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Tommy Williamsen

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: How many of you have played in Asia?
« Reply #25 on: June 05, 2023, 12:31:17 PM »
I suppose Türkiye is in Asia (just!).
Belek is absolutely phenomenal for decent golf, great food, fabulous accommodations.
Cheers,
F.


I see Belek as a 'what might have been'. The ground is perfect for golf, but the way the destination was masterplanned, with individual resort hotels, each with one or two golf courses, and the fact that all the hotels are all-inclusive and really don't encourage people going off property, means it's less than ideal for a golfer who wants to play several different courses. The only way to get from one resort to the other is by cab (or rental car I suppose) and it's just not very easy. I wish whoever planned out the region had zoned in a town centre with restaurants and a marina.


The other thing is that, although the golf is mostly good to very good (I like Carya best) it lacks a true marquee course. Lykia Links should have been it, a perfect site of sand dunes next to a Mediterranean beach where sea turtles nest, but Perry Dye bulldozed the hell out of the property. It is possibly the worst architectural crime I have ever seen, a nine or ten out of ten property and at best a four or five out of ten course.


Belek is one of the places I plan to visit, but I am a bit wary as I heard there were bunches of snakes. I have an abnormal fear of them.
Where there is no love, put love; there you will find love.
St. John of the Cross

"Deep within your soul-space is a magnificent cathedral where you are sweet beyond telling." Rumi

Marty Bonnar

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: How many of you have played in Asia?
« Reply #26 on: June 06, 2023, 08:22:06 AM »
I suppose Türkiye is in Asia (just!).
Belek is absolutely phenomenal for decent golf, great food, fabulous accommodations.
Cheers,
F.


I see Belek as a 'what might have been'. The ground is perfect for golf, but the way the destination was masterplanned, with individual resort hotels, each with one or two golf courses, and the fact that all the hotels are all-inclusive and really don't encourage people going off property, means it's less than ideal for a golfer who wants to play several different courses. The only way to get from one resort to the other is by cab (or rental car I suppose) and it's just not very easy. I wish whoever planned out the region had zoned in a town centre with restaurants and a marina.


The other thing is that, although the golf is mostly good to very good (I like Carya best) it lacks a true marquee course. Lykia Links should have been it, a perfect site of sand dunes next to a Mediterranean beach where sea turtles nest, but Perry Dye bulldozed the hell out of the property. It is possibly the worst architectural crime I have ever seen, a nine or ten out of ten property and at best a four or five out of ten course.


Belek is one of the places I plan to visit, but I am a bit wary as I heard there were bunches of snakes. I have an abnormal fear of them.


I saw way more snakes in Florida and Nevada than Belek.
I also loved Carya. Our own Doc H design IIRC? Also the scene of our dear departed friend, Gordon’s mighty H-I-O at the 15th.
The staff at the hotels are outstanding. They arranged transport to all the other courses, they advised on other trips, they even arranged a trophy for Gordon’s H-I-O completely free of charge.
Got to meet Benjamin Lovett out there, but he’s moved on since.
Highly recommended,
F.
The White River runs dark through the heart of the Town,
Washed the people coal-black from the hole in the ground.

Adam Lawrence

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: How many of you have played in Asia?
« Reply #27 on: June 06, 2023, 08:28:54 AM »
I suppose Türkiye is in Asia (just!).
Belek is absolutely phenomenal for decent golf, great food, fabulous accommodations.
Cheers,
F.

I see Belek as a 'what might have been'. The ground is perfect for golf, but the way the destination was masterplanned, with individual resort hotels, each with one or two golf courses, and the fact that all the hotels are all-inclusive and really don't encourage people going off property, means it's less than ideal for a golfer who wants to play several different courses. The only way to get from one resort to the other is by cab (or rental car I suppose) and it's just not very easy. I wish whoever planned out the region had zoned in a town centre with restaurants and a marina.

The other thing is that, although the golf is mostly good to very good (I like Carya best) it lacks a true marquee course. Lykia Links should have been it, a perfect site of sand dunes next to a Mediterranean beach where sea turtles nest, but Perry Dye bulldozed the hell out of the property. It is possibly the worst architectural crime I have ever seen, a nine or ten out of ten property and at best a four or five out of ten course.

Belek is one of the places I plan to visit, but I am a bit wary as I heard there were bunches of snakes. I have an abnormal fear of them.

I saw way more snakes in Florida and Nevada than Belek.
I also loved Carya. Our own Doc H design IIRC? Also the scene of our dear departed friend, Gordon’s mighty H-I-O at the 15th.
The staff at the hotels are outstanding. They arranged transport to all the other courses, they advised on other trips, they even arranged a trophy for Gordon’s H-I-O completely free of charge.
Got to meet Benjamin Lovett out there, but he’s moved on since.
Highly recommended,
F.

No, Carya is Tim Lobb (Philip Spogard was his associate on the project before he returned to Denmark). Ben Lovett is back in the UK now, at Ashridge.
« Last Edit: June 06, 2023, 08:31:39 AM by Adam Lawrence »
Adam Lawrence

Editor, Golf Course Architecture
www.golfcoursearchitecture.net

Principal, Oxford Golf Consulting
www.oxfordgolfconsulting.com

Author, 'More Enduring Than Brass: a biography of Harry Colt' (forthcoming).

Short words are best, and the old words, when short, are the best of all.

Marty Bonnar

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: How many of you have played in Asia?
« Reply #28 on: June 06, 2023, 09:01:10 AM »
Early-onset rampant senility…
The White River runs dark through the heart of the Town,
Washed the people coal-black from the hole in the ground.

Adam Lawrence

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: How many of you have played in Asia?
« Reply #29 on: June 06, 2023, 09:06:30 AM »
Early-onset rampant senility…

Not that early.
« Last Edit: June 06, 2023, 09:09:58 AM by Adam Lawrence »
Adam Lawrence

Editor, Golf Course Architecture
www.golfcoursearchitecture.net

Principal, Oxford Golf Consulting
www.oxfordgolfconsulting.com

Author, 'More Enduring Than Brass: a biography of Harry Colt' (forthcoming).

Short words are best, and the old words, when short, are the best of all.

Charlie Goerges

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: How many of you have played in Asia?
« Reply #30 on: June 06, 2023, 09:09:04 AM »
Severally on the occasion of everything that thou doest, pause and ask thyself, if death is a dreadful thing because it deprives thee of this. - Marcus Aurelius

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