Sueno (Dunes)

Situated between the Carya and Cornelia golf complexes on Belek’s coastline, the two golf courses at the 5-star 174-bedroomed Sueno Hotel were both designed by Bob Hunt of International Golf Design (formerly known as PGA Design Consulting) and they opened for business in late 2007.

Laid out within a large 300-acre property, the sandy-soiled holes of the 18-hole Pines and Dunes layouts are routed through a dense forest, with umbrella pine trees flanking each and every one of fairways. It can get tight in places here, especially on some of the tee boxes, so a more cautious approach will often pay dividends.

The Pines course is the longer and tougher of the two tracks, measuring 6,413 meters from the back markers (slope index 148) and playing to a par of 72 against an overall length of 5,643 metres for the Dunes (slope index 139) and a par of 69. It may be shorter than its big brother but the Dunes course is no less strategic.

Indeed, club golfers may actually prefer the Dunes course because it offers the average handicapper the chance of posting a decent score without the necessity of being long off the tee. Short par fours at the 270-metre 3rd and 296-metre 16th might even allow a birdie “3” to be claimed with a little care and attention.

The par threes at the 4th and 7th are highlight holes on the front nine, with six bunkers surrounding the green at the former and water protecting the front right side of the green on the latter. There’s only one par five on the card, at the 533-metre 13th, which veers right to the green, past a pond that cuts into the fairway on the left.

The best hole is kept until last at the 342-metre 18th, as the hole bends gently right towards the target. It’s not apparent from the tee box in the trees, but the home green is positioned in the middle of the pond that sits in front of the hotel, with a boardwalk allowing access to it. It’s an all or nothing moment at the end of the round so go for it!