Ryder Cup History Just Outside Rome

As the host venue for the 2023 Ryder Cup, the Marco Simone Golf Club near Rome has become the focus of the global golf scene. For this major continental European event, the par-72 course underwent a comprehensive redesign and has been open for play in its current configuration since March 2021.

Anyone entering the course immediately senses the meticulous focus on this showdown among the world’s elite: A distinctive stadium-style layout offers excellent sightlines for spectators, while noticeable elevation changes make the holes feel significantly shorter or longer than the listed distances from the two regular tees—5,757 and 5,252 meters, respectively—would suggest.

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Front Nine: A Relaxed Start and the Lake on Holes 8 and 9

The front nine gets off to a relatively relaxed start, but by the time you reach hole 6 at the latest, the course makes its challenging nature clear: This Par-4, just 295 meters long, runs noticeably uphill to a plateau-like green that slopes steeply toward the front and to the sides.

The most challenging holes of the first half are holes 8 and 9, which wind around a picturesque lake. The 421-meter-long Par-4 on the eighth hole is reminiscent of the famous opening hole at Le Golf National; here, the water in the landing area on the left comes into play, demanding strategic precision on both the tee shot and the subsequent shot over the water to the green. The ninth hole then runs uphill in a sharp left-hand curve, guarded by Bunkers, thick Rough, and two tall trees.

Back Nine: Pure Match Play Spectacle and a Thrilling Finale

On the back nine, the course reveals its full appeal to fans of tactical showdowns—it’s clear from the design that the Ryder Cup, and thus match play, was the primary focus. Even the Par-4 11th hole, at just 265 meters, offers an outstanding risk-and-reward concept that tempts players to directly attack the elevated green. Starting with the 14th hole, the difficulty level increases noticeably, building toward a dramatic finale.

From the challenging par-4 15th hole, the course moves on to the 16th—an outstanding match-play hole. This short, 277-meter Par-4 slopes steeply down toward the green but is guarded by a diagonally running lake and a stream that can mercilessly punish risky tee shots. After the technically demanding par-3 17th hole, the 18th hole serves as the crowning finale: This par-5 dogleg, up to 478 meters long, runs toward the clubhouse and demands bold decisions due to the fairway bunkers and a pond on the left side of the green.

Ryder Cup atmosphere for visiting golfers near the Eternal City

The Marco Simone Golf Club is also open to guest players. While there is no set handicap requirement, a skill level of around 24 is recommended to fully enjoy the course’s variety. A trip to Rome can be perfectly combined with visits to other courses in the region and the historic cultural heritage of the Eternal City.