Going for Golf

Gloria

We discussed the charms and temptations of the National Golf Club in the spring issue of Going for Golf, so now it is the turn of the resorts of Gloria, Nobilis and Tat.

The National, laid out by the Northern Irish duo of David Feherty and David Jones, was Belek’s first golf venture, opening in the winter of 1994. Less than three years later, in September 1997, Belek had its next two courses: Gloria and Tat.
Designed by Frenchman Michel Gayon, Gloria is an entertaining, though searching, test of skill, as proved when it hosted the Turkish Open on the European Senior Tour within a year of its official opening.

The Old course at Gloria winds through vistas of pines and around seven extensive lakes, and requires both length and accuracy from the back (white) tees, though most visitors are presented with a more lenient challenge from the yellow, blue or red tees.

What you see is what you get – there are no hidden tricks or pitfalls. The line of attack on most shots is clear, but on many holes the view is spectacular and the task occasionally daunting, especially on the par-threes – the greens at the fourth, eighth and 13th are all surrounded by water. Other holes to look out for are the par-five seventh, protected all the way down the left by a lake, and the par-four 14th, threatened by a similarly elongated watery grave to the right.

The New course, also designed by Gayon and opened nearly five years ago, is a heavily bunkered parkland layout. Visually attractive and challenging to play, it has an undulating, tree-lined setting, is shaped by four large lakes and has 67 bunkers (four more than the Old). Gayon has taken full advantage of this varied terrain to create a fascinating test. Like the Old, it has five par-fives and five par-threes – unusual for a modern design.

The short holes all take the breath away, especially the third where the green is protected by an ornate rockery, and the 17th which is surrounded by water. None of the par-fives are overly long and they all provide obvious birdie chances although, by the same token, with so much water in play, they are also glaring double-bogey possibilities.

In addition to its two 18-hole offerings, Gloria also has the nine-hole Verde course which opened in 2001 and is very popular with visiting executives and conference delegates who often don’t have the time for a full round. Nonetheless, the Verde course is designed along similar lines to the Old and New, and is perfectly capable of providing a respectable 18-hole challenge on its own (each hole has two sets of tees) or combining effectively with any of the other four nines.

Verde’s fairways are also carved through the pines and there is one substantial water hazard which comes into play prominently – on the par-four third, where the approach shot necessitates a 100-yard carry, and the short fourth which has little terra firma between tee and green.

The cornerstone of the Gloria resort, though, is its hotels and villas – airy, elegant and luxurious, and where attention to detail is of paramount importance. The beach bar at the main hotel is ideal for evening entertainment in hot weather while the lobby bar is a convivial place to meet friends. The golfers’ bar with night music serves cocktails and at least 35 different types of coffee – with or without alcohol! And with a beautiful private beach, large swimming pool and waterslides as well as water sports on the Mediterranean, the Gloria has a proven track record as a great place to relax.

The Verde hotel is located one-and-a-half miles inland at the other end of the 45-hole complex. The two hotels are linked by a private road but are very different in character. The atrium at the Verde is dominated by a foyer overlooked by a raised circular gallery and housing a restaurant which can seat 370 people around a blue marble-surfaced fountain. Above the restaurant, two storeys up, a beautiful, spherical window lights up the entire building. Another unusual feature of the restaurant is that several palm trees are growing out of the ground beneath. Indeed, it is the proud boast of the owners that none of the trees on the original site were chopped down when the hotel was built – they have all been accommodated in the complex.

The Verde also includes two other restaurants, three bars, a Turkish cafe, and two outdoor and two indoor pools. In addition, look out for the Thalasso therapy centre with its own seawater pool, jet shower, sauna and Turkish bath.

Finally, there’s the resort’s newest accommodation: Gloria Serenity. No stay here is complete without visiting the Sanitas spa centre. This consists of 11 massage and three beauty rooms (one with Jacuzzi) plus rooms for couples, hydrotherapy, dry floating and meditation, a relaxation bar, silence oasis and indoor swimming pool. The Hammam features three Marbel beds, Rasul chamber, tropical shower, ice rain and steam bath.

The Serenity has six restaurants and three of its eight bars have American names – Wall Street, Ella Fitzgerald and Route 66. Three other bars are located near the beach while the Green Back’s Coffee Shop (accentuating the American theme) is next to the front desk, and the Vitamin Bar, predictably, is in the spa centre.