Is Molas
Sardinia's original championship course opened in 1975 to a design by the British partnership of Cotton, Lawrie and Pennink, and it has been the island's golfing reference point ever since. A par 72 set beneath a wall of granite hills near Pula, it has hosted four Italian Opens, yet it remains a relaxed, sun drenched resort round half an hour from Cagliari.
Photo: Golf Club Is Molas via Google.
The verdict
Is Molas is the course that put Sardinian golf on the map, and it still carries the most pedigree of any layout on the island. The British partnership of Ken Cotton, Charles Lawrie and Frank Pennink laid it out in 1975, and the par 72 Championship course has since hosted the Italian Open four times, in 1976, 1982, 2000 and 2001, along with senior tour golf. That tournament history shows in the bones of the design: generous landing areas that narrow as the score matters, greens with real movement, and bunkers placed to tempt the bold.
What lifts it beyond its record is the setting. The holes run across gently rolling parkland beneath the dramatic Is Molas hills, with the Mediterranean a short distance away and Mediterranean scrub, olives and stone framing the corridors. Add a comfortable resort with on site lodging and a season that stretches deep into autumn, and Is Molas becomes the obvious anchor for a southern Sardinia golf trip rather than just a name on a scorecard.
Is Molas at a glance
- Opened
- 1975
- Designer
- Cotton, Lawrie, Pennink
- Type
- Parkland resort
- Par
- 72
- Yardage
- About 6,380 yds
- Green fee
- From about €40
Designer, opening year, par and length verified June 2026 from Is Molas and leading course databases. The Championship course was designed by Ken Cotton, Charles Lawrie and Frank Pennink, built by Piero Mancinelli, and opened in 1975; it is a par 72 of about 6,380 yards, roughly 5,830 metres, with a further nine holes added later to give 27 in total. Indicative green fees start from around 40 to 45 euros for eighteen holes outside the August peak, rising in high summer, with resort guests and stay and play packages priced separately. Fees move with season and demand, so always confirm current rates and availability directly before booking.
The holes worth the trip
For all its tournament credentials, Is Molas plays as a pleasure rather than a punishment, and that balance is its great strength. The opening holes ease you in across open parkland before the routing tightens and the design begins to ask questions, the hills looming larger and the bunkering more pointed as the round goes on. The greens are the principal defense, firm and subtly sloped, so the premium is on controlling distance and leaving the ball below the hole.
The course saves its sternest test for the run that decided so many Italian Opens. The long par 4 fifth is widely regarded as the toughest hole on the property, a hole that has humbled professionals, demanding a precise drive shaped to the correct side of the fairway and a long, brave approach to a guarded green. It is the moment the round shifts from holiday golf to a genuine examination, and it sets the tone for a closing stretch where par is always worth taking.
Water and well placed hazards add drama elsewhere, with several greens that reward an aggressive carry and punish the cautious miss. None of it is tricked up; this is honest, strategic championship golf of its era, the kind that rewards a plan and a steady temperament. Play it once for the scenery, and you will want a second round to take on the holes the right way.
How to get on
| What to know | Detail |
|---|---|
| Access | Resort course open to visitors and stay and play guests; book through the resort or a Sardinia golf specialist |
| Green fee | Indicative from around 40 to 45 euros for eighteen holes outside the August peak, rising in high summer; resort and package rates differ; confirm at booking |
| Booking | Reserve tee times in advance, particularly in spring and autumn when European golfers fill the calendar; the resort handles stay and play |
| On the day | A walkable parkland course, though buggies, manual and electric trolleys and bag hire are available; the multilingual clubhouse runs a bar and restaurant with a panoramic terrace |
| Getting there | Pula on the southern coast of Sardinia, about 30 minutes from Cagliari Elmas Airport and the city of Cagliari |
| Best months | March to June and September to November for warm, comfortable golf, with high summer hot but very playable early and late in the day |
Access and fee details verified June 2026 against Is Molas and recent booking sources; rates change by season, so always confirm directly before planning a visit. See our Italy green fees guide for the wider picture.
Where to stay nearby
The simplest base is the Is Molas resort itself, whose rooms and villas put the first tee on the doorstep and make a two round day effortless. The stretch of coast around Pula is one of Sardinia's most appealing, with beach hotels, the Roman ruins of Nora and the polished resorts of the Costa del Sud all within easy reach, while Cagliari adds a handsome old town, fine seafood and an international airport half an hour away.
Southern Sardinia rewards anyone who builds a wider trip, pairing golf with beaches, hill villages and a long, generous shoulder season. Is Molas is the natural centerpiece, the course every visiting golfer wants to tick off and the one most worth playing more than once.
Looking for a base? See our recommended hotels and resorts near Pula and Cagliari.
Build an Italy golf trip
We book the Is Molas tee times, arrange the stay and play around them and pair Sardinia with the best of southern Italy. Tell us roughly when and who is travelling and one concierge costs it to the head, with no obligation.
Is Molas questions
Who designed Is Molas and when did it open?
Is Molas was designed by the British partnership of Ken Cotton, Charles Lawrie and Frank Pennink, built by Piero Mancinelli, and opened in 1975. A further nine holes were added later to give the resort 27 holes in total.
What is the par and length of Is Molas?
The Championship course is a par 72 measuring about 6,380 yards, roughly 5,830 metres. It is a strategic resort layout rather than a brute, but firm greens and clever bunkering keep it honest at tournament length.
Has Is Molas hosted professional tournaments?
Yes. Is Molas has staged the Italian Open four times, in 1976, 1982, 2000 and 2001, and has also hosted senior tour golf, making it one of the most pedigreed courses in the Mediterranean.
Can visitors play Is Molas?
Yes. Is Molas is a resort course open to visitors and stay and play guests, with bookings through the resort or a Sardinia golf specialist. Indicative green fees start from around 40 euros for eighteen holes outside the August peak, rising in high summer. Always confirm current rates and tee times directly before booking.
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Designer, opening year, par and length verified June 2026; indicative green fees verified June 2026. Last reviewed June 2026.