Talking Turkey: A Golf Destination at the Crossroads of Europe and Asia

Traveling Twins In Istanbul                          © Golf Girl Media

Almost two decades ago, I spent spent six fascinating days in Turkey.

It was a spontaneous trip. I was living in Paris at the time, and my twin sister was based in Tokyo... when we unexpectedly found ourselves with the same week off it seemed Turkey might be a perfect mid-way meeting point.

Turns out it was.  From the stunning Byzantine architecture of its bustling capital, to an expansive countryside rich in antiquities... not to mention an absolutely sublime seacoast... our week in Turkey was stellar.

There was no golf on that trip. It was before we'd ever played the game, and in Turkey the sport was then still in its infancy.  However, the return trip we've been planning... for almost twenty years... will almost certainly revolve around golf.

These days golf holidays in Turkey are ultra-easy to plan, and dozens of courses offer a huge variety of playing experiences to golfers of all levels.  The epicenter of the sport is the town of Belek, in Antalya province, on the alluring Adriatic coast. The area now welcomes recreational golfers form around the globe.  Another sign of golf's growth in Turkey... and a testament to the standard of some of its courses... are the professional tournaments that now take place in the country; Lee-Anne Pace picked up her sixth LET title at the Turkish Airlines Ladies Open place earlier this year, and in a couple of weeks The Turkish Airlines Open will welcome the world's top players, including Tiger Woods, Henrik Stenson and Justin Rose.

In addition to the on-course action, Turkey golf holidays offer travelers the opportunity to experience a country steeped in history, with a stunning coastline and a cosmopolitan capital city full of breathtaking Byzantine monuments.  Oh, and the food! Turkish cuisine, with its melding of Middle Eastern, Central Asian and Balkan flavors, is as good as it gets.

I'm hoping to make my long-awaited return trip to Turkey next Spring and I've no doubt it'll be worth the wait.

This post is brought to you by our partner, Golf Escapes , however as always, the story & opinions are 100% my own.

Revolutionary Mixed-Sex Open Has Golf Couples Competing as Equals

Mixed Sex Golf Competition         photo credit: byronv2 via photopin cc

Have you heard the latest news out of Barnham Broom?

I'm guessing you may not have, so let me fill you in: it seems Barnham Broom Golf Club, a pastoral Norfolk (UK) golf destination, will be breaking with tradition later this summer and hosting the region's first mixed-sex open tournament.

Initially, this news may not sound significant enough to be labeled "revolutionary". However, the fact is, mixed-sex competitions... where female golfers compete directly against their male counterparts... are extremely rare.  There are many reasons for the sex segregation, some of which are cultural, based on tradition established in the infancy of the sport, while others involve measured physiological advantages men have over women... in golf among many sports... particularly at top levels.

While I won't go into detail here (for fear of alienating anyone new to the game) I'm guessing that widespread confusion/contention surrounding handicap adjustment when playing from different tees, also plays a role in the general distaste for mixed-sex golf tournaments.

The golf director at Barnham Broom however, appears to feel the time is right for an on-course revolution. The new format, that'll take place over five days, across two championship courses, will involve both strokeplay and matchplay.  More details (including info on how to enter) can be found on the Barnham Broom website, as well as in Lewis Pacelli's recent story for Golf Monthly.

Myrtle Beach Celebrates Its 75th with Cake and... Presumably... Golf

A vintage postcard shows Pine Lakes Club House                                                      via Travel Belles 

"The city of Myrtle Beach will celebrate its 75th birthday with cake, punch and refreshments at 1 p.m. Tuesday before the City Council meeting.  ~ The public is invited to attend the celebration, held in council chambers at the Ted. C. Collins Law Enforcement Center, 1101 N. Oak St. People who also have March 12 birthdays are invited to celebrate with the city."

From the time the coastal South Carolina town of Myrtle Beach was incorporated in 1938, and throughout the remainder of the 20th century, it developed into a tourist destination that today hosts nearly 15 million visitors annually. Its expansive beaches and mild climate have made it a highly desirable destination for snowbirds, spring breakers and vacationing families.  Not to mention golfers.

Myrtle Beach Golf - Vintage Postcard       via CardCow

In fact, this seaside resort is often referred to as the "Golf Capital of the World" and with over 100 courses, the sheer variety of golf experiences on offer can make your Myrtle Beach golf trip seem like a global golf holiday.  As if to reinforce this perception there's even one course, the International World Tour Golf Links, that replicates 27 of the planet's most renown golf holes, allowing an armchair golf traveler to play a bit of Valderrama and a touch of Royal Melbourne in the same round... while also getting a taste of St. Andrew's Old Course and living the universal Amen Corner fantasy.

Myrtle Beach, like many coastal resort areas, has had to deal with the occasional damaging storm... as well as the changing demands of consumers. In the process some of its historical buildings and landmarks were torn down to accommodate modern visitors more interested in convenient condos and  massive water parks than quaint pavilions and grand old beach hotels.

However, the encouraging thing... as this milestone birthday celebration gets underway... is that the benefits of historic preservation in Myrtle Beach now seem clear to a growing number of its citizens, seasonal visitors, architects and elected officials. Projects like the restoration of the Myrtle Beach Train Depot have won awards and attracted national attention making the future of remaining historical structures more secure.

As a history buff... and an avid recreational golfer... this makes Myrtle Beach quite compelling to me... which is probably a good thing because my husband has been visiting the town... and many of its golf courses... with increasing frequency these past couple of years, and is now talking seriously about spending winters on the South Carolina coast... or even relocating there altogether.  Of course he's a nomadic Frenchman who's lived all over the globe,  while my coastal Connecticut roots are deep, but the prospects of year round golf and walks on the beach in February sound very seductive to me right now so I'm actually considering the possibility of spending winter 2014 in Myrtle Beach.

In the meantime,  I'll wish the city a Happy Birthday and start making a list of the courses I want to play.

The Top 10 Luxury Travel Trends... as They Apply to Golf Trippers

Check-in with golf clubs                          © GolfGirlMedia

A couple of days ago, Business Insider published a list of Top 10 Luxury Travel Trends & Predictions for 2013.

Presented by luxury marketing veteran Christopher Parr, the list was put together by hotel booking team Mr. & Mrs. Smith.  I looked at the list from a golf traveler's point of view, and here I offer you my somewhat more golf-specific rendering of the suggested trends:

1. Local golf experiences through social media meandering
The first trend on the list is probably my favorite.  It's about playing golf in on lesser known courses in and around the more classic travel destinations...and doing it through contact with in-the-know locals you meet online, via Social Media.

In addition to well known social sites like Facebook, Twitter and Google+ which bring golfers together through groups, hashtags and circles, there are now numerous social networks specifically targeted at golfers. These sites allow recreational golfers to exchange ideas on equipment, and interact over tournaments. At their best they actually allow golfers from opposite ends of the globe to get together for a round on a real golf course.  I participated in this trend first hand last September when I welcomed a long-time social media golf buddy from Spain to my home course, Richter Park in Danbury, CT.  It's is a beautiful course he'd certainly never have played otherwise. The fact is, without social media our global golf get-together would never have taken place... but it did, and I'm definitely hoping for more in 2013.

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