Best golf courses in Turkey

Host of this year’s Turkish Airlines Open in November, Carya’s surprising 7,186-yard heathland layout will have many golfers thinking of Surrey’s famous courses. Free-flowing holes sweep beautifully through pine and eucalyptus trees, and provide a peaceful, yet extremely enjoyable challenge. The layout has recently been upgraded to become the first course in Europe to feature full floodlighting, enabling cooler summer rounds. The golf club is attached to the Regnum Carya Resort, which offers a choice of luxury rooms overlooking the sea or the golf course, as well as swim-up rooms. Leisure facilities include a private beach; spa and wellness facilities; tennis centre, and a Chelsea Soccer School that runs during school holidays. caryagolf.com

The newer generation of Belek courses, which came with slightly more impressive design briefs and budgets, kicked off with Nick Faldo’s first design project in Eastern Europe at the Cornelia Golf Resort, which opened in 2006. Comprising three loops of nine – Prince, Queen and King – the course was built on a sandy, pine-clad site, and features a three-metre high ridge that runs like a spine throughout the layout to offer a number of changes in elevation. Raised greens and tees and long stretches of waste bunkers are a specific feature of the course. Among the many highlights at Cornelia are some rather wonderful par three holes, especially the sixth, while the 11th is one of the very best double dog-leg par fives you will ever face. The Cornelia De Luxe Resort and Cornelia Diamond offer sumptuous hotel and villa accommodation just 2km from the course. Located along a sandy beach, both hotels feature a modern, stylish design and first-class facilities. The all-inclusive De Luxe offers four restaurants, three swimming pools, a spa, kids’ club, entertainment, and very attentive staff. corneliaresort.com

The newer generation of Belek courses, which came with slightly more impressive design briefs and budgets, kicked off with Nick Faldo’s first design project in Eastern Europe at the Cornelia Golf Resort, which opened in 2006. Comprising three loops of nine – Prince, Queen and King – the course was built on a sandy, pine-clad site, and features a three-metre high ridge that runs like a spine throughout the layout to offer a number of changes in elevation. Raised greens and tees and long stretches of waste bunkers are a specific feature of the course. Among the many highlights at Cornelia are some rather wonderful par three holes, especially the sixth, while the 11th is one of the very best double dog-leg par fives you will ever face. The Cornelia De Luxe Resort and Cornelia Diamond offer sumptuous hotel and villa accommodation just 2km from the course. Located along a sandy beach, both hotels feature a modern, stylish design and first-class facilities. The all-inclusive De Luxe offers four restaurants, three swimming pools, a spa, kids’ club, entertainment, and very attentive staff. corneliaresort.com

A little further up the coast from Belek, golfers have been flocking to the superb LykiaWorld, a great 27-hole resort that was designed by Perry Dye (son of the legendary Pete), ever since it first opened back in 2007. The course is sold as a natural links, and that is precisely what it is, with the sandy sub-soil giving the undulating fairways that solid linksy feel, while the railway sleeper bunkering is reminiscent of many of the world’s finest coastal courses. The stretch of holes from 14 to 16, which runs directly along the sea, is particularly stunning, while the subtle borrows and gentle run-offs around the greens will test every element of your short game. The four-star resort, which was taken over by Club Med in 2014, offers 433 hotel rooms and a wide variety of private villas, some of which feature their own pools. lykiaworldantalya.com

A little further up the coast from Belek, golfers have been flocking to the superb LykiaWorld, a great 27-hole resort that was designed by Perry Dye (son of the legendary Pete), ever since it first opened back in 2007. The course is sold as a natural links, and that is precisely what it is, with the sandy sub-soil giving the undulating fairways that solid linksy feel, while the railway sleeper bunkering is reminiscent of many of the world’s finest coastal courses. The stretch of holes from 14 to 16, which runs directly along the sea, is particularly stunning, while the subtle borrows and gentle run-offs around the greens will test every element of your short game. The four-star resort, which was taken over by Club Med in 2014, offers 433 hotel rooms and a wide variety of private villas, some of which feature their own pools. lykiaworldantalya.com

Following fast behind Faldo into Turkey was Colin Montgomerie, whose Maxx Royal layout, which opened in 2008, hosted the Turkish Airlines Open between 2013-15. Set in over 250 acres of mature pine forest, the 7,000-yard course meanders through the woods and has a total of eight lakes to negotiate. Alongside the course is the five-star Maxx Royal Hotel & Spa, which will prove a welcome retreat for the professionals, as well as for less accomplished golfers throughout the rest of the year. In addition to rooms, suites and villas, it offers five restaurants, 14 bars, a spa and 300 metres of private beach. montgomeriemaxxroyal.com 

Following fast behind Faldo into Turkey was Colin Montgomerie, whose Maxx Royal layout, which opened in 2008, hosted the Turkish Airlines Open between 2013-15. Set in over 250 acres of mature pine forest, the 7,000-yard course meanders through the woods and has a total of eight lakes to negotiate. Alongside the course is the five-star Maxx Royal Hotel & Spa, which will prove a welcome retreat for the professionals, as well as for less accomplished golfers throughout the rest of the year. In addition to rooms, suites and villas, it offers five restaurants, 14 bars, a spa and 300 metres of private beach. montgomeriemaxxroyal.com 

