole, the 9th. This par 4 is a slightly right-turning dogleg running along the coastline. The green, which almost seems to be floating on the edge of the water, is reached by crossing an inlet that runs across the putting surface’s front. This hole is both beautiful and dramatic; it is also testing when there is a sea breeze to contend with.
Phillips has been able to re-route some of the holes while repositioning some of the greens nearer to the sea. Phillips explains: “The drama of the coastline setting has been improved. That 9th hole is an example of what has happened and how we have managed to make a fantastic new hole. We are proud of what has been achieved.”
Moving some greens has brought another noticeable change, as Phillips explains: “One of the things that we didn’t have before, but we have now, is a double green, a bit like some of those huge greens at St Andrews. It will be the new 8th hole (par 5) and the new 10th hole (par 4) which will share a green.
Verdura Resort is part of Rocco Forte Hotels and a member of The
Leading Hotels of the World. “Sir Rocco is a golfer, and we were out there walking one day and we talked about doing it and he was excited about it,” Phillips says. “The green is absolutely massive and could be very interesting if you are putting on the wrong part.”
There are two 18-hole courses at Verdura and when the Sicilian Open was held here in 2012, it was played over a composite course using holes from both the East and West.
The recent redesign has also seen some holes swap course – what was formerly the 18th on the East is now the 14th on the West, for example.
Three times the European Tour came here to play the Sicilian Open, each tournament came to a tense climax – in 2012 Thorbjorn Olesen won by a single stroke. In 2017 and 2018, the title was won after a play-off, with Alvaro Quiros and Joakim Lagergren the respective victors.
The other 18-hole course, the West, winds its way up through the estate on the front nine before making its way down to the Mediterranean with some exceptional ocean views along the way. The closing holes hug the coastline, but the coastline is what Verdura has a lot of – two kilometres of it in fact.
There is also a nine-hole par-3 course, complemented by outstanding practice facilities including Italy’s only European Tour-approved Performance Institute. At the golf academy, a team of Pga-qualified professionals teach beginners and experienced players.
There is also a junior academy where children are taught the necessary practical skills, including full swing, short game, putting and bunker play – as well as basic rules and etiquette.
The resort extends to 230 hectares and is a member of the exclusive European Tour Destinations network. It features 203 rooms and suites, all serving up a sea view.
Twenty new spacious private Rocco Forte Villas were added to this offering this spring, each with its own private swimming pool set in landscaped gardens and with panoramic views of the coast.
Ideal for multi-generational stays, these villas offer three or four bedrooms. Each one has been individually designed and styled by Olga Polizzi, director of design at Rocco Forte Hotels.
As well as outdoor activities such golf, walking, cycling and tennis on site, you can ride horses and race go-karts nearby. There is also a world-class spa offering a range of holistic therapies, a kids’ club and four restaurants with gourmet and casual-dining options. At the culinary school you can learn how to prepare Sicilian pizza and pasta at a cooking lesson while savouring the best regional wines under the tutelage of sommeliers.