Dubai vs Turkey for a Golf Holiday
Two of the great winter sun golf escapes, and two very different propositions. Dubai trades on glamour, flagship courses and a world city at your back, but the green fees and hotels match the postcode. Turkey's Belek answers with the densest run of quality resort golf in Europe, brilliant all inclusive stays and value Dubai cannot touch. Here is the honest head to head, with our verdict up front.
Photograph: Emirates Golf Club, Emirates Golf Club, via Google
The verdict
For most golf groups chasing winter sun, Turkey's Belek wins on value and sheer volume of golf. More than 15 polished courses sit within a short transfer of one another, the all inclusive resorts are excellent and inexpensive, and you can play a different fine course every day without ever changing hotel. Pound for pound, no winter destination delivers more golf for the money.
Dubai is the answer when the trip is about more than the scorecard. The courses are fewer but headline grade, the Emirates Majlis and Jumeirah Golf Estates among them, the resorts are some of the most lavish on earth, and the city itself, the dining, the shopping, the spectacle, turns a golf trip into an occasion. It costs more, in green fees and in everything else. Pick Belek for maximum golf and value. Pick Dubai for prestige, polish and a city break with championship golf attached.
Head to head
| Dubai | Turkey, Belek | |
|---|---|---|
| Signature courses | Emirates Majlis (Karl Litten, 1988, host of the Dubai Desert Classic), Jumeirah Golf Estates Earth and Fire (Greg Norman), Address Montgomerie, Dubai Creek, Trump International | Regnum Carya (host of the Turkish Airlines Open), Montgomerie Maxx Royal, Carya, PGA Sultan, Sueno Pines and Dunes, the National |
| Depth and choice | A compact set of around six championship courses, more if you add Abu Dhabi; quality over quantity | More than 15 courses in one coastal strip, the densest concentration of resort golf in the region |
| Green fees, indicative 2026 | Higher; flagship rounds commonly the equivalent of 150 to 260 pounds in peak winter season | From around 70 euro at the value end to about 220 euro at peak for Regnum Carya; often bundled into all inclusive stays |
| Value overall | Premium across the board, in green fees, hotels and dining | Outstanding; all inclusive resorts with golf packages make it the best value winter golf in the region |
| Best season | November to March for comfortable temperatures; high summer is fiercely hot | October to May, mild and dry; summer very hot |
| Beyond the golf | A world city: fine dining, shopping, desert safaris, beaches and nightlife | Mediterranean beaches, Roman ruins at Aspendos and Perge, spa resorts and relaxed dining |
| Who it suits | Players who want headline courses, luxury and a city to match, budget permitting | Groups and families wanting the most golf, the best value and an easy all inclusive base |
Course designers, host events and indicative fee ranges verified June 2026; fees move with season and demand, so always confirm directly before booking. Check tee time availability.
Who should pick which
Pick Dubai if
You want headline courses and a holiday that is as much about the destination as the golf. The Emirates Majlis and Jumeirah Golf Estates are genuine championship venues, the resorts are extravagant, and the city delivers dining, shopping and spectacle few places can match. Budget for premium green fees and premium everything else, and you get one of the most polished winter golf trips in the world.
Pick Turkey if
You want the most golf for your money and the easiest logistics going. Belek clusters more than 15 quality courses within minutes of each other, the all inclusive resorts are superb value, and a group can play every day without lifting a finger on arrangements. It is the smart choice for golf societies, families and anyone who measures a trip by rounds played and pounds saved.
Plan your winter sun golf trip
Dubai, Belek or a look at both. Tell us roughly when and who is travelling, and one concierge builds the tee times, transfers and the right resort base, then costs it to the head, with no obligation.
Dubai vs Turkey questions
Is Dubai or Turkey better for a golf holiday?
It depends on what you value. Dubai offers glamour, flagship courses such as the Emirates Majlis and Jumeirah Golf Estates, and a world city on the doorstep, but with fewer courses and high green fees. Turkey's Belek is the densest cluster of quality resort golf in Europe, with more than 15 courses, brilliant all inclusive resorts and far better value, though the courses are polished parkland rather than world famous names. Choose Dubai for prestige and a city break with golf, Belek for maximum golf and value in one resort strip. Always confirm fees directly before booking.
Is golf cheaper in Dubai or Turkey?
Turkey is dramatically cheaper. Across Belek's courses, indicative 2026 green fees run from around 70 euro at the value end to about 220 euro at peak for the marquee Regnum Carya, and most resorts bundle unlimited or heavily discounted golf into all inclusive stays. Dubai green fees at the flagship courses are considerably higher, commonly the equivalent of 150 to 260 pounds in peak winter season, on top of pricier hotels and dining. Belek is the clear value winner. Always confirm current fees directly before booking.
When is the best time to play golf in Dubai or Turkey?
Both are winter golf destinations with opposite summers. Dubai plays best from November to March, when temperatures are comfortable; high summer is fiercely hot. Belek's prime season runs October to May, mild and dry, with summer very hot. The sweet spot for either is the European winter, when both offer reliable sunshine while northern courses are closed. Belek's autumn and spring shoulders are especially pleasant.
How many golf courses are there in Dubai and in Belek?
Dubai has a compact set of around half a dozen championship courses, including the Emirates Majlis and Faldo courses, Jumeirah Golf Estates Earth and Fire, the Address Montgomerie, Dubai Creek and Trump International, with more in neighbouring Abu Dhabi. Belek packs more than 15 courses into a single coastal strip near Antalya, the highest concentration of resort golf in the region, which is why most groups can play a different course every day without changing hotel.
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Course facts and indicative fees verified June 2026. Last reviewed June 2026.