How to Play the Best Golf in Northern Cyprus
The Turkish administered north of Cyprus has exactly one championship course, and it is a genuine surprise: Korineum at Esentepe, 6,232 meters of par 72 strung between the Kyrenia mountains and the sea since 2007, with stay and play weeks advertised from about 199 pounds per person on top of the holiday price in 2026. Here is how the trip actually works.
Photograph: Korineum Golf and Beach Resort, via Google
The playbook, step by step
Step 1: know what one course buys you
Northern Cyprus golf means Korineum Golf and Beach Resort, full stop. Opened in April 2007 as the north's first 18 hole course, it runs 6,232 meters at par 72 with five tee options per hole, paspalum surfaces kept in condition year round, and the trick that makes it memorable: every hole frames both the Kyrenia mountain wall and the Mediterranean. The routing rides hilltops in places, so take the buggy and enjoy the views rather than fight the climbs. One course sounds limiting; in practice the resort model, hotel, beach club, spa and golf in one property, is built for playing the same layout three or four ways in a week.
Step 2: buy the package, not the green fee
Korineum quotes green fees on request rather than publishing a public rate card, and hotel guests get discounts on all green fees, with three and five round bundles cutting the per round cost further. The real value sits one level up: North Cyprus holiday specialists have advertised seven night stay and play upgrades including four rounds with shared buggy from about 199 pounds per person in 2026, on top of the base holiday price. Few Mediterranean golf weeks land cheaper. Always confirm directly before booking.
Step 3: pick your route in
Option one: fly to Ercan via a Turkish connection, then a drive of roughly 40 minutes to the Esentepe coast. Option two: fly direct to Larnaca in the south, cross the green line by road and reach Kyrenia in 90 minutes to two hours. The southern route opens the combination trip, Aphrodite Hills and the Paphos courses on the same itinerary, but check that your rental car and insurance are valid on both sides before committing, and carry your passport for the crossing.
Step 4: time it outside high summer
October to May is the season; spring wildflowers and November warmth are the connoisseur picks. July and August are seriously hot, and in 2026 the club has scheduled green aerification on 23 to 24 June and 22 to 23 July with a recovery window following, so midsummer travelers should check maintenance dates before booking.
Step 5: build in the non golf days
Kyrenia's harbor and castle, the abbey ruins at Bellapais and the mountain castle of St Hilarion all sit within half an hour of the course. This is a trip where the rest day earns its place.
Costs and logistics at a glance
| Item | Detail | Indicative 2026 cost |
|---|---|---|
| Korineum green fees | 18 holes, 6,232 m par 72, five tees per hole, paspalum surfaces, buggy recommended on the hilltop holes | Quoted on request; hotel guests discounted on all green fees; 3 and 5 round packages cut the per round cost |
| Stay and play weeks | Seven nights at the resort with four rounds and shared buggy, sold through North Cyprus specialists | Golf upgrades advertised from about 199 pounds per person on top of the holiday price in 2026 |
| Getting there via Ercan | Fly via Turkey to Ercan, drive to the Esentepe coast | About 40 minutes by road from Ercan |
| Getting there via Larnaca | Direct flights to the south, road crossing over the green line | Roughly 90 minutes to 2 hours to Kyrenia; passport required, check car hire cover |
| 2026 maintenance | Green aerification windows announced by the club | 23 to 24 June and 22 to 23 July 2026, with a recovery period after each |
Costs are indicative planning figures, per player. We do not quote our own pricing; always confirm directly before booking. Check tee time availability.
The honest verdicts
North, south, or both?
For pure golf depth the south wins: four resort standard courses around Paphos against the north's one, all ranked in the best golf courses in Cyprus and mapped in our Cyprus destination guide. The north wins on price, quiet and a kind of unpolished charm the resort belts south of the line traded away years ago. The honest answer for a first Cyprus golf trip is the south or a split week; the honest answer for a repeat visitor who wants the Med at 2005 prices is Esentepe.
Where Korineum sits in the bigger Med picture
Korineum's nearest spiritual rivals are across the water on Turkey's coast, covered in our Turkey destination guide, where Belek stacks a dozen championship courses against the north's one but charges accordingly. Golfers torn between the islands should read Cyprus vs Greece before deciding. Whichever way you lean, the Cyprus golf holidays desk prices both sides of the line, and our recommended Kyrenia coast stays cover the beach hotels east of the harbor.
Plan your Cyprus golf trip
Tell us your dates and group, and one concierge prices the north, the south or the split week, flights and crossings included. No obligation.
Northern Cyprus golf questions
How many golf courses are there in northern Cyprus?
One full championship course. Korineum Golf and Beach Resort at Esentepe, east of Kyrenia, opened in April 2007 as the north's first 18 hole course: a 6,232 meter par 72 with five tees per hole, paspalum playing surfaces and sea and mountain views from every hole. Golfers wanting course variety should look at the south of the island or combine the two.
How much does golf cost at Korineum?
The club quotes green fees on request rather than publishing a public rate card, and hotel guests receive discounts on all green fees, with three and five round packages offering further savings. The strongest value in 2026 sits in stay and play packages: North Cyprus specialists have advertised seven night golf upgrades including four rounds with shared buggy from about 199 pounds per person on top of the holiday price. Always confirm directly before booking.
How do you get to northern Cyprus for golf?
Two routes. Fly to Ercan via a connection in Turkey, then drive about 40 minutes to the Esentepe coast; or fly direct to Larnaca in the south and cross the green line by road, roughly 90 minutes to two hours to Kyrenia depending on the crossing. Carry your passport for the crossing and check your car rental and insurance cover both sides before you book.
When is the best time to play golf in northern Cyprus?
October to May. Spring and late autumn are ideal, winter is reliably mild and green, and the paspalum surfaces hold condition year round. July and August are very hot, and in 2026 the course has scheduled green aerification windows in late June and late July, so check maintenance dates if you travel midsummer.
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Course specifications, opening date and 2026 maintenance windows verified June 2026 against the resort's published information; package pricing drawn from current North Cyprus holiday specialist offers. Last reviewed June 2026.