Antalya

The shape of Antalya.

Antalya is where Turkish golf began, and where most of it still happens. The coastline stretches east from the city in a long, sun-soaked arc — pine forests on one side, the warm Mediterranean on the other, the snow-capped Taurus mountains rising as a backdrop on every tee.

It is the country's golf capital not by claim but by density. A few square kilometres around Belek and Kadriye hold more championship courses than most countries can muster, each one shaped by a different signature — Faldo, Montgomerie, Thomas, Dye. Stay-and-play is the natural rhythm here: you walk from the suite to the buggy, drive five minutes between rounds, and end the evening with mezze on the cliff above the sea.

The golf calendar runs almost year-round. October and April are the quiet sweet spots, with bright days, immaculate fairways and evenings warm enough to dine outdoors. The summers are bright and hot — we route those trips to early-morning tee times and afternoons by the water.