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Golf Club Carezza, also known as Golf Club Karersee and "The Mountain Beast," is a nine-hole alpine course at the Karer Pass near Nova Levante in South Tyrol. The present layout is a par 35 measuring approximately 2,670 metres for one circuit and sits at about 1,680 metres above sea level. Its terrain produces roughly 400 metres of cumulative elevation change, with fairways moving through mountain meadows and conifer forest beneath the Catinaccio/Rosengarten and Latemar massifs.
Golf on the site dates to the beginning of the twentieth century: a nine-hole course was established for guests of the Grand Hotel Carezza in 1904-1905, expanded to 18 holes in 1921 and later abandoned. The modern nine-hole layout was designed by Italian golf architect Marco Croze and reopened around 1989-1991. South Tyrolean architect Wilfried Moroder was later commissioned to prepare a staged modernisation of the course beginning in the mid-2010s.
The course is a 9-hole mountain golf course. It plays to par 35, 2,670m. The course was designed by Marco Croze. It is open to the public. On-site facilities include Driving Range, Covered Driving Range Bays, Putting Green, Chipping Green, Practice Bunker, Golf School, Pro Shop, Clubhouse, and 6 more.
Golf at Carezza grew directly from the rise of high-altitude tourism around the Grand Hotel Carezza. The hotel opened in 1896 and became a destination for wealthy and aristocratic visitors from across Europe. A nine-hole golf course was established beside it in 1904-1905 for British and other international guests, making Carezza the earliest golf site in what is now South Tyrol.
The South Tyrol golf association records that the course was enlarged to 18 holes in 1921 and to 21 holes in 1951. Golf's fortunes were closely tied to those of the hotel and regional tourism; the two world wars interrupted travel, and after the Grand Hotel closed in 1957 the old course was eventually abandoned.
The modern revival did not simply restore the old 18-hole routing. Marco Croze designed a new nine-hole course on the historic property in the late 1980s. The routing uses the steep alpine ground as its defining feature, with approximately 400 metres of cumulative elevation change across a round and repeated changes in direction and elevation.
Fairways run through open meadow and forested sections beneath the Rosengarten/Catinaccio and Latemar mountain groups. The resulting course relies heavily on uneven lies, uphill and downhill approaches and positional accuracy rather than length alone. In the mid-2010s Wilfried Moroder was commissioned to prepare a staged redesign aimed at adapting the course to modern requirements while retaining its existing alpine setting.
The Carezza golf site has gone through several distinct incarnations. The first nine holes appeared in 1904-1905, followed by an expansion to 18 holes in 1921 and, according to South Tyrol's regional golf history, 21 holes by 1951. That historic course disappeared after the decline of the Grand Hotel and remained out of use for decades.
Revival came in the late 1980s when Marco Croze designed the present nine-hole course. EIGCA records its reopening in 1989, while other sources place the opening around 1990-1991. A further cycle of work began after Wilfried Moroder was commissioned in 2014.
Contemporary plans included lengthening selected holes, raising tees, modifying greens, improving safety and carrying out additional landscape planting as part of a staged modernisation.
Carezza's historical significance comes principally from its position at the beginning of golf in South Tyrol. The regional golf association describes it as the area's oldest golf course and links its early years to the international clientele of the Grand Hotel Carezza. The course's modern identity is closely associated with the name "The Mountain Beast," referring to the roughly 400 metres of elevation change golfers encounter over the nine-hole layout.
It has also hosted the Alpine Iron Man, an endurance-oriented golf event played over an extended format.
Golf Club Carezza operates as a seasonal nine-hole mountain course near the Karer Pass at approximately 1,680 metres above sea level. Visitors are accepted, and the 2026 public rates published by Golf in South Tyrol are EUR 50 for nine holes and EUR 80 for 18 holes. The golf operation includes a driving range, covered practice bays, putting and chipping greens, practice bunker, golf school, clubhouse, restaurant, bar, pro shop and rental equipment.
The course remains closely associated with both the historic Grand Hotel landscape and the surrounding Dolomite mountains.
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| Fee Type | Price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 9 hole | ||
| 2026 – 9 Holes | €50 | Published 2026 visitor green fee. |
| Other | ||
| 2026 – 18 Holes | €80 | Published 2026 visitor green fee; the nine-hole course is played twice for an 18-hole round. |
Prices are indicative and subject to change. Contact the course to confirm current rates.
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