Carved through a forest of eucalyptus and pine, the PGA Sultan course is one of Europe’s best new courses and it’s attached to one of Turkey’s finest resorts.
Antalya Golf Club (PGA Sultan)
Carved through a forest of eucalyptus and pine, the PGA Sultan course is one of Europe’s best new courses and it’s attached to one of Turkey’s finest resorts.
Antalya Golf Club is one of Belek’s leading golfing complexes and it’s attached to the 440-room Sirene Belek Golf Hotel. Residents and visitors are in the fortunate position of being able to choose to play one or both of two sensational 18-hole layouts – the PGA Sultan and the Pasha.
Designed by David Jones and European Golf Design in the late 1990s, the courses wind their way through woods, up and over sandy banks and around crystal clear ponds that were once swamps. Water features at half the holes on each course and there are a good number of pot bunkers to be negotiated on fairways and around putting surfaces.
The front nine on the PGA Sultan ends with a classic risk/reward hole, a 362-yard, par four, named, appropriately enough, “The Choice.” A brave tee shot must flirt with water on the left to set up an easier second shot while a safer drive down the right will result in adding two clubs to the approach.
The next six holes – from “The Keyhole” to “The Long Fellow” – are all demanding par fours, with the long, narrow, 476-yard, 12th one of the toughest to be found on any of the Belek courses. As the club themselves say of this hole, “ be proud of a par here.”
The round ends with a 448-yard, par four hole called “Looking Back.” If ever a hole was designed to plot your way from tee to green then this is it. Water either side of what is effectively an island fairway pressurises the drive as there is little margin for error if the tee shot is to remain dry on the short grass. The green is surrounded by five bunkers so an accurate approach shot is as essential as the first one from the tee box.
In October of 2012, the PGA Sultan course co-hosted the prestigious Eisenhower Trophy, the biennial World Amateur Team Championship, with the 3-man team from the USA winning the event. The following week, eight of the top thirty world-ranked professionals pitched up to play in the one-off Turkish Airlines World Golf Final, where the $1.5 million first prize was claimed by Justin Rose.
The latest ranking of the Top 100 Golf Courses in the World serves as the ultimate global golf bucket list. Most members of our World Top 100 Panel are seasoned golfers, each playing 20-30 of these courses annually while travelling extensively over decades to form their opinions on others. We recognise that opinions vary—even among our panel members. Rankings are subjective, and there are undoubtedly 50 or more courses in the UK and USA alone that could easily fit onto this list. Links Golf Pilgrimages The rankings
California, United States
New Jersey, United States
Northern Ireland, United Kingdom
New York, United States
New York, United States
We’ve been ranking golf courses in Turkey for fifteen years, starting with a Top 10 before the listings were expanded to a Top 15 in 2016. When you consider there are only around 33 golfing layouts in the country then we think our coverage is adequate. Most of the golf played in Turkey is by incoming players to Antalya, which has year-round flights bringing visitors in from all over Europe, many of them attracted by all-inclusive stay and play golf packages. Carya A very prominent destination for incoming golfers is the 18-hole layout at Carya Golf Club, which remains our #1 for Turkey. Host club for the Turkish Open from 2016 to 2018, the course was laid out by Tim Lobb when he worked in the same design firm as Peter Thomson and Ross Perrett, with holes routed through tall stands of pine and eucalyptus trees on a very sandy site. Montgomerie Maxx Royal Another Turkish Open venue, the Montgomerie Maxx Royal, leaps five places up the new chart to the runner-up spot, surpassing the #4 position it held in 2010. Colin Montgomerie is credited as the headliner designer here, working with architect Gary Johnson from European Golf Design to fashion the fairways across a landscape that was previously nothing other than government-owned forest. Antalya Another nearby European Golf Design production – this time built in collaboration with David Jones – is the 36-hole