Mainstays
Debuted in 1994, Belek’s first course was the National Golf Club, by the Irish duo of David Jones and David Feherty. A clever blend of British and American features, the gently rolling layout wanders through a forest of eucalyptus and pine, with several natural lakes in play. The distant Taurus Mountains loom into view at several holes. It’s a subtle, lay-of-the-land design with small greens and enough length at 6,896 yards to keep better players honest.

Host of a European Seniors Tour event in 1996–97, National sets the standard for the area. The courses that have cropped up since, all within a 20-minute drive of each other, range from very good to excellent. Tat Golf Belek International Golf Club (Tat means “taste” in Turkish) is a relatively flat 27-hole layout by Englishman Martin Hawtree, a third-generation designer. Opened in 1997, it offers a diverse mix of inland, tree-lined holes as well as links-style holes stretched along the beachfront, with a river in play at roughly half the holes. Tat’s only failing is its conditioning, which can be iffy.

The region’s sleeper course is Robinson Club Nobilis, which occupies the site of a former Roman settlement. English course architect Dave Thomas routed holes through tall umbrella pines near the Acisu River, the landing areas and slick bentgrass greens staked out by rolled-down, grass-faced bunkers. And just in case you neglected to remember where you are, there’s a colonnaded clubhouse and a statue of Julius Caesar swinging a club atop a Roman arch to remind you.

Belek’s largest facility is the 45-hole Gloria Golf Resort. The Old course was laid out in 1997 by Michel Gayon, a little-known Frenchman who created an impressive, tree-lined venue that emphasizes the tee shot: The layout’s seemingly wide, inviting fairways actually call for well-positioned drives to open up a clear shot to the green.

The major-domo at Gloria is Tony Martin, a former European Tour player who has tirelessly promoted Turkey as a first-class destination. “The future of golf tourism in this country is looking very positive,” he says. “Some compare Turkey with Spain 30 years ago, but we are moving faster here and the quality and service are higher.”

The region’s most recent developments have given Belek enough critical mass to enter the big leagues. The 36-hole Antalya Golf Club, opened in 2002, occupies gently rolling terrain and has a different look than the region’s other courses. With fewer trees and numerous lakes, it could almost pass for a Florida spread. The Sultan, at 7,011 yards, is a pro-style test; the Pasha, relatively short at 6,268 yards, compensates with small, very undulating greens.