Belek is Turkey's golfing capital, a slim ribbon of Mediterranean coast where more than a dozen championship courses sit within a few minutes of one another. For visiting golfers the hard part is not finding a good course but choosing between them. This guide compares the region's headline layouts — Carya, Montgomerie Maxx Royal, Cornelia, Gloria, PGA Sultan at Antalya Golf Club, Kaya Palazzo, National and Sueno — by style, difficulty and the kind of player each one suits, so you can build an itinerary that matches your handicap and your taste.
We are a fixed-price private transfer company based in Belek, so alongside the golf we cover the practical side: how far each course is, which vehicle fits your clubs, and how to move between resort, courses and the airport without fuss. Antalya Airport lies 33 km away, a 35–45 minute drive, and a Mercedes Vito from €35 comfortably carries golf bags and luggage. Read on for a course-by-course guide, a head-to-head comparison, and everything you need to plan a smooth, sun-soaked golf break on the Belek coast.
Table of Contents
- Why Belek leads Turkish golf
- Carya: heathland and night golf
- Montgomerie Maxx Royal
- PGA Sultan at Antalya GC
- Cornelia and Gloria
- National, Kaya Palazzo and Sueno
- Which course suits you
- Transfers with golf clubs
Why Belek Leads Turkish Golf
Belek, on Antalya's Mediterranean coast, is the undisputed home of Turkish golf. Within a compact stretch between the resort town and neighbouring Kadriye sit more than a dozen championship layouts, most carved from umbrella-pine forest and irrigated to stay green through a long, sunny season. The concentration is unmatched anywhere in the eastern Mediterranean, so you can play a different course each morning without long drives. Designers including Peter Thomson, Colin Montgomerie, Nick Faldo and European Golf Design have all left their mark here. From Antalya Airport the courses lie just 33 km away, a 35–45 minute private transfer, which makes multi-course golf breaks refreshingly simple to plan and to reach.
Carya: Heathland Character and Night Golf
Carya Golf Club, designed by five-time Open champion Peter Thomson, is the outlier in Belek and all the better for it. Instead of the region's classic pine parkland, Carya is a heathland course dressed in purple heather, silver birch and wispy fescue, evoking the great inland links of Britain. Firm fairways, exposed lies and cleverly shaped greens reward flighted iron play and punish anything wayward. It is also the only floodlit course in the area, so you can tee off in the cool of the evening and finish under the lights. Carya suits confident ball-strikers and players who relish a links-style test, and it makes a memorable change of scene mid-week. Kadriye is the nearest hub.
Montgomerie Maxx Royal: The Modern Championship Test
The Montgomerie Maxx Royal, shaped by Colin Montgomerie with European Golf Design, is one of Belek's most complete modern tests. The layout is relatively open and links-influenced, with rolling contours, deep bunkering and water threatening several approaches, so club selection and course management matter as much as raw distance. Wind can turn a benign card into a stern one. Immaculately presented and generous off some tees, it still demands precise second shots into firm, undulating greens. Mid to low handicappers get the most from it, though forward tees keep it playable for higher handicaps. It is a course that repays a practice round, and its finishing stretch is among the strongest in the region. Ideal for golfers who enjoy a strategic, shot-shaping challenge.
PGA Sultan at Antalya Golf Club
Antalya Golf Club is home to two courses, the celebrated PGA Sultan and the gentler Pasha. The Sultan, laid out by European Golf Design, is a long, tree-lined championship venue that has hosted top-level professional events, with water in play on numerous holes and pine corridors that demand accuracy off the tee. From the back markers it is a genuinely tough proposition and best enjoyed by low handicappers and big hitters. The Pasha is shorter, more forgiving and perfect for a relaxed round or for higher handicappers building confidence, which makes the pairing versatile for mixed-ability groups. Playing both over two days gives you the full range, from championship examination to enjoyable resort golf, all from one clubhouse near Belek.
Cornelia and Gloria: Variety and Mature Parkland
Cornelia Golf Club offers 27 holes designed by Sir Nick Faldo, arranged as the King, Queen and Prince nines, so you can mix and match for varied 18-hole combinations. Fairways are broad and welcoming, water and bunkering are strategic rather than penal, and the conditioning is consistently excellent, making it a favourite for players of all standards. Gloria Golf Club, one of Belek's originals, runs three courses. The pine-lined Old Course, by Michel Gayon, is a mature, tree-framed classic that places a premium on positioning, while the New and the shorter Verde add flexibility for shorter days or higher handicaps. Between them, Cornelia and Gloria cover almost every mood, from a gentle social round to a proper test off the tips.