facility at Antalya Golf Club, where the Pasha course rises two places to #6, reclaiming the position it held in our inaugural Turkish chart in 2008. Often unfairly overlooked in favour of the PGA Sultan course, the Pasha more than holds its own against its higher-ranked sibling. Gloria The Old course at Gloria Hotels & Resorts climbs two rungs of the ladder up to #7. Designed by Michel Gayon, this 18-hole layout was one of the first of the new wave of courses to appear in Belek around the end of the 1990s. The 18-hole New and 9-hole Verde courses have since been added to create a wonderful 45-hole golf facility at Gloria, cementing its status as a “must play” for the many golfers who return here annually. Robinson Nobilis Next door to the Gloria resort, at the eastern end of the Belek golf strip, lies the Dave Thomas-designed Robinson Nobilis course, advancing two places to #12 in our Turkish standings. It’s another late 1990s design, set next to where the Acisu River empties into the Mediterranean Sea, with holes occupying a sandy coastal site. Conditioning has been suspect in that past but that’s no longer true, thanks to ample investment in recent years from parent company TUI. Cullinan The highest new entry into our standings (at #13) is the Aspendos course at Cullinan Links Golf Club at the west end of the Belek strip, where the Besgoz River enters the Med. The old Titanic 27-hole setup – which started out as TAT International in the late 1990s – has recently been reconfigured by Gary Johnson to form two exciting new 18-hole courses, the Aspendos and the Olympos. To view the entire detailed list of our latest Top 15 Golf Courses of Turkey click the link. View list here. If you have any comment to make on the above article then please use the “WRITE A RESPONSE” link at the bottom of this page. Jim McCann Editor Top 100 Golf Courses
Spoiled for choice on Turkey’s Mediterranean coast Our last resort article veered a little bit off the beaten track for most golfers, delving as it did into Marrakech in the northwest corner of the African continent, where more than a dozen new golf ventures have appeared since the start of the new millennium. We now head several thousand kilometres east to the southern shores of Turkey and another government-sponsored golf tourism incentive which has seen the introduction of a similar number of high-end golf courses with associated 5-star accommodation facilities. Occupying a 20-kilometre coastal stretch between the points where the Aksu and Köprücay rivers enter the Mediterranean, the Belek courses are easily accessible, with many tour operators offering all-inclusive packages flying in and out of nearby Antalya airport. Antalya The 36-hole complex at Antalya Golf Club is complemented by the 440-bedroom Sirene Belek Golf Hotel and the Kempinski Hotel The Dome, which has 158 rooms and suites, along with 25 villas. Both the PGA Sultan and Pashaare courses from European Golf Design in consultation with David Jones, with the former layout co-hosting the Eisenhower Trophy when it was played here ten years ago. A recent reviewer thought the PGA Sultan had “a definite Surrey sand belt feel” due to it being “set out on sandy ground with tall pines lining most holes.” He continued: “there’s no doubting the ambition and where the investment has gone (with) impressive practice facilities and club houses with first class service… the closing stretch of holes from 16 provides a grandstand finish.” Carya Host venue for three editions of the Turkish Open from 2016 to 2018, the 18-hole layout at Carya Golf Club is a Tim Lobb design from 2008, when the architect was working with Peter Thomson and Ross Peret. Holes are routed through huge stands of pine and eucalyptus trees, with play continuing into the evening if required thanks to high-tech flood lighting. The Regnum Carya Golf & Spa Resort – which staged the G20 summit in 2015 – offers 550 rooms, suites and villas next to the golf course. Review comments from earlier this year include: “this whole facility is outstanding: the practice facilities are the best I have ever seen and the condition of them is as good as anywhere… everything about it is big and bold: huge, deep bunkers, severe undulations and lightning-quick greens are the order of the day (so) be sensible in choosing the correct tee or it won’t be a fun experience.” Sueno Next door