The Best Golf for a Buddies Trip in Turkey
For value, sun and sheer convenience, Belek is one of the best buddies golf destinations anywhere. A short strip of the Turkish Mediterranean holds more than a dozen championship courses, many of them floodlit and attached to all inclusive resorts. These are the six rounds we would build a group trip around.
Photo: Montgomerie Maxx Royal via Google.
How we chose
A buddies trip lives or dies on logistics as much as golf, and Belek is built for it. Almost every great course sits within a short transfer of the resorts, several are floodlit for an evening nine after a long lunch, and the all inclusive model keeps the costs predictable and the bar open. So our ranking rewards the courses that combine genuine championship quality with the easy access and group friendly resorts that make Belek work.
We weighed design pedigree, conditioning, the strength of the resort behind each course and how readily a group can get on. The result leans on Belek, the heart of Turkish golf, where the Turkish Airlines Open is staged and the best layouts cluster together. Designers and tournament history were verified at the time of writing; green fees are usually bundled into packages, so always confirm directly before booking.
Reviewed June 2026 by the GolfForKings editorial desk. How we research and rank.
The ranking
1. Montgomerie Maxx Royal
The headline round and the host of the Turkish Airlines Open across several years. Colin Montgomerie, with European Golf Design, built a course of real variety, six par 3s, six par 4s and six par 5s, with a front nine guarded by water and a back nine wrapped in sand. It is immaculate, floodlit for evening play and attached to a top tier resort, exactly the marquee course a group wants at the centre of a Belek trip.
2. Carya Golf Club
The most distinctive course in Turkey. Thomson Perrett built Carya as a British heathland tribute, planting close to a million heather plants among the pines to create a look found nowhere else in the region. It is fully floodlit on every hole, so a group can play deep into the evening, and the strategic, undulating layout is a firm favourite. A genuine point of difference on any Belek itinerary.
3. PGA Sultan, Antalya Golf Club
The long standing flagship of Turkish golf. The PGA Sultan course at Antalya Golf Club is a stern, classical championship test of water, mature pines and large greens that has hosted high profile professional events. It is the most demanding round of the group and the one that settles a competitive match, paired with the gentler Pasha course next door for an easier day.
4. Cornelia Faldo Course
Nick Faldo's 27 hole design at the Cornelia resort is a polished, strategic test that plays through pine and water with the bold bunkering Faldo favours. The three loops give a group flexibility and variety, and the resort behind it is among the most luxurious on the coast, a strong all round choice for a trip that wants comfort to match the golf.
5. Sueno Golf Club, Dunes
The Dunes course at Sueno is a links flavoured resort layout of rolling, open ground, a change of character from the tree lined courses and a fun, fair test for all standards. With a second course, the Pines, on the same site and a big all inclusive resort attached, it is an easy, high value base for a group wanting plenty of golf in one place.
6. Gloria Golf Club, Old Course
One of the original Belek courses and still one of the best. Michel Gayon's Old Course at Gloria winds through mature pines and water with a classic, tree lined feel, complemented by the New and Verde courses on site. The Gloria resort is a well drilled golf machine, and the depth of golf in one place makes it a dependable, group friendly pick.
When to go and what it costs
| Season | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Mar to May | Spring peak. Warm, comfortable days and courses in top condition; book the marquee tee times ahead |
| Jun to Aug | Very hot. Play early morning or under floodlights; better as a beach and golf family trip than a full schedule |
| Sep to Nov | Autumn peak. The most popular golf window, warm and settled, with strong demand at the best resorts |
| Dec to Feb | Mild winter golf. Cooler but very playable, with the best all inclusive package value of the year |
Package guide. Belek is sold mostly as packages, where green fees are bundled with an all inclusive resort and transfers. A four to seven night buddies trip with several rounds commonly runs from around $1,500 to $3,500 per golfer for 2026, before flights, depending on the resort tier and number of marquee courses. These are third party ranges, not our prices, and you should always confirm directly before booking.
Booking individual rounds? See our recommended tee time partner for the Belek courses.
Plan a Turkey buddies trip
Tell us roughly when you want to travel and how many are in the group, and one concierge matches you to the right Belek resort, secures the tee times across the best courses and costs the whole trip to the head, with no obligation.
Turkey buddies trip questions
What is the best golf course for a buddies trip in Turkey?
Montgomerie Maxx Royal in Belek, a Colin Montgomerie design that has hosted the Turkish Airlines Open, is the headline round. Carya, a floodlit heathland style course by Thomson Perrett, and PGA Sultan at Antalya Golf Club complete a world class trio, all within a short transfer of one another in Belek.
When is the best time for a golf trip to Belek?
October to May is the golf season in Belek, with spring and autumn the sweet spots for warm, comfortable days. Summer is very hot, so play is limited to early morning or under floodlights. Winter is mild and popular, with the best package value.
Why is Belek good for a buddies golf trip?
Belek packs more than a dozen championship courses into a short coastal strip, many attached to all inclusive resorts, with short transfers, floodlit evening golf, reliable sun and excellent value. That combination of quality, convenience and price makes it one of the best buddies golf destinations in Europe.
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Course designers and tournament history verified June 2026 from the clubs and leading sources; package costs indicative for 2026, always confirm directly before booking. Last reviewed June 2026.