To the not-so-seasoned golf traveler, Turkey would be a very unlikely golf holiday destination. But with a rich and varied landscape, a good weather and eye catching courses, it figures on an increasing number of golf packages now. Straddling the orient and the occident, Turkey is in an enviable position, geographically. Historically, Turkey has been an important player having given rise to the Ottoman and the Byzantine empires.

Resonating with a rich cultural heritage and natural beauty, Turkey has always been a tourist destination fascinating people from all over the world. in the last few years tourism in Turkey has added a new dimension to its charms – golf. The sport is gaining popularity and Turkey is earning its place as a favored golf package inclusion owing to the fact it offers several fabulous courses not yet crowded by enthusiastic golf holiday makers.

One of the best things about golf travel to Turkey is that it is an easy and a fairly inexpensive affair. You can play world class courses on mountains, some of the most beautiful beaches, in plains and in forests. This diversity is attractive enough to golfers for planning dedicated golf vacations to Turkey. What’s more, Turkey also offers a lot more than golf – captivating Ottoman architecture, fascinating arts and a great cuisine for the hungry traveler.

However, when you are on a golf tour little else occupies your mind and you want to start swinging away as soon as possible. Before you tee off, you’ll have to decide which region you want to exhaust first. Golf in turkey is concentrated in two places – Antalya and Istanbul.

A great start to your golf vacation could be some of the courses in the ancient city of Antalya. Founded in the second century BC by Attalus II, Antalya is a visual treat situated along the Mediterranean coast. Most of the courses here are located in the golf resort area called Belek just a few miles from the Antalya airport so you can begin your golf holiday as soon as you land. Start off with the Antalya Golf Club comprising two courses – The Sultan and The Pasha. The Sultan is an 18-hole, 6411 meters course designed by David Jones. Playing the Sultan on your golf tour may send you back a better golfer for it tests every skill you have while offering a great view of the surrounding greenery and all this at just EUR 75. The Pasha is even more demanding and requires a skillful player. With 18 demanding holes, tough dog-legs and foxy bunkers, The Pasha is an experience you can’t miss.

Another notable course in Antalya is the Gloria golf resort designed by Michael Gayon. An 18-hole parkland style championship course, Gloria runs to 6300 meters par 72. The layout gives you a good walk and a tough time around four huge lakes and more than 60 bunkers. Your golf tour would be incomplete without this gem.

The next stop on your golf travel by default would be Istanbul, a modern city far from the sepia toned picture you may have imagined. One of the best and the oldest courses in Europe that your golf tour cannot do without is the Maslak. Two other courses that will make your golf vacation memorable are Klassis Golf & Country Club and the Kemer Golf & Country Club.Â

Turkey is a beautiful country blessed with natural good looks, warm and friendly people and a lot more golf coming up. You can play some thirst quenching golf on your golf tour and still not have to rob a bank to pay for it. With several more courses on the anvil, Turkey is a golf holiday destination slated to get to the top very soon.