It’s no secret that Turkey is challenging the Mediterranean hot spots of Spain and Portugal for a major share of the lucrative golfing market. 

Figures released by the Tourism Ministry for the first half of the year show an impressive 19.17 per cent increase in the number of foreign visitors. That’s a rise of almost four million tourists in the first half of the year, compared with the same period last year. Golf breaks in a country situated on two different continents, encompassing a fusion of western and eastern cultures, represent excellent value for money. With high standards of accommodation, facilities and service and the mild Mediterranean climate, golf holidays in Turkey have become really popular over the past few years and the sport is undergoing a strong development programme.

Belek’s stunning scenery, sandy beaches and a wealth of facilities for golfers and their families makes it Turkey’s main area for golf with a choice of 5-star hotels where full-board means exactly that (virtually unlimited food and drink) and championship courses that will satisfy even the most demanding golfer.

In recent years both Nick Faldo and Colin Montgomerie have designed stunning courses in the area. The Faldo design at Cornelia Golf Club was the eighth 18-hole course to open in Belek, just a half-hour’s drive from  Antalya International Airport. The new layout was funded by the luxury Belek hotel of the same name and was Faldo’s first creation in the eastern Mediterranean.

It bears all the hallmarks of the class and attention to detail that characterised the six-times major champion’s play. Measuring 6,373 metres (7,010 yards) from the back tees, this challenging par-72 consists of two nine-hole loops. It is built on a vast ridge of sand dunes, threads its way through a colony of umbrella pines, has plenty of small hills and, most typically for a Faldo design, several doglegs that place more of an emphasis on strategic acumen than brute force.

Factor in elevated tees, tight driving holes, numerous beautiful but treacherous lakes, along with par-5s that are genuine three-shotters, and it becomes obvious that patience as well as skill is required to construct a decent score here.

A third nine-hole loop was added so that the Cornelia complex offers a varied enough golf experience to rival those on offer at the older resorts of Gloria with its Old and New courses, Tat Beach (27 holes) and Antalya Golf Club’s Sultan and Pasha courses.

Last year The Montgomerie Course at Papillon Golf Club was completed forming part of a new $100 million 5-star golf and hotel complex, including a floodlit 9-hole short course and a golf academy, as was the Lykia Links, which is claimed to be the first authentic links golf course in Turkey. Its undulating dunes leading down to the sea and panoramic views of the mountains beyond make it one of the most attractive in the country.

Two other layouts, one of them from five-times Open champion Peter Thomson, have added to Belek’s varied collection of courses.

Belek also has two other 18-hole golf resorts. The oldest, The National, was designed by David Feherty and fellow Ulsterman David Jones and opened in 1994. It has won international recognition featuring in world rankings. The other is the Nobilis, owned by the German hotel group Robinsaon and created in 1998 by Welshman Dave Thomas whose portfolio includes The Belfry.

• For more information on golf holidays in Turkey, contact Anatolian Sky on 0845 365 1011 or visit www.anatoliansky.co.uk

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