Located in the beautiful La Mandria Regional Park, at the foot of the Alps, the Robert Trent Jones-designed I Roveri opened its doors for play in 1971.

Well-watered with large undulating greens and stunning mountain views, the course has hosted the Italian Open 4 times and the European Amateur Championships twice.

Gianluca Curati, Golf Operations Manager, spoke with us ahead of the Ryder Cup being held in Italy and shared some insights into what makes I Roveri such a top course.

How would you describe your morning routine to kickstart your day?

After a good breakfast of coffee and dried fruit, some healthy stretching and the breaking news, I try to carve out some time to check my checklist between emails and the day’s priorities so that I can manage the day’s challenges and any unforeseen events.

Specifically, one of the most useful things I do is definitely the daily discussion with the greenkeeper about the condition of the course. In this way, we assess together whether there have been any problems and consequently practical and communication solutions.

Once this is done, I am ready to face the day and welcome incoming guests.

Has golf always been your first love?

Sport has always been part of my life, I have no particular preferences and I am passionate about the stories of great champions and great sporting events. In 2000, thanks to a friend, I tried playing golf and it was love at first sight.

After a few years, I also started to get passionate about the rules and the management world, which in a few years became my official job.

Tell us about your role at Royal Park I Roveri. Why is it important?

I strongly believe in team spirit and that at Royal Park I Roveri all roles are important. Mine specifically has the function of coordinating the departments that take care of the customer experience, from the arrival at the secretary’s office to the path to the locker room or the caddie master.

Sometimes I feel like an orchestra conductor whose role is to keep time but aware that everyone has their own instrument and it is essential that everyone plays it to the best of their ability.

Why has your course decided to invest in Tagmarshal?

In recent years, thanks to more aggressive and commercial policies, we have significantly increased the flow of players, especially in competitions. Therefore, the need for more and more detailed control arose.

We decided to use Tagmarshal’s technology to support our staff and optimize intervention time for the benefit of the customer experience on the course.

Since implementing Tagmarshal, how have your golfers responded to the on-course experience?

At Royal Park I Roveri we were the first in Italy to use Tagmarshal and this was a source of interest and curiosity for the members. By using it they also understood its usefulness and felt more in control.

This positive impact is reinforced from time to time with communication and intelligent sharing of the data provided by the system, so as to keep their interest and understanding of the value of the product high.

Describe Tagmarshal in three words.

Intuitive, Precise, Easy-to-use.

What is your dream golf destination? Why?

South Africa is certainly an interesting destination and one that I hear more and more about. I would love to visit it not just for the golf because I think it has some unique landscapes and experiences. As a pure player, for sure a nice tour of Scotland would definitely be something that should be done at least once in a lifetime.

Your best golf moment?

Old Course, St Andrews, hole 17… going over the hotel on the first shot… chills. I’ll say no more.

If you could be a caddie on Tour, whose caddie would you like to be and why?

Edoardo Molinari. I am lucky enough to be able to watch him frequently here at Royal Park I Roveri.

He is a truly incredible professional who uses not only his talent but also his deeply scientific head to get the most out of each of his rounds.