Marco Simone Golf & Country Club – Ready for the Ryder Cup.

As the stunning Marco Simone Golf & Country Club prepares for the Ryder Cup in 2023, let’s take a walk around the golf course in the words of Course Design, Dave Sampson.

Located just 17km from the heart of the Italian capital Rome, the course has seen a major redevelopment. This series of posts will take you through individual golf holes including construction images.

We start this with the 332m par 4, Hole 16.

Following on from the two hardest holes on the back nine, the downhill driveable par 4 16th is a true risk-reward hole with multiple options off the tee depending on pin position.

Like the tee shot on 12, and on one of the other high vantage points, this tee location offers the best views of Rome from the course. Playing to green site set some 25m below and protected by water down it’s right side and bunkers at the front and left, the player is posed with numerous options off the tee;
– Layup short of the central fairway bunker leaving either a 9 iron or wedge in.
– Take on the central bunker but leave the tee shot short of the stream which crosses the fairway perpendicularly at 260m, leaving a short 70 – 80m flick in, or:
– Try and thread the ball onto the green through the front left opening.

Depending on setup, both holes 11 & 16 could be driveable. Hole 11 plays uphill requiring a draw shot to access the green, while 16, playing downhill, favours the fade.

Natural embanking and multiple hospitality units will frame all sides on this most pivotal of golf holes, where anything from eagles to double-bogeys are possible.

The spectacular photos were taken by Jacob Sjoman (@sjomanart)
(Golf & Travel Inspiration International Photographer/Cinematographer)

Here are images of the 16th hole:

Here are construction images of the 16th hole: