National Antalya (Irmak & Tuna) - Turkey

I hadn’t planned on visiting the National during a recent short trip to Belek but when three different people with good local knowledge suggested I should check it out then I just had to make the effort to have a look around. It’s now owned by the same person who owns Carya so expect further investment in a property that’s just had an additional nine holes appended to it last year.

On arrival, the first big surprise is finding a “lived in” clubhouse with a really homely vibe that feels like a “proper” meeting place for members and guests, as opposed to some of the more modern, yet soulless buildings you might find elsewhere within the region. National was the first golf facility established back in the early 1990s so it’s a little more mature than its competitors.

The second shock to the system is the rolling topography of the property and the way the holes have been routed to take advantage of the mildly undulating terrain. A natural waterway runs through the layout and this is cleverly integrated into the design at holes 2, 8, 12 and 13. Water also comes into play at the 4th and 18th but the aquatic interference never feels too severe.

The course’s main defence is its lack of width – it’s a really tight track, with trees pinching into the fairway on many of the holes. Sometimes that means having to drive through a chute of trees off the teebox, other times it means threading an approach shot through a narrow entrance to a green. Keeping the driver in the boot of the car might be your best decision of the day when playing here.

On the front nine, I really liked the right doglegged, roller coaster 7th and par four 9th, with a split fairway leading to the green. The par five 12th was one of the best holes that I saw (out of more than one hundred and fifty) during my brief time in Turkey. Swinging left from the tee, with a ditch crossing the fairway to threaten the tee shot, the hole then rises steadily to a wickedly sloping 2-tier green perched on top of a ridge – a real 3-shot hole if ever I saw one.

The new 9-hole Ada course has only been in operation since October so it’s still a little rough around the edges in places (the 3rd is a very intimidating par four, veering left over water then uphill to the green) but it’s an excellent way to warm up for the more strenuous test on the original 18-hole course.

Jim McCann

Played the national as the final course on my holiday, I was not disappointed by the sourundings or course layout but the greens were in a awful state , the balls would not hold full of pitch marks . We made a friend who we invited along who plays of single figures , he had to hire clubs as he was on a family holiday and the earlyer comments about pre tiger era were right !! More pre Faldo. We brought up our points in the pro shop afterwards which was met with rudeness from the club pro , he said he should have brought his own clubs , and on the state of the greens they are all going through this maintenance this time of year . Rubish we played the PGA Sultan which was in immaculate condition. Great layout of holes , crap greens in summer , very grumpy staff . Would play the Sultan over the national anyday !

This is a good course - well kept, greens and fairways healthy, but really tight ... always tight. Never got out of my irons for 18 holes. It doesnt leave much space to breath your action, as many fairways turns, there are some blind holes. Not terribly long either. Plus, to make it difficult the time we played the greens were non responsive - grass was long, greens were slow as they were preparing the course for a championship that was 3 weeks away. Otherwise a well kept quality course.

this course has to be the tightest driving one of all the courses in turkey, there are plenty of great holes with lots to keep the player on his toes.the bunkers are deep & not to be messed with if you intend to shoot a good score. the 2nd & 5th are great par 3's & the finishing hole is a great way to finish your round you have to play with water to the letf & in front of the green & people sitting on the patio outside over looking the green, there is nothing better than hitting a good shot with a crowd watching you!.well worth playing if you are over in turkey, but then they are no real bad courses over here.

Played National Golf Club Antalya on June 10th, 2011 having played the #1 ranked Cornelia (Queens & Princes) the same week. National's claim of "First and Still the Best" is not unfounded. This is indeed a mini Augusta as someone posted earlier, with the exception that you can get in through the gate and get a tee-time at Antalya. The condition of the course from tee to green was superb. The bunkering in particular is nice, with some reminiscent of bunkers at Augusta National and Royal Melbourne (both of which I have only seen in pictures). There are many stand out holes which are easy to recall after your round. The course is not the longest compared to some of the newer courses in Belek, but this only adds to the enjoyment as length off the tee is not required but the narrow fairways do require accuracy. The pro shop welcome is friendly but some advice if you are looking to rent clubs. The National is not a resort course and the rental sets I was offered were unfortunately from the pre-Tiger era, probably from around the time the club opened in 1994. So even if you play one course during your stay in Antalya/Belek, make sure it's the National but bring your own clubs to make the most of it. The National went into my personal Top 5 which includes Cape Kidnappers, Kingsbarns, North Berwick and The European Club pushing Chambers Bay out in the process. No mean feat from a gem of a course.

A mini Augusta National. From the clubhouse design to the merchandise, caddy boiler suits and white sand in bunkers, it's clear to see where they got their inspiration from. This course is a more traditional club course compared with the other resort courses in Turkey, so stands out in that regard. If you are looking to play 5/6/7 different courses in Turkey, this should be on your list.

The toughest driving course in Turkey that has one of the best collections of frightening tee shots ever seen by me. Excellent bunkering and green complexes and a flavor of a very old course perfectly built into the natural environment make this one of the best golfing experiences to be had.The only drawback is the conditioning which is especially notorious on the greens. The latter are also flat and boring.This fact doesn't allow me to put a 6-ball mark which the course could deserve.Still the best bang for the buck in Turkey.

The original Belek golf course; the biggest difference the National has compared to the other courses in the area is that it is golf club rather than a golf resort course. There are still plenty of visitors but there is a club membership and club rules that are in line with traditional clubs that we all know. The original of the region’s courses and still right up there in terms of quality golf but some parts of the course looked a little worn in April 2007 – The very dry 2006 winter must have something to do with this and I am sure the club will correct this soon. Plenty of water features around the course and the 18th hole can safely sit in a top 10 list of great European finishing holes. A closing note; this course will not disappoint at all…but the club’s advertising claims the course is “The first and still the best” – surprised at this as I think “the best” sounds as they know that stiff competition is now all around them and I can vouch for that.

I'm sure Belek is one of the greatest loactions for golf in Europe and the National is a cracking course which is exacting and thoroughly enjoyable. The location is stunning and when I come back to Antalya, the National will be near the top of my play list.