National Golf Club Belek

The verdict

National Golf Club is where modern Turkish golf began. When it opened in 1994, designed by former Ryder Cup player David Feherty alongside David Jones, it was the first championship course built to international standards anywhere on the Turkish Mediterranean, and it set the template that turned Belek into one of Europe's busiest winter and shoulder season golf destinations. Three decades on, the pines have matured into a proper forest, and National plays as a calm, classical counterpoint to the flashier resorts that followed it.

It is a par 72 of about 6,900 yards, a touch over 6,300 meters from the back markers, and the defence is shape and position rather than brute length. Tree lined corridors, well placed bunkering and water in play on several holes mean the tee shot matters here, and the smooth, true greens reward the player who keeps the ball below the hole. National also runs a separate nine hole academy course, which makes it a sensible first or last round of a Belek week when you want to find your rhythm without a punishing test.

The holes worth the trip

National rewards a thinking game from the first tee. The fairways thread between stands of mature umbrella pine, so the premium is on finding the short grass and leaving the right angle in, rather than simply overpowering the hole. Stray into the trees and the recovery is often a punch out, which makes club selection off the tee the quiet skill that separates a good round here from a frustrating one.

Water comes into play on a handful of holes, framing approaches and forcing a clear decision on the more reachable par 5s, where the temptation to go for it has to be weighed against a wet miss. The par 3s are the set to study, varied in length and angle and protected by bunkering that gathers the timid shot, so a well struck iron into the heart of the green is always the percentage play.

Because the routing is gentle and the walk is flat through the forest, National plays at a civilised pace and suits groups of mixed ability, which is part of why it has stayed a Belek favourite. It has hosted professional golf, including the European Seniors Tour in the mid 1990s, and for a visiting golfer it offers the satisfaction of playing the course that effectively launched the whole destination.

Where to stay nearby

Belek is built for golf, so the obvious play is one of the all inclusive resort hotels along the coast, most of which sit within a short transfer of the courses and many of which have their own golf desks that bundle tee times into the stay. The strip from Belek town toward Kadriye puts you within easy reach of National and the cluster of championship courses around it, with the beach and the antalya old town as easy off course options.

Because the courses are tightly grouped, most visitors play a different layout each day and treat the hotel as a base rather than a destination in itself. National pairs naturally with the other big Belek names for a classic four to seven night golf week, and a concierge can balance the tee sheet so the rounds, transfers and rest days line up without friction.

Looking for a base? See our recommended hotels across Belek and the Antalya coast.