..keep your head down..
When the Folgaria Golf course was built in the late 80s, I was just a child.
The driving range offered free golf lessons for children, and since it was only a few hundred meters from the hotel, I would cycle there every summer. My parents were busy at work, so it was a relief for them to know I was occupied elsewhere. The balls were dispensed by a large red machine that took square tokens. You would hang the bucket on the hook at the bottom, insert the token, and voilà: twenty-five balls ready for use. Once the tokens provided for the lesson were finished, the director, Mr. Capelli, allowed me to continue hitting balls for free, provided I went to collect them myself. At sunset, Monia would arrive; she was a few years older than me and would walk up and down with a special tool and a basket, collecting all the balls to refill the big red machine.
My teacher was Malcolm J. Harrison, a Scotsman living at the Aurora residence just 70 meters from our hotel. He became close friends with my father and my uncle Mauro, owner of the Ristorante alla Segheria; Malcolm was a regular there. I spent many hours with him on the practice field, and he taught me all the fundamentals of golf.
At the time, the cartoon "Tutti in campo con Lotti" (original title "Ashita Tenki ni Nāre") was airing on television. It further strengthened my passion for the sport because what Malcolm explained to me was exactly what Lotti did on TV. But I didn't have my own clubs yet and, being only a child, I had no opportunity to practice outside of lesson hours. So, I decided to build my first golf club: it was made from a broom handle and scraps of wood I collected in the garage. It was rudimentary, but it worked. Attached to the handle was a piece that could be described as a "tetragon"—a 3D right-angled triangle where the smaller rectangular face was the base and the wider, inclined surface was the clubface. It required a lot of maintenance.
Since I couldn't play the official holes of the Folgaria Golf Club (membership was required), I solved the problem by building my own course. When they cut the grass around the hotel, I dug a small hole and buried a large whiskey glass in it, just above the rim; that was the hole where the ball was supposed to end up. For the flag, I used a long branch with a ribbon tied to the top.
Hole no. 1 started behind the hotel and went towards what is now Maso Engher; hole no. 2 ran parallel back; hole no. 3 went towards the Aurora residence with a flag under the larches; and hole no. 4 returned near the start. My personal course was beautiful: 4 holes, Par 15. I don't think I ever finished a round at Par, even though I knew the course by heart.
My grandmother Tina, perhaps moved by my makeshift equipment, went to the Moda Sport store in Costa and bought me my first pitching wedge, which I still own today. In fact, I own all the clubs she bought me over time: after the pitch came the 8-iron, the 5-iron, and the 3-iron. As my range increased, the 5-wood and the driver (made of actual wood) arrived. The putter was the last addition; since the hotel had minigolf, I just borrowed one from there. Today, all those clubs are in the simulator room, in the little red Dunlop canvas bag.
Before that, my bag was another of my creations: a black garbage bag reinforced with string and cardboard to keep the opening circular. I was so proud of that bag; until then, I had to carry everything in my hands and pockets. When you're a child, everything is beautiful.
As I grew up, I was fortunately able to treat myself to more suitable equipment, which has remained the same for twenty years—forged steel irons are hard to break.
Golf has stayed with me ever since and has taught me a lot. As far as I know, it is the only sport where you must call penalties on yourself; you play against yourself, like a mirror. If you cheat, that is who you are.
Today, golf has changed and it isn't necessarily an expensive sport—it only is if you want it to be. I invite everyone to try it because there is nothing quite like it. To learn it, however, you need willpower; it is as mentally demanding as it is technically complex.
For enthusiasts
We have several solutions for those who, like us, love this sport. We cater to those who play on weekends to compete and those who wish to spend a few days enjoying the splendid Folgaria Golf Club when it is less crowded. The autumn months are the best; our course is open until October 31st.
As lifelong golfers, we strive to offer players an immersive experience not only on the course but also in the hotel.
We have golf-themed Suites, featuring frescoes by Gloria that recall the Scottish links or the futuristic style of Depero—the famous Futurist artist from Rovereto whom Gloria imitated in her art.
We offer stays with green fees included in the price; you can book your Golf Experience directly below:
Golf simulator
Our Hotel offers a highly accurate golf simulator. We have personally recreated the Folgaria Golf Course using LiDAR files; the course is faithfully reproduced with minimal margin of error. With this simulator, you can hit the ball against a special screen where the flight is reproduced in a virtual environment via an HD projector. You can play the full course, challenge other guests, or use the practice field. Once the club is selected, the sensors detect its speed, direction, and angle of impact, as well as the ball's speed, spin, and direction.
Video of the Folgaria course in digital format
With the golf simulator, you can challenge your friends in the evening or when the weather prevents outdoor play. In addition to receiving data on your swing, you can play on the most famous courses in the world—from St. Andrews and Pebble Beach to TPC Scottsdale—as well as our perfectly recreated Folgaria course.
Two players on Folgaria digital golf course
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