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THE
BELEK OF THE BALL
Golf on the Turkish Riviera
Tat
Beach International Golf Course
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After
the challenge of The National,
it was with welcome relief that I made the two-mile trip to
Tat Beach International G.C., the second of the four courses
on this fine tourist stretch of Belek, 30kms, east of the
ancient port of Antalaya. Tat's established designer, Fred
Hawtree can take credit for three, beautifully contrasting
loops of nine which you could happily rotate amongst for your
entire trip.
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The 176m,
par 3, 4th on the Tat Loop |
The
opening 'easy 9', the Tat (which is Turkish for taste), lives
up to its name. A dramtic long par-3 over water from an exhilarating
30-foot-high tee, is followed by an uphill approach over controversial
trees in (the centre of fairway) to a high plateau. From there
you can take in uninterrupted |
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The pace
hots up on the International loop. With its large lakes that
come perilously into play at four holes, variously threatening
drives approaches, hooks and slices, few will escape unscathed
from this Florida-style challenge.
Tat itself
is affiliated to the lavish, five-star Beach
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The 326m,
par 4, 6th on the Tat Loop |
| Hotel,
one of 24 hotels that currently line this strip, though discretely
hidden from the main road by the ubiquitous pines. Non-residents
with handicap certificates are welcome here, though appropriate
discounts apply for hotel guests. So they do down the road at
Gloria Golf Resort, another one with all the trimmings from
fitness centres and Turkish baths to adventure playgrounds for
children. |
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