The par 72 course was designed by Robert Trent Jones Snr and is regarded as one of his best pieces of work. The course is nestled among trees, streams, small lakes and gentle undulations with Mount Rosa in the background.
The first hole is a long, testing par five which dog-legs to the right down a tree lined fairway to a green protected by two bunkers. On the part three fourth hole players face a testing tee shot from an elevated tee to a small green, guarded by water in the front and to the right. Water comes into play on eight holes around the course.
An iron or three wood is all that is needed off the tee on the 342 metre fifth hole to avoid bringing the stream that crosses the fairway into play. The green at the par five eighth hole is protected by a lake and water again comes into play on the tee shot on the long ninth.
Panoramic views of Mount Rosa and an island green welcome players at the 348 metre 16th hole. A drive up the left hand side of the fairway, lined with high trees, is needed on the 18th to give the best line in to the elevated green.
Bernhard Langer won the title at Gardagolf, Brescia. He sealed a superb comeback when he shot a course record 64 in the final round to beat the overnight leader José Maria Olazábal by one shot. Langer was three behind starting the last round but scored nine birdies, four of them in the last five holes to edge the Spaniard into second place.
Course Record: 66(-6) held by Costantino Rocca and José Maria Olazábal (in the 4th round, Lancia Martini Italian Open, 1991)
Location: 11 miles North of Novara
