|
 |
 |
Cornelia, Turkey |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cornelia De Luxe Resort
Ileribasi Mevkii
Belek
Antalya
Turkey |  | Nick Faldo |
|
 | +90 (0) 242 710 1600 |  | 35km from Antalya, on Belek coast |
 |
Golf Club Website
|
 | Welcome, contact in advance |  | Ali Sahin |
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
| |
|
Nick Faldo called this: "an exceptional piece of land" and who can argue? Faldo Design has created an instant hit with holes routed through the pine-clad and naturally sandy area in Belek, southwest Turkey. The Cornelia Golf Resort is set to become very popular with locals and visitors alike. Construction of the Faldo designed Cornelia golf course began in early 2006 and, nine months later the first 18 holes opened for play. We think this may represent a world record for "beginning to end" golf course construction.
You may be forgiven for thinking a course built so quickly might look rough and unfinished. Well, having played the course some six months after it opened, we can assure you that the Cornelia is magnificent. It looks mature, lush and already has the ‘wow’ factor.
The sumptuous clubhouse waits with its open-plan style easing you through the reception, golf shop, restaurant and bar to the terrace. Thoughtful warm-up facilities – an obvious Faldo influence – and a team of David Leadbetter trained instructors are on-hand to help all standards prepare for golf on what will be a memorable round.
The opening hole on the ