5 Nights, 3 Rounds
Cornelia Golf Club is a short shuttle hop from the Cornelia resort and it's one of Belek's best options if you're travelling with golfers who want more than a holiday knockabout. Two big reasons golfers book it: the Nick Faldo-designed layout and a David Leadbetter academy if you fancy mixing proper practice in with your rounds.
The Faldo course is cut through pine forest, with a striking ridge of dunes running through the middle of the property. Add the Mediterranean breeze and you've got a layout that can play very differently from morning to afternoon, so club selection becomes half the battle. From the back tees it stretches to close to 7,000 yards, but it's not just about length, it's the positioning and the angles into the greens that keep you honest.
What I like here is the variety you get across the three nines. You can shape your trip around them, repeat your favourite loop and still feel as if you've played something slightly different each day. If you're coming to Belek for sun, easy logistics and a course that doesn't let you switch off, Cornelia ticks plenty of boxes.
Who is this for? Golfers who want a Faldo test in Belek, with the option of structured coaching alongside their rounds.
Who is it best for? Mid-handicappers and better who enjoy strategy, plus groups that want convenience on a resort base.
5 Nights, 3 Rounds
We’ve got it all covered!
We have included everything that you need for a perfect golf trip.
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The Cornelia Faldo Course was Nick Faldo's first design project in Turkey and it's a 27-hole set-up, so you get genuine variety across the three nines. From the championship tees it plays close to 7,000 yards, but the bigger story is how the course makes you think. If you spray it, the pines and sandy areas will quickly turn a decent card into damage limitation.
The course is routed through a lovely stretch of pine forest, with a bold ridge of dunes slicing through the property and giving the place a very different feel from the flatter resort layouts nearby. When the breeze gets up, it's worth taking an extra moment on the tee because the safe line and the best line are not always the same thing. You'll often be choosing between laying back for position or taking on a tighter corridor to open up a better angle in.
Because it's 27 holes, it's a great choice for groups. You can rotate the nines across a 3 or 4-round itinerary, or pick the combination that suits the mix of handicaps in your party. Better players will enjoy the strategic side of it, while higher handicappers will appreciate that you can still plot your way round as long as you keep the ball in play.
If you want to sharpen things up between rounds, having the Leadbetter academy on hand is a real bonus. Play in the morning, tidy up your swing in the afternoon, then go again. The six-time major winner was delighted with the blank canvas for his project and the sandy soil beneath it, and his creation has done much to establish Cornelia Resort as a major player in Belek.
The Birdies: 27 holes for variety, high-quality on-site coaching, proper test when windy
The Bogies: can feel tight if you're wild off the tee, championship tees are a serious step up
The Faldo Course at Cornelia is ranked as one of the best courses in Turkey.
| Par | 72 |
|---|---|
| Designed by | Nick Faldo |
| Opened for play | 2006 |
| Black | 6,373 metres | SSS 74.8 |
|---|---|---|
| White | 5,969 metres | SSS 72.0 |
| Yellow | 5,538 metres | SSS 69.8 |
| Red | 4,929 metres | SSS 71.6 |
| Black | 6,411 metres | SSS 74.2 |
|---|---|---|
| White | 6,027 metres | SSS 71.9 |
| Yellow | 5,632 metres | SSS 69.8 |
| Red | 5,091 metres | SSS 72.2 |
| Black | 6,324 metres | SSS 74.1 |
|---|---|---|
| White | 5,912 metres | SSS 71.1 |
| Yellow | 5,468 metres | SSS 69.2 |
| Red | 4,904 metres | SSS 71.2 |
