Verdura: Luxury links in Sicilian
Large parts of the Verdura Resort in Sicily were destroyed by a dam burst in November 2018. American star architect Kyle Phillips created an “almost new” East Course for 10 million euros.
The dimensions are impressive: a proud 230 hectares of land. 3000 orange trees. 50 lemon trees. 250 almond trees. 2000 olive trees. The Englishman Sir Rocco Forte, known for luxury hotels throughout Europe and Russia, has built the Verdura Resort in Scaccia in Sicily. Around 80 minutes south of Palermo airport, a sports and spa center costing around 150 million euros was built in 2009, including tennis courts, football pitches and two large golf courses plus a 9-hole short course. Verdura hosted the European Tour’s Rocco Forte Sicilian Open in 2012, 2017 and 2018.
Left-hand feeling with sea view
Due to human error, a large part of the resort, including the hotel and large infinity pool, was flooded by a thick mudslide a good three years ago. Entrepreneur Rocco Forte therefore invested millions more and once again hired Kyle Phillips, who “renovated” and partially redesigned a total of 14 holes. The 36 holes of the West and East Courses, which had previously been quite similar, have been redesigned to create two independent championship courses, each with five tees.
Phillips, architect of Kingsbarns and the Yas Links in Abu Dhabi, also created a kind of links feeling in Sicily with the new East Course. This is because the tees are placed directly on the fairway instead of in the specially mowed tee boxes that are common today. The undulating greens with challenging surroundings directly around them are also typical.
New moat
Holes 6 and 7 right by the sea are particularly spectacular, with the deep blue of the water in between. On the Backnine we return briefly to the coast. Here, for example, with the short but highly photogenic hole 13, which is only 110 meters long and has a tiny green perched perilously close to the edge of the sea, it requires a shot of extreme precision. With the usual wind, even the supposedly easiest hole on the course becomes a challenge.
The additional ditch at the first par 5 of the round does not necessarily fit into the typical links picture, but those responsible hope to be better prepared for the next flood. More ditches, lakes and streams help to channel the water towards the sea.
One of the new features is a huge double green, which is shared by the eighth and the new tenth hole. The ninth fairway, for example, is also brand new and Philips himself considers it “a fantastic new hole”. The new finish is rather unspectacular, but at least there is still a birdie chance on the relatively short par 5 of the 17th fairway on the challenging par 73 course.
Villas in demand
The 203 rooms and suites, all with sea views, at least 40 square meters in size and with lavish bathrooms, are housed in various buildings with a maximum of two storeys. These nestle harmoniously into the landscape. Just last year, an additional twenty villas were built on the hill next to the West Course for international guests. Some time ago, football goalkeeper Yann Sommer and his family stayed there, says the driver who picks us up at the airport in response to my question about the Swiss guests. What he doesn’t say is that the 200 to 300 square meter villas cost up to 8,000 euros per night in high season. The additional private luxury is obviously in demand. “The new villas are usually around 80 percent full, says the Sales Manager
