Perfect weekend golf getaways: Part one

The cities of Geneva, Paris, Stockholm and Rome are easily accessible from all over Europe. We pick out some great golf courses and nearby hotels for the perfect weekend golf trip.

Geneva

Play: Golf Club du Domaine Imperial

Stay: La Reserve Geneva Hotel & Spa

All Square ranks Golf Club du Domaine Imperial as the best golf course in Switzerland. Located right on Lake Geneva, this Pete Dye layout offers some breathtaking lake and mountain views. The clubhouse is steeped in history with Emperor Napoleon III among the names to have spent time here. The course opens with a tricky front nine before a Scottish links-feel prevails on the closing holes. Fantastic.

La Reserve Geneva Hotel & Spa is 30km away from Golf Club du Domaine Imperial and only 4km from the airport, the ideal base for your weekend golf trip. Surrounded by a beautifully landscaped park of 10 acres, on the shores of Lake Geneva, this is 5-star luxury with 29 suites and 73 rooms, indoor and outdoor pools, four restaurants and a bar.

The spa includes a hammam, saunas, steam baths, a fitness centre and 17 treatment rooms. There’s French and Chinese food and a pool-side restaurant offering Mediterranean cuisine. This hotel is particularly good for families with young kids.

Paris

Play: Le Golf National & Golf de Fontainebleau

Stay: Le Mathurin

Le Golf National is only around 10km south-west of central Paris. It found worldwide fame when it hosted the Ryder Cup in 2018 when Europe won by 17.5-10.5 points over the USA. It’s a demanding course of great diversity, with links and target-golf characteristics. The course was chosen to host the Olympic Games golf tournament staged in Paris in 2024.

Golf de Fontainbleau is only around 40km south of Paris. Originally designed by legendary architect Tom Simpson, it’s set in secluded woodland within a walled boundary and is one of the most prestigious golf clubs in France, kept in pristine condition. There’s a lovely Scottish-style clubhouse and the stunning scenery will last long in the memory.

Le Mathurin is perfectly located to play at Le Golf National, around 10km away. Golf de Fontainbleau is around 40km south. This splendid 4-star hotel is located in the prestigious La Madeleine district in the heart of Paris. There’s 54 rooms and suites, a stylish bar, and a spa with Turkish and whirlpool baths. There’s a buffet breakfast each morning and a sumptuous lounge bar.

Stockholm

Play: Bro Hof Slott Golf

Stay: Bank Hotel

The Stadium course at Bro Hof Slott Golf Club northwest of Stockholm opened in 2007 and is stunningly beautiful, situated directly on Lake Malaren and crowned by Bro Hof Castle. Measuring 8,054 yards, it’s long with manicured fairways and several large lakes. The Castle Course then opened in 2010, designed to the same quality, but offering a very different challenge, with elements of Scottish links, tougher bunkers and narrower fairways. Both were designed by Robert Trent Jones Jnr and the club hosted the Scandinavian Masters in 2010.

Bank Hotel is a 5-star luxurious boutique hotel in central Stockholm, less than 600 yards from the Royal Palace and footsteps from the waterfront. The best shopping, restaurants and culture that Stockholm has to offer are right on its doorstep. This is sophisticated elegance with a cool Stokholm vibe.

There’s 115 individually furnished rooms with several exclusive room categories, of which six are suites, offering visitors a relaxing and pampered stay. There’s 24-hour room service, a spa and health club. There’s a great choice of bars including Le Hibou, a cocktail bar located on the roof with fabulous views over the fashionable Ostermalm district, and three lovely restaurant areas with food provided by Bonnie’s kitchen, which serves an international menu with carefully selected seasonal ingredients.

Rome

Play: Marco Simone Golf Club

Stay: Baglioni Hotel Regina

The Ryder Cup comes to Rome in 2023 and the Marco Simone Country Club. Just 10 minutes from the centre of Rome, it was upgraded by Jim Fazio and it has hosted the Italian Open. It’s centred around a stunning 11th-century castle the club is named after. It’s a challenging and engaging layout with tree-lined narrow fairways, lakes, and several elevation changes, providing glorious views of the Eternal City.

Baglioni Hotel Regina is a 5-star hotel which offers elegant rooms and suites in Art Deco style with exceptional views of famous historic monuments like the Colosseum and Sistine Chapel. In the heart of Rome, a 10-minute walk from the Spanish Steps, the rooms come with stylish furniture, Murano glass chandeliers and a private bathroom with Italian marble. 

The excellent Brunello Lounge & Restaurant serves cocktails and traditional Mediterranean cuisine, and there’s a gym, a wellness centre with sauna, hammam and hot tub with massages available.