Argentario is absolutely stunning

Tuscany has the courses to complement its beautiful scenery and weather

Argentario Resort Golf and Spa. Set in Tuscany, this is one resort that has impressed a vast corner of the golf community – and it’s easy to see why.

Tuscany, after all, is surely one of Italy’s most beautiful and talked about hotspots. In the cities of Florence, Siena and Lucca there are architectural masterpieces in almost every nook and cranny and thousands come from all over the world every year to witness it for themselves – now it is the turn of golfers to visit the region.

Argentario is home to a stunning, panoramic 18-hole championship course and a top-of-the-range golf academy, all overlooking Orbetello Lagoon (a mouth-watering nature reserve) and the Mediterranean greenery up to the Tyrrhenian Sea.

The course, which was designed by Italian golfer Baldovino Dassù, has its own microclimate, meaning golf is possible all year round.

Playing this course, though, requires both power and precision with the reward of exceptionally beautiful greens awaiting you at the end of each hole. Jose Maria Olazabal and  Manassero have been known to practice here, and have heaped praise on its quality.

Just last year, a notable European golf website listed Argentario inside the top ten of Europe’s Most Popular Golf Courses 2012, after asking participants in the survey to list their favourite three layouts.

The course is noted for its small greens, two of which dominate the sea and the lagoon, with one immersed in the Mediterranean vegetation and another with water hazards running alongside the greenside.

It has a link to Scotland, too, albeit a slightly tenuous one. The big-hitting Emanuele Canonica, winner of the Johnnie Walker Championship in Scotland in 2005, teaches in the academy and is available for lessons,Using the latest teaching technologies, Canonica and his team put their experience at the disposal of those who want to improve their game.

Outside of golf, Argentario Resort also has a spa, with the opportunity to get a relaxing treatment or simply use one of the range of other facilities. These include a heated indoor swimming pool, an outdoor pool, a fitness centre and areas for outdoor activities, such as tennis, jogging and football.

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