Verdura East Course
Kyle Phillips laid the East Course along nearly two kilometres of Mediterranean shore on the southwest coast of Sicily, the longer and bolder of the two eighteens at Rocco Forte's Verdura Resort. A par 72 of around 7,300 yards that opened in 2009, it blends generous, strategic inland holes with a run beside the sea that makes Verdura one of the finest golf resorts in the Mediterranean.
Photo: Verdura Resort, a Rocco Forte hotel, via Google.
The verdict
Verdura was conceived as a golf resort to rival anywhere in the Mediterranean, and the East Course is its headline act. Kyle Phillips, the architect behind Kingsbarns, was given a vast coastal estate near Sciacca and the freedom to shape it, and what he produced when the course opened in 2009 is a layout that feels both modern and timeless: wide, bold and beautifully fitted to the rolling ground above the sea.
The genius is the balance. Much of the round plays through open, gently moving inland terrain where width invites you to attack, yet the angles and the bunkering still extract a price for the lazy line. Then the course finds the coast, and the holes along the Mediterranean lift the whole experience into something memorable. Pair the golf with a Rocco Forte resort and the food and wine of Sicily, and you have one of the most complete golf trips in Europe.
Verdura East Course at a glance
- Opened
- 2009
- Designer
- Kyle Phillips
- Type
- Resort, coastal
- Par
- 72
- Length
- Around 7,300 yds
- Access
- Visitors and resort guests
Designer, opening year, par and length verified June 2026 from the architect, the resort and leading course databases; Kyle Phillips' East Course opened in 2009 and plays as a par 72 of around 7,300 yards from the back tees. Green fees vary by season. Fees are indicative and we do not quote our own pricing, so always confirm directly before booking.
The holes worth the trip
The round opens across the wider inland ground, where Phillips gives you room off the tee but defends the greens with clever contouring and sand. It is forgiving enough to be enjoyable for the resort golfer, yet there is always a better angle to be earned by flirting with the bunkers or the edge of the fairway, which is what keeps the better player interested.
The signature comes when the course reaches the Mediterranean. The holes that run along the shoreline are the ones you remember, with the sea down one side, the breeze a genuine factor and the kind of views that make you forget your card. This is where the East Course earns its reputation, and where a calm, well struck round feels like a real achievement.
Throughout, the conditioning is resort standard and the greens are quick and true. It is a course that flatters good golf and gives the average player a fair, generous and gorgeous day out, exactly what a five star Sicilian resort layout should deliver.
How to get on
| What to know | Detail |
|---|---|
| Access | Open to visiting golfers and resort guests, who receive preferential tee times and rates; book through the resort |
| Green fee | Indicative around EUR 150 and up for visitors in the 2026 high season, less for resort guests; confirm directly |
| Booking | Easiest through Verdura or an Italy golf specialist, ahead for spring and autumn peaks |
| On the day | Carts and quality rental clubs available; a fine clubhouse, range and short courses on site. Smart golf dress |
| Getting there | Near Sciacca on the southwest coast of Sicily, around 90 minutes from Palermo and Trapani airports |
| Best months | April to June and September to October for warm, settled golf weather; high summer is hot but playable early |
Access and fee guidance verified June 2026; green fees move with season and demand, so always confirm directly before booking. Check tee time availability.
Where to stay nearby
The obvious and best plan is to stay at the Verdura Resort itself, the Rocco Forte hotel set above its own beach with two championship courses, a celebrated spa and several restaurants. It lets you mix golf on the East and West courses with sea, spa and Sicilian cooking without ever leaving the estate, which is the whole point of a resort of this calibre.
For a broader Sicilian trip, the resort makes an easy base for day trips to the Greek temples at Agrigento, the baroque towns of the southeast and the vineyards of the interior. Few golf destinations marry the course and the culture as completely as the southwest coast of Sicily.
Looking for a base? See our recommended hotels and resorts at Verdura and along the Sicilian coast.
Build a Sicily golf trip
We pair the East Course with Verdura's West, fold in the spa, the beach and the best of Sicilian food and culture, and cost it to the head with transfers and tee times arranged. Tell us roughly when and who is travelling and one concierge handles the rest, with no obligation.
Verdura East Course questions
Who designed the Verdura East Course and when did it open?
The East Course was designed by the acclaimed American architect Kyle Phillips and opened in 2009, with Verdura Resort welcoming its first full season in 2010. Phillips also designed the resort's West Course and a nine hole layout.
What is the par and length of the Verdura East Course?
The East Course plays as a par 72 of around 7,300 yards from the championship tees, the longer of Verdura's two eighteen hole courses and the one used for its biggest events.
Does the Verdura East Course run along the sea?
Yes. Several holes on the East Course run along the Mediterranean shoreline, with the closing stretch in particular playing beside the sea, one of the signatures of Kyle Phillips' design at Verdura.
Can visitors play the Verdura East Course?
Yes. Verdura is a Rocco Forte resort that welcomes visiting golfers and resort guests, who receive preferential tee times and rates. Booking is easiest through the resort. Always confirm directly before booking.
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Designer, opening year, par and length verified June 2026; access and fee guidance verified June 2026. Last reviewed June 2026.