THE COURSE
BY JOHN DERING HARRIS
18 HOLES
THE COURSE
BY JOHN DERING HARRIS
18 HOLES
THE COURSE
BY JOHN DERING HARRIS
18 HOLES
THE COURSE
BY JOHN DERING HARRIS
Albarella Golf Links is known all over the world as ‘the golf course born of the sea’.
Designed by the English architect John Dering Harris, it covers 70 hectares of land between the sea and the lagoon of the Po Delta Natural Park, in an 18-hole course characterized by a series of obstacles of water and sand, that put a strain on the skill of the players with dunes, lakes and wild olive trees.
It was 1972 when Harris devised this path, called 'sea links', by extracting over two million cubic meters of sand from the sea. This process has allowed to obtain an optimal soil drainage in order to ensure the game even in the wetter and rainy seasons.
“I will draw 18 holes near the beach and I will recall the style of the classic Scottish links, the tracks built near the sea that have made the history of golf. I will build a path that will marry the best technique to a wonderful landscape. Behold, Scotland with Mediterranean climate" he declared.
And so he did, creating a perfect fusion between the classic British courses and the breathtaking scenery of the Venetian lagoon, where today live several species of wild animals, including fallow deers, hares and pheasants. Here the sea breeze accompanies every swing wrapping the athletes with the typical scents of the beach, giving that extra touch of difficulty to a match and making the challenge even more interesting.
Tee |
Par |
CR |
Slope |
Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
WHITE (men) |
72 |
72 |
131 |
6130 m |
YELLOW (men) |
72 |
70.5 |
118 |
5817 m |
BLACK (women) |
72 |
73.8 |
125 |
5376 m |
RED (women) |
72 |
72.5 |
121 |
5176 m |
Very long hole with a big bunker of the right side of the fairway. The green is well guarded by two bunkers.
390 | 370 | 340 | 358 | 350 | 322 |
The play takes place between hills covered by thick trees that, with the large bunkers, make the hole particularly delicate.
467 | 369 | 339 | 336 | 327 | 301 |
Dogleg right toward the sea, the fairway is guarded by two big bunkers and the approach to the raised green is complicated by the sea wind effect.
330 | 312 |
287 | 296 | 287 | 264 |
Perhaps the most beautiful hole of the whole course, a very long par 5 with raised tee box on sea view, which wraps almost completely the big lake on the right and skirts on the left the embankment of Porto Levante. Each shot is strongly conditioned by these elements; the green, defended by two bunkers, makes the approach very delicate.
531 | 515 |
474 | 429 | 418 | 384 |
A spectacular hole with the green completely surrounded by the lake and therefore particularly challenging, especially when the pin is positioned on the right side.
134 | 123 |
113 | 114 | 110 | 101 |
Very interesting hole with the drive conditioned by the lake that remains on the right and sveral bunkers on the left; the green is very well defended.
370 | 353 |
325 | 329 | 316 | 291 |
Another long par 4 with a slight dogleg on the right and a very large green defended by two huge bunkers, one on the right side and one on the left.
360 | 347 |
319 | 329 | 320 | 294 |
A very delicate hole for the presence of the lake on the left and in front, with a large green defended by bunkers on both sides.
142 | 133 |
122 | 127 | 120 | 110 |
Hole where the show is guaranteed, with a well defended green and several bunkers along the way.
436 | 419 |
385 | 397 | 384 | 353 |
A challenging drive, with a lake on the right and out of bound on the left side; the large green is realtively easy to catch.
370 | 350 |
322 | 330 | 319 | 293 |
A short but challenging hole, toughened by the presence of several bunkers on the left side and around green.
243 | 235 |
216 | 224 | 220 | 202 |
A very interesting and delicate hole, with a two-tiers green defended by two bunkers on the right side and guarded by a lake on rear and left side.
440 | 423 |
389 | 402 | 387 | 356 |
This is an extremely delicate hole that wraps almost entirely the lake, allowing recoveries but also presenting great risks to the player.
364 | 348 |
320 | 308 | 290 | 267 |
Hole that heads towards the sea and therefore the play is influenced a lot by the wind. The green is very well defended green and hard to catch, with the shot that requires a low iron or even a wood.
220 | 202 |
186 | 189 | 176 | 162 |
A very long hole with a large bunker to the right at driving height. The entire route is closed between dunes covered with trees; the green is difende by two bunkers on the sides.
500 | 478 |
440 | 430 | 419 | 385 |
Hole along the sea with green almost straddling the dune, made very delicate by the presence of two large bunkers.
202 | 175 |
161 | 157 | 145 | 133 |
Another hole that runs parallel to the beach with bunkers on the right and the dune on the left; the green is a little raised, with a bunker to close the access on the right side.
351 | 341 |
314 | 315 | 300 | 276 |
The final hole, very scenic with a raised tee-box on sea view; the small size of the green, well defended, makes the approach challenging.
347 | 324 |
298 | 306 | 288 | 265 |