We took an early start to the golf season with our entire company in sunny Belek. The weather was warm, and the beer was cold, making it a successful trip, except for the game performance, which was not worth talking about despite spending a lot of time and money on simulators. We had assumed that we would be playing like pros from the first hole, but that assumption was outdated quickly.
But let's get to the point. We flew to Antalya on Friday night, April 14th, and managed to get ourselves from the airport to the hotel in Belek at around 4 am. Our tee time at Lykia Links was already reserved for 12:30, so after some quick naps and breakfast, we took a taxi straight to the golf course. The course was in excellent condition, but it wasn't very crowded due to some junior tournaments taking place. There were also some very tight fairways, especially since we made the mistake of playing the front nine from the back tees. Some bunkers and thick bushes were guarding the fairways, so we lost a few balls as well. Fortunately, two older Finnish gentlemen followed us in a car and joked around with us, claiming to be regulars in Belek, so there was a lot of humor involved. We even bumped into them on the return flight. At least we got some successful shots and nice pictures from the first round of the trip.
On the second day of the trip, we went to Montgomerie Maxx Royal, with tee time scheduled for 5 pm, so we could play the back nine in the lights since we had never done it before. Expectations were high since the green fee was by far the most expensive, €175, and it was known that the European Tour had played on the course for several years. As soon as we arrived at the club, it was clear that this day would offer once-in-a-lifetime experiences, and we would pay the €175 green fee again anytime. The deal got even better when the caddie master kindly informed us that all the club's services were working on an all-inclusive basis for the green fee. We headed to the terrace for beer and had our shoes cleaned and waxed. We had a comprehensive warm-up at the driving range and chipping area, which were also excellent. The course was in an unbelievably good condition with all the finishing touches, and the greens were perhaps the fastest we had ever putted on. After nine holes, there was still plenty of light left, so we stopped at the club for a proper meal. During our meal, a gentleman asked us when we planned to go for the back nine. It turned out that there were no other players on the course, and the lights were turned on just for us. It was a private course for the back nine. Playing the back nine in the lights on a fantastic course was an unforgettable experience. After the round, we had dinner at the club and then headed back to the hotel. It was the only disappointment that the game performance did not match the spectacular surroundings. We arrived at the hotel around 11 pm, and the next morning at 6:50 am we were already getting ready for the next adventures.
After a night of too little sleep, it was time to head to the Sueno courses. We even played a double round - both Sueno Dunes and Sueno Pines. Both courses were in good condition and had nice layouts. It was an excellent experience, although towards the end we started to feel tired. The courses were also so fully booked that we had to wait for three hours after the first round for the second one. To everyone's surprise, the Turkish buffets really began to bubble in the stomach of the chairman of the board, and he got sick on hole number 17. After about 6-7 bouts, he still said, "I'll make a birdie here." However, that didn't happen, and a bogey was recorded on the scorecard... Unfortunately, the bubbling continued well into the next night, which is why the games we had planned for the last day at Lykia Links had to be skipped. Luckily, we had already experienced that course, so we didn't miss out on anything in that regard.
All in all, it was a very successful first trip to the golf paradise of Belek. It is a perfect place for a golfer. However, with the environment outside the courses and hotels resembling a war zone, it doesn't really encourage practicing any other tourism activities.
