Over the last 20 years or so, Belek in Turkey has emerged as a firm favourite for European holidaymakers in search of Mediterranean sun and top quality golf. There are a few reasons for this but at the top of those is the natural landscape, which is hard to beat.
To start with, you have the beaches that stretch out from a run of vast, mostly 5-star all-inclusive hotels. Then you have pine forests that lay behind those hotels and provide the ideal setting for the courses themselves (think of some of the pine tree-lined courses on our Top 100 GB&I list for a comparison). Finally, in the distance are the imposing and often snow-capped Taurus Mountains.
Gloria is one of the largest and most established resorts in the area and I recently had the chance to play the New Course (there is also the Old Course and the 9-hole Verde layout). We teed off at first light and seeing the course reveal itself from the shadow of darkness was a real treat. The tall pine trees and well manicured playing surfaces slowly emerged, covered by the early morning dew and I was excited to get started.
The golf course itself is both enjoyable and challenging. Depending on which tees you choose to play from (it can stretch to over 7,000 yards), it’s not overly long. But it is tight. The pine trees perfectly frame each hole and ensnare any wayward tee shots. However, for the most part, you will at least find your ball in the trees and can chip out fairly easily. This makes Gloria fairly playable for a range of abilities. The holes themselves are gently shaped and there are well positioned bunkers to avoid off the tee on most holes.
The first 7 holes are all tree-lined and beautiful - for a rough comparison, picture somewhere like Liphook. However, things change from the 8th hole onwards as water comes more into play - there are 7 lakes in total.
When you arrive on the par-5 9th tee, you see water stretch the entire length of the right hand side of the hole. It requires a good straight hit off the tee and a well positioned second shot to access a relatively narrow green that’s just under 25 yards long. It’s a tough finish to an othererwise friendly and enjoyable first half.
There is more water to negotiate on the back side and again, it provides a very strong finish. The par 5 16th is long, starts in the trees and plays out towards a more open area with water behind and to the left of the green. The 16th is a short par 3 played to an island green. And the 18th is another strong par 5 with water all the way down the left hand side. This combination means that you’ll need to strike the ball well to sign for a good score at the end.
Overall, the new course at Gloria is well worth playing if you are heading to Belek. It is a proper challenge that will test any serious golfer but at the same time, the beautiful natural landscape provides an enjoyable setting, regardless of how well you play.
