Antalya Golf Club is one of Belek’s leading golfing complexes and attached to 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, 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. 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 second shot is as essential as the first one from the tee box.