to Carya, the 36-hole complex at Sueno Golf Club came from the drawing board of Bob Hunt of IGD, which was previously named PGA Design Consulting. The Pines and Dunes 18-hole layouts first opened for play in 2007 and they’re anchored by the onsite Sueno Hotels Golf Belek and the adjacent Sueno Hotels Deluxe Belek, which boasts more than 400 bedrooms. A post from a couple of months ago described the higher-ranked Pines course as “a lovely parkland course set behind the resort strip in Belek and part of a stretch of 12 other courses… the fairways and surrounds are heavily mounded… mature pine and eucalyptus trees dominate (with) excellent conditioning, especially the greens.” Cornelia The adjacent Cornelia Diamond Golf Resort & Spa extends to over 550 bedrooms, with half a dozen restaurants and the same number of bars. The Cornelia De Luxe Resort is located a 10-minute drive along the coast and it’s something of a water paradise with connected pools, waterslides and waterfalls. There’s also a buffet-style restaurant, 5 other restaurants and 8 bars. The 27-hole Nick Faldo Championship course at the golf club offers three 18-hole configurations: King (holes 1 to 18), Queen (holes 10 to 27), and Prince (holes 1-9 and 19-27). The club co-hosted the 28th edition of the prestigious World Amateur Team Championship with Antalya Golf Club in 2012, with the competition reduced to 54 holes due to bad weather. Montgomerie Maxx Royal The Maxx Royal Belek Golf Resort has the Montgomerie Maxx Royal course (originally known as “Papillon”) as its golfing centrepiece. The accommodation comprises more than 500 rooms, suites and villas, backed up by several swimming pools, an aqua park and extensive children’s amenities. Gary Johnson of European Golf Design collaborated with Colin Montgomery on designing the course (which staged the Turkish Open several times in recent years). “The course and infrastructure are top quality, giving a first-class all-round experience,” wrote a reviewer a couple of months ago. “The sandy waste areas on a couple of holes stand out as a great feature; very easy to find one, very difficult to escape with any degree of control… conditioning and greens were fantastic; turf conditions were carpet-like and greens were agreeably firm.” Gloria The Gloria Golf Resort provides the main accommodation choice at the 45-hole Gloria golf complex (providing more than 500 room, suite and villa options) and it’s complemented by another couple of on-site facilities at the Gloria Serenity Resort and Gloria Verde Resort. All told, there are more than 20 sumptuous á la carte and main restaurants located across the three hotels. Michel Gayon designed the 18-hole Old and New layoutsat Gloria, with the 9-hole Verde course following in more recent years. When you Include the outstanding practice complex, it’s easy to see why Gloria is regarded as one of the best golf setups in the country. The club also hosted the now defunct Turkish Seniors Open between 2000 and 2007, along with four editions of the Turkish Airlines Challenge between 2015 and 2018. Jim McCann Editor Top 100 Golf Courses
Spoiled for choice on Turkey’s Mediterranean coast Our last resort article veered a little bit off the beaten track for most golfers, delving as it did into Marrakech in the northwest corner of the African continent, where more than a dozen new golf facilities have appeared since the start of the new millennium. We now head several thousand kilometres east to the southern shores of Turkey and another government-sponsored golf tourism incentive which has seen the introduction of a similar number of high-end golf courses with associated 5-star accommodation facilities. Occupying a 20-kilometre coastal stretch between the points where the Aksu and Köprücay rivers enter the Mediterranean, the Belek courses are easily accessible, with many tour operators offering all-inclusive packages flying in and out of nearby Antalya airport. Antalya The 36-hole complex at Antalya Golf Club is complemented by the 440-bedroom Sirene Belek Golf Hotel and the Kempinski Hotel The Dome, which has 158 rooms and suites, along with 25 villas. Both the PGA Sultan and Pashaare courses from European Golf Design in consultation with David Jones, with the former layout co-hosting the Eisenhower Trophy when it was played here ten years ago. A recent reviewer thought the PGA