The golf course of Rapallo Golf and Tennis Club
The golf course of Rapallo Golf and Tennis Club is very technical and is appreciated by both the very strong player and the novice
THE GOLF AND TENNIS COURSE OF RAPALLO
A technical excellence within the City of Rapallo
The course, measuring 45 hectares and located in the center of the city, does not have a significant length from a technical point of view. Proof of this is given by PAR 70, with only two PAR 5, but this lack is amply repaired by the small greens which are well protected by numerous bunkers that surround them. The narrow fairways and the thick and tall plating which run along all the roughs, make it particularly insidious, already from the tee-shot, but at the same time extremely fascinating.
It is a very technical course which manages to defend itself from very low scores (to date, the course record is still today 63) and it is not particularly tiring; even for this reason both the very strong player and the beginners can enjoy this course.
The first nine holes, the historical ones of 1929, designed by Engineer Maffei, are a celebration of plants of rare beauty and prestige. The peculiarity of the other nine holes, made by Architect Migliorini at the end of the 1970s, is undoubtedly the Monastery of Valle Christi, in addition with the two dog-legs that welcome the holes 10 and 11.
During the years, the course has needed important maintenance work in order to keep the agronomic level live up to expectations of its frequenters. An important restyling was carried out in the 1990s on many holes of the course by Architect Cabell B. Robinson, while more recent is the new design of holes 5 and 6 signed by Costantino Rocca on a project by Fulvio Bani.
The driving range, placed close to the hole 1, offers 12 covered tees and 10 uncovered; there is a practice putting green near the green of hole 18, two approach areas and putting green, one in the middle of hole 2 and the other near the monastery of Valle Christi.
The Club makes use of the collaboration of four Professionals certified by the National School. The team is of a high standard and meets the needs of all types of players.
HOLE 1
Par 4 - Hcp 15 - Distances a 260 Mt a 250 Mt a 234 Mt a 229 Mt a 219 Mt a 209 Mt
It is a hole straight but with a particularly delicate tee-shot as it is closed by dense vegetation. A ditch in rough on the left does not forgive shots with too much draw. The very small green is defended by three bunkers and by the out of bounds both on the right and on the left.
HOLE 2
Par 5 - Hcp 9 - Distances a 510 Mt a 462 Mt a 449 Mt a 449 Mt a 445 Mt a 395 Mt
It is a quite challenging dog-leg par 5 on the right, where it is mandatory to hit the track both with the tee-shot (pay attention to the out on the left and right), and with the second shot (out on the right). The green, reachable with the third shot, is protected by three bunkers and does not have particular slopes. To warn the players who practice, the bell placed at the height of the bridge must be ringed.
HOLE 3
Par 4 - Hcp 3 - Distances a 356 Mt a 346 Mt a 325 Mt a 321 Mt a 315 Mt a 268 Mt
It is a rather delicate hole: slightly dog-leg to the right, with the out of bounds on the right and a very wide frontal water obstacle, which not all players are able to drive the ball with the second shot. The small and very steep green is elevated and well defended by the dense vegetation of the right.
HOLE 4
Par 3 - Hcp 13 - Distances a 173 Mt a 147 Mt a 124 Mt a 121 Mt a 113 Mt a 99 Mt
It is a medium-length Par 3 with an elevated back-tee, flanked on then right by the Boat stream which indicated the out of bounds. The wide green with a small step in the centre is defended by three bunkers.
HOLE 5
Par 4 - Hcp 11 - Distances a 295 Mt a 288 Mt a 274 Mt a 283 Mt a 274 Mt a 240 Mt
It is a hole redesigned by Costantino Rocca. It is a delicate Par 4, not so much for its length, but for the three bunkers to avoid. Out on the right and obstacle on the left, green on three levels well defended by two bunkers.
HOLE 6
Par 4 - Hcp 7 - Distances a 289 Mt a 279 Mt a 252 Mt a 255 Mt a 246 Mt a 236 Mt
It is a Par 4 with a challenging tee-shot, given the presence of numerous rough plants on the right, of a bunker which is 50 meters from the green and the out of bounds that runs along all the left side of the fairway. The green, defended by two bunkers, on several levels, allows the possibility of having very challenging flags. The restyling of the hole was curated by Costantino Rocca.
HOLE 7
Par 5 - Hcp 17 - Distances a 416 Mt a 405 Mt a 362 Mt a 386 Mt a 362 Mt a 339 Mt
Signature Hole of the Club for the presence behind the green of the Monastery of Valle Christi, beautiful Romantic building of 1200. The restyling was curated by Cabell B. Robinson. Par 5 hole easily reached in two shots for players with the lowest handicap. All the others have to consider this hole as relatively easy, but with some pitfalls represented by the presence of a water obstacle and about 260 meters from the tee and for the numerous bunkers on the right of the fairway. The small Green, on two levels, is defended in the entrance by a large central bunker.
