While the Costa Smeralda dominates most conversations about Sardinian golf, the island’s most tournament-tested course sits in the opposite direction — near Pula, thirty kilometres south of Cagliari, in a landscape of Roman ruins (the ancient city of Nora, with its tower, sits within view) rather than glamorous coastline. Is Molas has hosted four Italian Opens and a European Volvo Masters across its history, a competitive pedigree that outstrips almost every other course on this Italy list, at a fraction of Costa Smeralda pricing.
The Costa Smeralda gets the headlines. Is Molas, in the south, has hosted four Italian Opens and a European Volvo Masters — and green fees at a fraction of the price.
The courses: what you are actually playing
A 27-hole facility: the Championship Course, a par-72 at 6,383 metres designed by the Cotton, Pennink & Partners studio to a Piero Mancinelli project in 1975, with American-style greens and bunkering; and a 9-hole par-36 Yellow Course designed by Franco Piras, useful for beginners and warm-up rounds. The championship layout’s proximity to the sea and protection from surrounding hills gives it a genuinely mild microclimate that makes year-round play realistic — a rarity even within Sardinia.
The hole worth knowing
The course’s extraordinarily long fairways are its defining technical character, particularly on the region’s frequent windy winter days, when even experienced professional players need to mobilise every part of their game — one of the reasons experts consider Is Molas among the most authentic tournament tests in Italy.
The resort: what families actually need
Is Molas Resort, a 4-star Superior property, sits directly on the golf estate with a pool, multiple restaurants (Le Ginestre, Le Mole, a clubhouse bistro), tennis courts, and a golf academy. A private beach four kilometres away is reached by free shuttle from June to September, and a separate beach club at Porto Agumu Bay offers another coastal option.
On-site hotel: which one and why
Is Molas Resort itself is the natural and best-value choice — book directly for combined golf and accommodation rates, with villa options available for larger family groups.
Best time to go
The mild microclimate makes Is Molas playable nearly year-round, though April–June and September–October remain most comfortable for time spent at the beach club alongside golf.
Getting there: the logistics reality
Cagliari Elmas Airport (CAG) is roughly 30–33 kilometres, the most convenient and best-connected airport of any Sardinian course on this list, with year-round rather than purely seasonal flight schedules.
What to wear: the Inesea style edit
A more relaxed, sun-worn palette than the Costa Smeralda’s polish — warm sand, olive, faded terracotta — that suits both the Roman-ruins landscape and the course’s genuinely competitive, less performative character.
Three pieces worth packing
A Chervo polo in warm sand — Italian tailoring appropriate for a course with genuine national tournament history.
A Descente Golf layering piece — practical for Is Molas’s notably windy conditions, particularly outside peak summer.
Lacoste accessories in olive — heritage register that suits the course’s understated, historically serious character.
The honest family verdict
Who should book it:
Serious golfers who want genuine tournament-calibre play without Costa Smeralda pricing. Families wanting year-round playability and reliable airport connectivity.
Who might look elsewhere:
Anyone whose trip is built around Costa Smeralda glamour and proximity to Porto Cervo should choose Pevero instead.
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About the author
Diana Suke
Diana Suke is the founder of Inesea and Europe's leading editorial voice on women's golf fashion and culture. A business transformation director by profession, she coordinates junior golf programmes across Malta and travels the Mediterranean circuit with two competitive junior golfers. She came to golf in her mid-thirties and hasn't looked back.
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