From England to the Chianti hills. The history of Florentine golf goes back one hundred and thirty-two years and is associated with the Ugolino Golf Club, which author Chris Santella pointed to as one of the fifty courses to play before he died.
In our busy days we chase down commitments and appointments in a succession of joints and movements, always with phone in hand and watch in constant check. Instead, imagine losing track of time and being your only concern. Address – i.e. correct body position – that will allow correct movement to get the ball into the hole. mix them all Enchanting natural landscape that stretches for miles and miles, Green Afterwards greens Everyday problems will be put aside for a while, a pleasure to do ace Or simply focusing on the trajectory of the ball will improve worries and thoughts. This is the power of golf. It’s not just about chasing the ball, Golf is a sport that draws you in, that forces you to listen to yourself, to concentrate, a discipline in which you challenge yourself first., The necessary harmony in the game in an intuitive (and one might even say magical) way will lead to the acquisition of a completely new inner balance.
It was the Florentines, led by the British, who realized the uniqueness of the sport and all that it brings, so much so that it can be said that Golf in Italy was born in Florence And its history is intertwined with that of one of the historic Tuscan clubs: the Ugolino Golf Club. But it was the British who discovered golf, so how did it reach Florence? let’s start from the beginning. In the 19th century Florence established itself as a stop on the Grand Tour: English scholars, intellectuals and travelers settled in the city – attracted by the art, landscape and welfare – creating a de facto colony. If the relationship with the Florentine initially met with difficulties, it was the food, the fashion, but also the sport that united the two cultures. Not only horse riding, rowing and tennis, golf was hitherto unknown to Italians. As In 1889 the first club was born in Florence – the Florence Golf Club – inside the Villa Demidoff in San Donato, The group was mainly composed of an English aristocracy, but due to its proximity to the Cassine – where the locals strolled – the new sport aroused the curiosity of the latter. Gradually some Florentine nobles began to try their hand at bats and balls. As membership grew, improvement works were undertaken, a clubhouse was opened and the first competitions were held. But, starting in 1906, the Florence Golf Club had its first problems with the owners of the land, it remained until 1920 when the members – inspired by the urbanization of the city and led by the engineer Julian Edoardo Ricciardi Cassia – decided move the field to osmanoro, The low cost of the land – marshy – allowed the club to continue its business but it was a temporary solution while waiting for a location that could underline the importance of golf for tourism and also for the image of Florence. here it is in 1934 with the participation of Pavolini – Chairman of the then Autonomous Tourist Board – The club found a new home on the hills of Grassina, renamed Ugolino Golf Club, Since then membership has grown considerably, golf has become a sport of good Italian society and a dense network of social events is associated with it.
The choice of the area was mainly motivated by tourist reasons given the natural beauty. Located on the road in Chianti with an evocative and enchanting panorama, Ugolino proved and is still proving to be the perfect place to allow Florence to establish itself on the national golf scene. In 1983 The club hosted the first Open Italia which saw the participation of athletes of the caliber of Severiano Ballesteros, Bernhard Langer, Greg Norman, Sandy Lyle, Kane Brown, Costantino Rocca and Baldovino Dasu. Even today we talk about that contest and especially about Ballesteros’ approach in the hole nine when – at a disadvantage compared to the Englishman Ken Brown – he hit a eagle and forced nba, A commemorative plaque has been placed at the spot from where the approach was played.
But the story of Ugolino Golf Club deserves to be told and read, not only for its past but also for its present. Surrounded by the evocative hills of ChiantiExtends over approximately fifty hectares of land alternating pine, cypress and olive groves giving it a reputation for a breathtaking view, worthy of a Renaissance painter. The present eighteen holes were designed by experts Cecil Blandford and Peter Gannon and give life to a course that is not very long but is challenging as it has various natural obstacles as it is immersed in vegetation. To make the whole structure a sophisticated and exclusive environment There club house Distributed over three levels, designed by architect Bosio and tied to cultural heritage for rationalist architecture, icing on the cake Pond Twenty-five by twelve and a half meters, which thanks to the blue ceramic tiles, adapts to the natural context. Finally, they also exist a gym for members and restaurant, In 2009 the Italian National Olympic Committee honored the Ugolino Golf Club as a sign of recognition for the activity it has carried out over its long history. Gold Medal for Sporting Merit complete with Olympic flag,
The Ugolino Golf Club is therefore a point of pride for the city of Florence, a piece of history that has to be preserved and handed down, as it offers a sport that has been able to revitalize and create the city’s tourism sector. Consider the importance of nature in our lives.
Photo by Brian Morgan