Talking Turkey: A Golf Destination at the Crossroads of Europe and Asia

Traveling Twins In Istanbul                          © Golf Girl Media

Almost two decades ago, I spent spent six fascinating days in Turkey.

It was a spontaneous trip. I was living in Paris at the time, and my twin sister was based in Tokyo... when we unexpectedly found ourselves with the same week off it seemed Turkey might be a perfect mid-way meeting point.

Turns out it was.  From the stunning Byzantine architecture of its bustling capital, to an expansive countryside rich in antiquities... not to mention an absolutely sublime seacoast... our week in Turkey was stellar.

There was no golf on that trip. It was before we'd ever played the game, and in Turkey the sport was then still in its infancy.  However, the return trip we've been planning... for almost twenty years... will almost certainly revolve around golf.

These days golf holidays in Turkey are ultra-easy to plan, and dozens of courses offer a huge variety of playing experiences to golfers of all levels.  The epicenter of the sport is the town of Belek, in Antalya province, on the alluring Adriatic coast. The area now welcomes recreational golfers form around the globe.  Another sign of golf's growth in Turkey... and a testament to the standard of some of its courses... are the professional tournaments that now take place in the country; Lee-Anne Pace picked up her sixth LET title at the Turkish Airlines Ladies Open place earlier this year, and in a couple of weeks The Turkish Airlines Open will welcome the world's top players, including Tiger Woods, Henrik Stenson and Justin Rose.

In addition to the on-course action, Turkey golf holidays offer travelers the opportunity to experience a country steeped in history, with a stunning coastline and a cosmopolitan capital city full of breathtaking Byzantine monuments.  Oh, and the food! Turkish cuisine, with its melding of Middle Eastern, Central Asian and Balkan flavors, is as good as it gets.

I'm hoping to make my long-awaited return trip to Turkey next Spring and I've no doubt it'll be worth the wait.

This post is brought to you by our partner, Golf Escapes , however as always, the story & opinions are 100% my own.