HOLE 8
Par 4 - Hcp 1 - Distances a 367 Mt a 352 Mt a 323 Mt a 323 Mt a 318 Mt a 273 Mt
Long very delicate Par 4: it is an accentuated dog-leg on the right with a greatly elevated green. The tall pine forest on the right requires careful positioning of the drive. In fact, only from the left of the fairway it is possible to reach the green, defended by two bunkers on the left side and by another longer one that wraps around the rear right part.
HOLE 9
Par 3 - Hcp 5 - Distances a 152 Mt a 145 Mt a 134 Mt a 139 Mt a 124 Mt a 124 Mt
It is a challenging medium-length Par 3 characterized by the elevated green, from which you can enjoy a panoramic view of large part of the course. Four bunkers, of which one in grass, defend the green structured on two levels. The error on the left of the green is very penalizing, an area from which recovery is difficult.
HOLE 10
Par 4 - Hcp 2 - Distances a 382 Mt a 364 Mt a 330 Mt a 336 Mt a 321 Mt a 295 Mt
It is a very delicate hole with the fairway that bends to the left, where there is also an internal out that follows the whole hole. Long players can partially cut the dog-leg by pulling the tee-shot over the left trees. Everyone else has to be content with placing the tee-shot on the right and then playing a long shot towards the green. The green is elevated and well defended by three bunkers and the out of bonds right behind.
HOLE 11
Par 4 - Hcp 6 - Distances a 385 Mt a 372 Mt a 319 Mt a 339 Mt a 309 Mt a 300 Mt
It is a very challenging hole characterized by a dog-leg on the right that requires a long and well-placed drive on the left to be able to easily play the second shot. The most powerful players can cut the corner to the right by the tee-shot over the vegetation. The green, defended by two very deep bunkers, has a rise in the center.
HOLE 12
Par 4 - Hcp 10 - Distances a 390 Mt a 352 Mt a 313 Mt a 319 Mt a 300 Mt a 284 Mt
It is a hole with an elevated tee. It becomes much more challenging by playing from the men's back-tee. The green on two levels is defended by a big bunker on the left and one on the right. Another bunker ten meters from the green penalizes the second shot that is too short and out of line.
HOLE 13
Par 4 - Hcp 14 - Distances a 310 Mt a 299 Mt a 250 Mt a 283 Mt a 250 Mt a 230 Mt
It is a hole designed by Cabell B. Robinson. It is an uphill Par 4 with very deep elevated green defended by three bunkers. Other bunkers placed on the sides of the fairway at the halfway point, make the first shot delicate.
HOLE 14
Par 4 - Hcp 18 - Distances a 307 Mt a 307 Mt a 270 Mt a 270 Mt a 270 Mt a 243 Mt
It is a hole slightly dog-leg with a strongly elevated tee. On the right two bunkers at the halfway point and the out penalize the slices. The green, elevated too, is defended by two bunkers and has a steep slope.
HOLE 15
Par 3 - Hcp 8 - Distances a 184 Mt a 175 Mt a 165 Mt a 165 Mt a 159 Mt a 159 Mt
It is a long Par 3 with an elevated tee under which a water barrier flows. The green, despite the length required for the tee shot, is defended by three bunkers and groups of trees surrounding it on the sides and bottom.
HOLE 16
Par 4 - Hcp 16 - Distances a 286 Mt a 275 Mt a 251 Mt a 254 Mt a 247 Mt a 212 Mt
It is a hole designed by Cabell B. Robinson, extremely technical, characterized by a frontal water barrier 100 meters from the tee and a lateral water obstacle to the left of the fairway. The same stream re-enters and cuts the fairway twice: 200 meters from the tee and the second just under the green. A large bunker on the right makes tee shot even more difficult. The green, wide and with different slopes, is elevated and defended on the left by a bunker and the frontal water barrier.
HOLE 17
Par 4 - Hcp 12 - Distances a 263 Mt a 253 Mt a 239 Mt a 235 Mt a 225 Mt a 190 Mt
It is a very narrow Par 4 dog-leg to the right with a lateral water barrier that flows on the left along the entire hole and a thick wood on the right that does not forgive the hits with the slice. The elevated green is defended by a large, extremely deep central bunker.
HOLE 18
Par 3 - Hcp 4 - Distances a 214 Mt a 195 Mt a 185 Mt a 185 Mt a 174 Mt a 174 Mt
It is a long Par 3 that crosses the driving range. The tee is slightly elevated. There is also an out that runs all along the right side of the driving range of the hole and punishes the slice on the tee-shot. On the left pay attention to the out positioned at the height of the hole. The green is protected by two bunkers and a particularly tall and dense tree on the right.