Belek can trace its golfing history as far back as 1994, with the opening of the National Golf Club, designed by former Irish tour pros David Feherty and David Jones. Marketed as ‘the first and still the best’, the National has the feel of a mature layout, and draws inspiration from many of the courses Feherty played during his time on tour. Carved from a pine and eucalyptus forest – much like many of the courses in Belek – no two holes are the same here, and with narrow, tree-lined fairways, gentle dog legs and some threatening lakes, the 6,232-metre layout is far from the gentle resort golf that many might expect. The back nine is definitely the easier of the two, that is until you come to the 18th, where the final green is protected by a pond, in which many a player has dumped their ball while being watched by the clubhouse crowds. nationalturkey.com

Belek can trace its golfing history as far back as 1994, with the opening of the National Golf Club, designed by former Irish tour pros David Feherty and David Jones. Marketed as ‘the first and still the best’, the National has the feel of a mature layout, and draws inspiration from many of the courses Feherty played during his time on tour. Carved from a pine and eucalyptus forest – much like many of the courses in Belek – no two holes are the same here, and with narrow, tree-lined fairways, gentle dog legs and some threatening lakes, the 6,232-metre layout is far from the gentle resort golf that many might expect. The back nine is definitely the easier of the two, that is until you come to the 18th, where the final green is protected by a pond, in which many a player has dumped their ball while being watched by the clubhouse crowds. nationalturkey.com

There are two excellent courses to be enjoyed at the Sueno Resort, where the Pines and the Dunes layouts do pretty much as they say on the tin. The 7,000-yard Pines is the must-play of the two, while the shorter par-69 Dunes is less demanding, and provides an ideal break from the trials of the more testing championship designs. The Pines winds through the area’s natural pine forests, and makes good use of Belek’s rolling, sandy terrain. Narrow fairways pick their way through the trees, and a smattering of lakes, before arriving at wickedly contoured greens. Both courses are just a five-minute walk to the brand new Sueno Deluxe Resort, which opened last summer. Featuring 426 rooms – 90% of which overlook the sea – it features ten infinity suites with their own pool and pavilion, and 16 swim-up suites, where guests can dip into one of the sizeable pools straight from the comfort of their room. sueno.com

There are two excellent courses to be enjoyed at the Sueno Resort, where the Pines and the Dunes layouts do pretty much as they say on the tin. The 7,000-yard Pines is the must-play of the two, while the shorter par-69 Dunes is less demanding, and provides an ideal break from the trials of the more testing championship designs. The Pines winds through the area’s natural pine forests, and makes good use of Belek’s rolling, sandy terrain. Narrow fairways pick their way through the trees, and a smattering of lakes, before arriving at wickedly contoured greens. Both courses are just a five-minute walk to the brand new Sueno Deluxe Resort, which opened last summer. Featuring 426 rooms – 90% of which overlook the sea – it features ten infinity suites with their own pool and pavilion, and 16 swim-up suites, where guests can dip into one of the sizeable pools straight from the comfort of their room. sueno.com

Also among the more established venues in Belek are the New and Old courses at the five-star Gloria Resort. The parkland-style New is both visually attractive and challenging to play. Host of the European Seniors Tour Classic in 2007 and the World Amateur Team Championship in 2012, the 6,523-metre course boasts an undulating, tree-lined setting shaped by four large lakes and 67 bunkers, which makes it a hugely entertaining course to play – especially the island green 17th, which was modelled on the 17th at TPC Sawgrass. The Old, which opened in 1997, has seven lakes, 60 sand traps, and plenty of those pesky pine trees, while there’s also an excellent nine-hole course, the Verde, which is ideal for a quick round as the sun goes down. The resort also boasts one of Turkey’s top golf academies, with a two-tiered, 48-bay driving range, and no fewer than four practice putting greens. The adjacent 293-room Gloria Hotel couldn’t be handier, allowing you to step out of your room and onto the first tee. gloria.com

Also among the more established venues in Belek are the New and Old courses at the five-star Gloria Resort. The parkland-style New is both visually attractive and challenging to play. Host of the European Seniors Tour Classic in 2007 and the World Amateur Team Championship in 2012, the 6,523-metre course boasts an undulating, tree-lined setting shaped by four large lakes and 67 bunkers, which makes it a hugely entertaining course to play – especially the island green 17th, which was modelled on the 17th at TPC Sawgrass. The Old, which opened in 1997, has seven lakes, 60 sand traps, and plenty of those pesky pine trees, while there’s also an excellent nine-hole course, the Verde, which is ideal for a quick round as the sun goes down. The resort also boasts one of Turkey’s top golf academies, with a two-tiered, 48-bay driving range, and no fewer than four practice putting greens. The adjacent 293-room Gloria Hotel couldn’t be handier, allowing you to step out of your room and onto the first tee. gloria.com

Antalya’s 6,257-yard Pasha is perhaps the most open of Belek’s courses, making it ideal for high handicappers, while the 7,011-yard Sultan, with a dozen water hazards, numerous pot bunkers and tight, rolling fairways, poses a much stiffer test – as was highlighted when eight of the world’s top players, including Tiger Woods, took part in the Turkish Airlines World Golf Final there in 2012. agc.com.tr

Antalya’s 6,257-yard Pasha is perhaps the most open of Belek’s courses, making it ideal for high handicappers, while the 7,011-yard Sultan, with a dozen water hazards, numerous pot bunkers and tight, rolling fairways, poses a much stiffer test – as was highlighted when eight of the world’s top players, including Tiger Woods, took part in the Turkish Airlines World Golf Final there in 2012. agc.com.tr