One of Europe’s top golfing destinations, Verdura Resort in Sicily, has returned to 45 holes with the reopening of the spectacular new-look East Course following a major redesign.
Globally acclaimed golf architect Kyle Phillips returned to the site of his original creation to upgrade the 18-hole championship layout and has spent the last three years reworking his magic at Verdura Resort, a Rocco Forte Hotel. The much-anticipated revamped course was unveiled to the golfing world earlier this month.
The extensive renovation has seen a number of new features added and modifications made to the routing of the East Course and the neighbouring West Course. The reordering of hole numbers has allowed for the restoration of former favourite holes and brings exciting new additions, while the planting of fescue grasses throughout the course gives the layout added definition.
Phillips said: “We have certainly made the most of the terrain available to us. The drama of the coastline has been improved and we’re proud of what has been achieved. It is new and fresh, the result is great and I think it will be really well received. It has definitely reached the level we were striving for.
“One of the big differences is with the routing. With the previous layout, you would cross the other course and they would weave through each other a little at times. Now they are more clearly defined.
“The course now starts near the practice range on an existing hole, has 14 new holes in between and then finishes on three existing holes back to the clubhouse. This will make the East Course a par-73 course and the West a par-70.
“They will both be good challenges. Naturally, with any new course, it takes time to take shape and we’re expecting it to continually improve throughout the winter months so that golfers will enjoy even better playing conditions in 2022.”
The reopening of the new East Course adds to the extensive selection of exceptional facilities available at Verdura Resort. Home of the European Tour’s Rocco Forte Sicilian Open, Verdura is nestled in 230 hectares of stunning Mediterranean landscape on Sicily’s southern coast. The courses and facilities combined have established Verdura as one of the world’s elite golf and lifestyle destinations.
A member of the exclusive European Tour Destinations network, the resort is famous for offering guests an unforgettable five-star golf experience in one of the most beautiful settings in world. Verdura Resort was recently named as a recipient of Golf Digest magazine’s coveted ‘2021 Editors’ Choice Award for the Best Resorts in Continental Europe’ for the sixth successive year.
ENDS
- High-resolution images of Verdura Resort may be downloaded for editorial purposes from Verdura Resort
- Animation and images by Harris-Kalinka (harriskalinka.com)
For more information on Verdura Resort contact
Luke Frary - 01730 711920 | luke@theazaleagroup.com
Paolo Piantella - Regional Director of PR, Italy - ppiantella@roccofortehotels.com
Sofia Francesca Polla - PR Manager Verdura Resort - sfpolla@roccofortehotels.com
About Verdura Resort
Part of Rocco Forte Hotels and member of The Leading Hotels of the World, Verdura Resort overlooks the crystal-clear waters of the Mediterranean from the southern coast of Sicily. Immersed in a 230-hectare park, it has 203 elegant rooms and suites as well as 20 new Rocco Forte Private Villas, nestled on the hillside that gently slopes towards the resort’s private coast, which is over 1.8 km long. The resort's restaurants and bars celebrate Mediterranean cuisine using seasonal ingredients typical of the island, accompanied by an extensive wine list. The Verdura Spa is an exclusive refuge with a holistic approach to health and well-being: 4,000 m2 with four thalassotherapy pools, two saunas, a hammam and a wide range of personalised treatments and programmes. The resort also has a 4,000 m2 convention centre. On site there are championship golf courses, designed by Kyle Phillips and leading figures of the Rocco Forte Sicilian Open in 2017 and 2018 (European Tour stage), making Verdura the golf destination par excellence in the Mediterranean. The sporting offer is further enriched with six tennis courts, a 60-metre infinity pool, a football pitch, an equipped gym offering a full programme of fitness and meditation activities, as well as jogging paths that wind through the estate's olive and citrus groves.
Rocco Forte Hotels
Established by Sir Rocco Forte and his sister, Olga Polizzi in 1996, Rocco Forte Hotels is a collection of 15 individual hotels and resorts. All of the hotels are landmarks, both old and new, occupying magnificent buildings in exceptional locations. Led by a family who has been in hospitality for four generations, the hotels are united by their distinctive approach to service ensuring guests experience the best of the cities and surrounding areas. Rocco Forte Hotels comprises: Hotel de la Ville, Hotel de Russie and Rocco Forte House, Rome; Hotel Savoy, Florence; Verdura Resort, Rocco Forte Private Villas and Villa Igiea, Sicily; Masseria Torre Maizza, Puglia; The Balmoral, Edinburgh; Brown’s Hotel, London; The Charles Hotel, Munich; Villa Kennedy, Frankfurt; Hotel de Rome, Berlin; Hotel Amigo, Brussels and Hotel Astoria, St Petersburg.
Future openings: The Carlton Milan in 2023; The Westbund Hotel, Shanghai.
www.roccofortehotels.com