Sultan had “a definite Surrey sand belt feel” due to it being “set out on sandy ground with tall pines lining most holes.” He continued: “there’s no doubting the ambition and where the investment has gone (with) impressive practice facilities and club houses with first class service… the closing stretch of holes from 16 provides a grandstand finish.” Carya Host venue for three editions of the Turkish Open from 2016 to 2018, the 18-hole layout at Carya Golf Club is a Tim Lobb design from 2008, when the architect was working with Peter Thomson and Ross Perrett. Holes are routed through huge stands of pine and eucalyptus trees, with play continuing into the evening if required thanks to high-tech flood lighting. The Regnum Carya Golf & Spa Resort – which staged the G20 summit in 2015 – offers 550 rooms, suites and villas next to the golf course. Review comments from earlier this year include: “this whole facility is outstanding: the practice facilities are the best I have ever seen and the condition of them is as good as anywhere… everything about it is big and bold: huge, deep bunkers, severe undulations and lightning-quick greens are the order of the day (so) be sensible in choosing the correct tee or it won’t be a fun experience.” Sueno Next door to Carya, the 36-hole complex at Sueno Golf Club came from the drawing board of Bob Hunt of IGD, which was previously named PGA Design Consulting. The Pines and Dunes 18-hole layouts first opened for play in 2007 and they’re anchored by the onsite Sueno Hotels Golf Belek and the adjacent Sueno Hotels Deluxe Belek, which boasts more than 400 bedrooms. A post from a couple of months ago described the higher-ranked Pines course as “a lovely parkland course set behind the resort strip in Belek and part of a stretch of 12 other courses… the fairways and surrounds are heavily mounded… mature pine and eucalyptus trees dominate (with) excellent conditioning, especially the greens.” Cornelia The adjacent Cornelia Diamond Golf Resort & Spa extends to over 550 bedrooms, with half a dozen restaurants and the same number of bars. The Cornelia De Luxe Resort is located a 10-minute drive along the coast and it’s something of a water paradise with connected pools, waterslides and waterfalls. There’s also a buffet-style restaurant, 5 other restaurants and 8 bars. The 27-hole Nick Faldo Championship course at the golf club offers three 18-hole configurations: King (holes 1 to 18), Queen (holes 10 to 27), and Prince (holes 1-9 and 19-27). The club co-hosted the 28th edition of the prestigious World Amateur Team Championship with Antalya Golf Club in 2012, with the competition reduced to 54 holes due to bad weather. Montgomerie Maxx Royal The Maxx Royal Belek Golf Resort has the Montgomerie Maxx Royal course (originally known as “Papillon”) as its golfing centrepiece. The accommodation comprises more than 500 rooms, suites and villas, backed up by several swimming pools, an aqua park and extensive children’s amenities. Gary Johnson of European Golf Design collaborated with Colin Montgomery on designing the course (which staged the Turkish Open several times in recent years). “The course and infrastructure are top quality, giving a first-class all-round experience,” wrote a reviewer a couple of months ago. “The sandy waste areas on a couple of holes stand out as a great feature; very easy to find one, very difficult to escape with any degree of control… conditioning and greens were fantastic; turf conditions were carpet-like and greens were agreeably firm.” Gloria The Gloria Golf Resort provides the main accommodation choice at the 45-hole Gloria golf complex (providing more than 500 room, suite and villa options) and it’s complemented by another couple of on-site facilities at the Gloria Serenity Resort and Gloria Verde Resort. All told, there are more than 20 sumptuous á la carte and main restaurants located across the three hotels. Michel Gayon designed the 18-hole Old and New layouts at Gloria, with the 9-hole Verde course following in more recent years. When you Include the outstanding practice complex, it’s easy to see why Gloria is regarded as one of the best golf setups in the country. The club also hosted the now defunct Turkish Seniors Open between 2000 and 2007, along with four editions of the Turkish Airlines Challenge between 2015 and 2018. Jim McCann Editor Top 100 Golf Courses