National, Kaya Palazzo and Sueno
The National Golf Club, opened in 1994, is one of Belek's founding courses and remains a tree-lined favourite, with two contrasting loops and a mature, natural feel that rewards steady, positional golf rather than brute length. Kaya Palazzo Golf Club is a modern championship layout that has staged elite professional golf, combining wide landing areas with well-defended greens and water hazards that concentrate the mind on the closing holes. Sueno Golf Club fields two 18-hole courses, the more open, links-style Dunes and the tree-lined Pines, giving members and visitors real contrast on a single site. Together this trio spans classic mature parkland, big-event drama and a links-versus-forest choice, so groups with differing tastes can all find a course that fits.
Which Course Suits Your Game
Choosing comes down to your game and your mood. Low handicappers and those who love a championship examination should target PGA Sultan, Montgomerie Maxx Royal and Kaya Palazzo, where accuracy and nerve are tested. If you want something different, Carya's heathland character and floodlit evenings stand alone, and its links feel suits crisp ball-strikers. Higher handicappers and mixed groups are happiest at Cornelia, Gloria's Verde, the Pasha and National, where wider fairways and forgiving lines keep scores respectable and rounds enjoyable. Sueno's Dunes and Pines let you sample two styles in one place. For a week's golf, pair one stern test with one relaxed round each day, and you will leave having seen the full breadth of Belek golf.
Getting There: Transfers With Golf Clubs
Every course sits within easy reach of Belek's hotels, and Antalya Airport is just 33 km away, a 35–45 minute private transfer. Golf bags need space, so a Mercedes Vito from €35 or a minivan from €45 is more comfortable than a sedan from €25 once clubs and luggage are loaded. We track your flight, wait up to 60 minutes free of charge, meet you with a name board and charge no night surcharge on standard transfers, which suits early tee times and late arrivals alike. Between rounds, the same fixed-price service runs to Side from €35, Antalya city from €40 or Land of Legends from €15. Book on WhatsApp and pay the driver in cash in EUR, USD or TRY.
Belek Golf Courses at a Glance
| Course | Style | Difficulty | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carya | Heathland, floodlit | Hard | Ball-strikers, night golf |
| Montgomerie Maxx Royal | Open, links-influenced | Hard | Mid to low handicaps |
| PGA Sultan (Antalya GC) | Tree-lined championship | Very hard | Low handicaps, big hitters |
| Cornelia | Parkland, 27 holes | Moderate | All standards |
| Gloria (Old Course) | Mature pine parkland | Moderate | Positional players |
| Kaya Palazzo | Modern championship | Hard | Confident golfers |
| National | Tree-lined classic | Moderate | Steady, positional golf |
| Sueno (Dunes and Pines) | Links versus forest | Moderate | Variety seekers |
Practical Information
Frequently Asked Questions
From the back tees the PGA Sultan at Antalya Golf Club and the Montgomerie Maxx Royal are the sternest tests, both demanding accuracy off the tee with water and pine corridors in play. Kaya Palazzo also plays tough on its closing holes. All three reward low handicappers and big hitters who can shape shots and manage their game.
Cornelia, Gloria's shorter Verde course, the Pasha at Antalya Golf Club and National are the most forgiving, with wider fairways and strategic rather than penal hazards. Playing from the forward tees keeps scores respectable and rounds enjoyable, which makes these layouts ideal for improvers and mixed-ability groups.
Yes. Carya Golf Club is the only floodlit course in the region, so you can tee off in the cool of the evening and finish under the lights. It is a popular option in the hotter months and a memorable change from a standard daytime round. Our transfers carry no night surcharge on standard runs.
Antalya Airport is 33 km from Belek, a 35–45 minute private transfer. A Mercedes Vito from €35 comfortably fits golf bags and luggage, a sedan starts from €25, and a minivan from €45 suits larger groups. We track your flight, wait up to 60 minutes free and meet you with a name board.
Yes. For golfers we recommend a Mercedes Vito from €35 or a minivan from €45, which have the boot space for clubs plus suitcases. A sedan from €25 works for one bag and light luggage. Tell us how many bags you are travelling with on WhatsApp and we will send the right vehicle.
Plenty. A boat trip starts from £13 per person, a jeep safari from £28, and a Pamukkale day tour from £25. Families enjoy Land of Legends theme park, with a transfer from €15 and park tickets from £65. We also run fixed-price trips to Side from €35 and Antalya city from €40.