Works started in 1924, at the expert hands of Arch. Peter Gannon. In spring 1925 Francesco Pasquali, Instructor of Valle Scure, following the advice of one of his pupils, appears on that natural green terrace between Gignese and Vezzo to get acquainted with what will become his creature. What comes into his view is certainly not what today can be defined as a Golf course. It is a sort of cross-course: drainage does not yet exist, only 3 greens are ready and the other holes are not in the condition for anyone to play on. In spite of all this, Pasquali shoots ahead. On June 7, 1925 in the premises of the Hotel Regina in Stresa, the Board of directors of the Golf decides to inaugurate the golf course in September and to hold a ‘Meeting of a League Match’ between September 21 and 27.
The first Open of Italy
On June 28 the Board of Directors of the Alpino Golf resolves to allocate the sum of L. 3.000 to announce a league match ‘for Professionals’: the first Open of Italy is now born! Only three members enrolled that year: Pasquali, Jolly and Prette. Pasquali wins, naturally: he ends the 2 rounds of the match with 154 strikes. Also an amateur participated, although not resulting in the minutes: Peter Gannon, left-handed player, champion of Switzerland and designer of the golf course. In the wake of enthusiasm, with the help and the effort of some friends, the Alpino will again host the Open of Italy in the years 1926 and 1927. The second edition of the Open in 1926 reports a rise in the number of participants. Among 16 competitors Auguste Boyer of the Nizza Golf Club has the better with 147 strikes, second A. Ross from Geneva and third A. Grant of MT Angel. The third edition, at Alpino on October 1927, can count on a good 30 participants. The winner is Percy Alliss after the play off with Marcel Dellemagne with 145 strikes. Third N. Grant with 149 strikes. The first player will be given a prize of 2.500 lire and a gold medal, the 2nd and the 3rd one 1.500 lire, the 4th one 750 lire, ending with 500 lire to the 5th one. In the Play-Off or ‘Replay 18 holes’ as reported on the official minutes, Percy Alliss also sets the record of the ground with 67 strikes. Secretary and umpire was Major Gillespie, retired English officer.
The Alpino Golf Club in the postwar period
In the years before the war, the Golf is completed; Pasquali makes those alterations necessary to obtain an always better and competitive fairway. During the war years the Golf Club hosts from 1938 to 1942 the National Championships mixed doubles, in 1942 a Championship ‘Pro-soldiers’: 18 holes drawn at points. In the postwar period many national events are played on the fairways of the Alpino. On August 1945 the four-sided match: Italy, Great Britain, South Africa, United States, with the Italian victory over South Africa. From chronicles of those times it seems that USA lost all matches! On September 1946 the National Championship mixed doubles. On 1949 the National Championship Ladies Match Play with Ms Marsaglia beating Lea della Gherardesca 8/7 in the final match. In the fifties and sixties several national matches were played, among which many Pro-Am with the participation of famous professionals as Ugo Grappasonni, Aldo Casera, Alfonso Angelini, Giacomo Pasquali, Francesco Pasquali, Pietro Manca. Not to mention that in all those years kings, princes, representatives of foreign countries enjoyed the landscape and the welcome which the Club knows how to offer.
The Alpino Golf Club in our days
Having moved up the table in No. 1 category in 1988 in Varese with Michele Alessi, Gianni Borroni, Ermanno Bortoletti, Gianni Airaga and Mauro Della Torre, the team of the Alpino Golf Club captained by Roberto Della Torre achieved prestigious results, from year to year, at the Italian Championships in teams, also thanks to the contribute of great players as Roberto Platini, Teresio Comina, Rodolfo Pesati, Carlo and Matteo Zaretti, both valuable and promising professionals today. The masculine team upheld the good name of the Alpino Golf Club arriving in the finals no less than 5 times and in any case always placing themselves in the first positions. To end this short history of the Alpino, one cannot forget the Presidents who managed the Club with love and sometimes with enormous sacrifices: Vittorio Emanuele Baisini, President of the Foundation of the Club, Bernardo Bossi, Carlo Vittadini, Giuseppe Marenzi, Pupi Alessi Sandonnini and all the others, Secretaries, Caddie Masters, staff who contributed to the history and the growth of the Alpino of Stresa Golf Club.
