Verdura Resort – Heaven On Earth
The last time I went to the Verdura Resort in Sicily was back in 2019 and the experience awakened me to the quality of golf available in Italy. Due to adverse weather conditions I got to experience a composite course and see plans to open the new, completely re-designed East course. Fast forward to October 2021 and I was boarding a quick flight over with excitement to see what architect Kyle Phillips had put together.
The flight to Sicily, one of Italy’s 20 regions and one that ranks among its most significant in terms of history, culture, gastronomy and geographical landmarks, takes roughly three and a half hours. The best course of action would be to fly into Palermo Airport and then it is an hour and a half drive south to the resort which takes no time at all. Trust me, it is worth it too.
From the golf, to the hotel, to the climate, food, aura and just about everything else you can think of, Verdura ticks the box. I believe the sum of the parts add up to perhaps the best golf and leisure resort I’ve ever visited.
East Course
As a golf brand, let’s start there and given I had never played a completely re-designed golf course before, I shall begin with my thoughts on the East. Phillips, arguably the most celebrated modern golf course architect, took inspiration from Britain’s classic seaside holes and sought to offer players multiple lines of play whilst also dealing with new technology. As such he adjusted the seaside holes, refined the inland ones, added new bunkering which looks outstanding, and resurfaced all the greens. He also added elements to deal with flooding which decimated the course in 2018.
The result is absolutely excellent. The course combines strategy with stunning aesthetics well, with the latter being immediately apparent after a couple of holes. The manicured fairways and greens contrast well with the native grasses and the course has been inspired by links golf too with the use of minimal one-cut mowing. The tees and fairways flow into one another, creating a feel of openness and…
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