If one considers Rory McIlroy past comments on this year’s Ryder Cup venue, Marco Simone Golf & Country Club should provide the blank pages for a dramatic story that gets better as the competition progresses.
“The front nine is like the first couple of chapters of a book,” McIlroy said last year. “It gets you into the book a little bit and sort of sets the story, but the real juicy bits come on the back nine. That’s where you really get into it.”
The prologue of Marco Simone begins in 1978, when Italian fashion designer Laura Biagiotti and eventual husband Gianna Cigna purchased Marco Simone Castle, which dates to the 11th century, and the surrounding land in Guidonia, less than ten miles from Rome’s city center. Eleven years after that acquisition, 27 holes of golf were constructed, including an 18-hole championship layout.
In 2018, as part of receiving its Ryder Cup bid, Marco Simone had its 18 holes – the other nine no longer exist – renovated by the collaboration of American architect Tom Fazio and Euro Golf Design’s Dave Sampson. Completed in 2021, the renovation included redesigning every hole. The back nine, like McIlroy alluded to, features some exciting holes, including two drivable par fours, Nos. 11 and 16, as well as the longest closing par five in Ryder Cup history, the 597-yard 18th hole. Those three holes are among the five that provide views of St. Peter’s Basilica off in the distance. The castle sits behind the fifth hole.
Marco Simone has previously hosted the Italian Open on the DP World Tour every year since 2021, as well as 1994. This week the course will play to a par of 71 and a yardage of 7,181 yards. There is also 170 feet of elevation change, and the grasses are as follows – paspalum fairways, fescue rough and bentgrass greens.
"I think the beauty of Marco Simone is that it already has a canvas that is really, really good, and so whatever Luke and his team decide to do to it, probably only enhances that," U.S. Captain Zach Johnson said.
Here is a hole-by-hole breakdown of Marco Simone Golf and Country Club, provided by the official Ryder Cup media guide:
Hole No. 1 | Par 4 | 445 Yards | 407 Meters
The green is well-protected on this opening par four which doglegs slightly left, so the opening tee shot is key. Players wanting to be aggressive will be opting to drive over the bunker located on the left corner of the fairway. The more conservative play is down the right of the fairway which will leave a longer iron in. Any pin placement on the left-hand side of the green will be hard to attack.
Hole No. 2 | Par 4 | 506 Yards | 463 Meters
Much like the opening tee shot, this long dogleg left challenges a player’s accuracy off the tee. Over the bunker in the middle of the fairway is the perfect shot to leave a medium iron in to the green. Players deciding to lay up short of the bunker with their drive will have another bunker to avoid with their approach shot, which is positioned 40-45 yards short of the green.
Hole No. 3 | Par 4 | 453 Yards | 414 Meters
Most players will be trying to cut the corner of the dogleg on this hole but will need to be careful not to stray into the rough on either side. With the front left side of the green protected by two bunkers, hole placements throughout the week will decide whether a player attacks the pin or plays into the heart of the green.
Hole No. 4 | Par 3 | 188 Yards | 172 Meters
Any pin placement down the left-hand side of the first of four par threes on the course will be a much easier challenge. If the pin is back-right, then players will decide whether the risk of going at the pin is worth the reward. Going at a back-right pin will bring two bunkers in to play.
Hole No. 5 | Par 4 | 302 Yards | 276 Meters
A water hazard to the front left of the green will be in play for the longer hitters on this 376 yard par four. Keeping to the right of the fairway is vital. After a good drive, an undulating green will then test a player’s short game.
Hole No. 6 | Par 4 | 381 Yards | 348 Meters
The par four sixth is 383 yards but plays longer as it runs up a slight incline from tee to green. The best play here is down the right-hand side over the bunker which allows for a better shot in to the green. Go too far right and past the wall which stretches the length of the hole, and you’ll be out of bounds.
Hole No. 7 | Par 3 | 222 Yards | 203 Meters
This is one the trickiest holes on the golf course. A long par three, the position of the flag will make a big difference to how you approach the green. A front pin is more accessible, but a back pin will require a longer iron on to a small landing area. If you play conservatively, away from the hole, putting from distance will be tough with the green sloping down to the right.
