Forget the Algarve, or the Costa del Sol, the Belek region of Turkey is the place to go for a European golfing holiday.
I spent a week in the region in June, and although I would tell people to pay attention to the possibility of very high summer temperatures, I would definitely recommend taking the trip.
The Belek region of Turkey is within an hour from Antalya Airport, and with the travel time from the UK being less than five hours, you can’t even call it a long-haul flight.
It isn’t just golf either, as there are no fewer than ten wonderful resorts that all sit next to each other along the Mediterranean coastline. In total, you’re looking at 20 golf courses in a 15-mile stretch of pure golfing paradise.
What more could you possibly want…?
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Resorts, resorts, resorts
To say that you would be spoilt for choice when it comes to resorts would be an understatement. There really is something for everyone in Belek when it comes to golf.
As you would expect, we are going to focus on the golf, and there’s still plenty of choice there as well, with 270 holes in play in this epic stretch of Mediterranean coastline.
The biggest in terms of its golfing portfolio is Gloria, which features 45 holes across three courses. The venue is home to the Old and New Courses – both 18-hole layouts – along with the 9-hole Verde Course.
In terms of accommodation, the Gloria Resort boasts the Verde, Golf and Serenity Resorts. They each offer something slightly different in terms of accommodation, so there is something for every party.
When I made the visit to Turkey, in June, I stayed at the majestic Sueno – one of three resorts in the region to offer 36 holes on site. The Pines and Dunes Courses both have plenty of water in play, along with tree-lined fairways, while both the Deluxe Hotel is also perfect for families as well as those here for a golf trip. The Golf Hotel, situated above the clubhouse, is a great spot overlooking the 9th and 18th holes of both courses.
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Antalya GC and Cullinan Links are the other two venues in Belek that are also host to 36 holes. The former is home to the PGA Sultan Course and the Pasha Course, with the Sultan playing host to the likes of Tiger Woods, Justin Rose and Rory McIlroy in the Turkish Airlines World Golf Final in 2012.
Cullinan Links was only completed in 2021, with the Olympos and Aspendos Courses in its portfolio. Floodlit golf is available on the back nine of the Aspendos Course, as it is also at the Montgomerie Maxx Royal and the Regnum Carya – both of which have played host to the Turkish Airlines Open over the last decade.
Sir Nick Faldo was the man behind all 27 holes at Cornelia, which can be played in three loops of 18 – the King, Queen and Prince Courses. Kaya Palazzo and the Robinson Nobilis are the other 18-hole venues in this strip of golf along the Mediterranean coastline.
Take the drive 10 miles east, and you will come to Lykia Links – the most charcterful of the venues in the region. The course is the closest you will find to links golf in the Mediterranean, with four holes on the back nine playing along the coastline, where the wind is at its strongest.
Now have your say
Have you played golf in Turkiye before? If not, will you be adding it to your list of golf holidays? Let us know your thoughts with a post on X, formerly Twitter!
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