Hole No. 8 | Par 4 | 525 Yards | 480 Meters
A par four and reachable in two, this hole is set up to give players an opportunity at eagle. It doesn’t come without its challenges though! The water hazard is in play both off the tee and with your approach shot to the green which slopes up, from front to back. Leave yourself short and you’re faced with an uphill putt. Send your approach long and it’ll be difficult to get up and down.
Hole No. 9 | Par 5 | 587 Yards | 537 Meters
A stunning golf hole, the par five ninth has water running down the left side from tee to green. It plays long and is difficult to reach in two shots. Off the tee, the second bunker on the right side of the fairway is in play. Avoid that, lay up and try to get close on an undulating green.
Hole No. 10 | Par 4 | 453 Yards | 414 Meters
An uphill dogleg right hole, and a water hazard on the right- hand side faces players on the tenth. The fairway maximises the natural rolling countryside of the Marco Simone course, but the centre of it is where you want to be. That will allow for a medium iron into the green which has two bunkers on the right side.
Hole No. 11 | Par 4 | 329 Yards | 301 Meters
The shortest of the par fours, this hole is well within driving distance for the longer hitters and will present eagle opportunities throughout the week. The green is fast and steep, so any putts out of gimme range will be a challenge.
Hole No. 12 | Par 5 | 546 Yards | 499 Meters
In order to reach the green in two, the driver needs to be perfect. With a rolling fairway, land your drive on a downslope and it will chase up, leaving a shorter approach shot. If you don’t choose to go for the green in two, placing your second on the left side of the fairway will give you a chance to attack the flag. Three bunkers protect an undulating green on this risk-reward hole.
Hole No. 13 | Par 3 | 150 Yards | 137 Meters
A short par three, the 13th looks easy at first glance. The only concern should be the green, which is incredibly hard. Players will need to make sure they don’t play to the left. Doing so will leave a treacherous chip or putt back.
Hole No. 14 | Par 4 | 509 Yards | 465 Meters
The course provides exciting challenges on each of the last five holes, starting with the par four 14th. A long dogleg left, the ideal line off the tee will see players pass over the bunker on the left corner of the fairway to leave a shorter second in to the green. Play down the right-hand side of the fairway and you’ll face a longer shot in. Be careful when attacking the pin. The deep bunker on the right of the green can be tough to get out of.
Hole No. 15 | Par 4 | 479 Yards | 438 Meters Teeing off from an elevated tee box, the ideal line is down the left side of the fairway. Stray too far right and the fairway bunker is in play. There are a further seven bunkers on this hole to be aware of, including one on the left as you approach the green, and three guarding the right-hand side of the green. Pin placement will be important when deciding how to tackle the 15th.
Hole No. 16 | Par 4 | 303 Yards | 277 Meters Another picturesque hole where accuracy off the tee is rewarded. There’s water to the right of the green, but if you’re willing to take a risk, for the longer players, driving the green is possible. The safer play is to drive short of the green to leave a wedge in. This comes with its own challenge, as you could be on a downhill lie which makes it extremely difficult to stop the ball on the green.
Hole No. 17 | Par 3 | 206 Yards | 188 Meters
With a gallery running the length of the hole, this is one of several iconic holes at Marco Simone Golf and Country Club. As well as a water hazard down the left of the hole, bunkers protect the front of an undulating green where pin placement will decide whether to go at the flag or play into the heart. Play away from the right side of the green though as it can be a tricky two putt from there.
Hole No. 18 | Par 5 | 597 Yards | 546 Meters
The longest hole on the course greets the players down the last, as well as a huge gallery down the right and a grandstand to welcome them when they reach the green. There’s water down the left of one of the widest fairways at Maco Simone. A big drive can see players go for the green in two, but more likely is a lay up on the left side of the fairway which provides one of the few flat lies on the course. That opens up a green with hard to read slopes.
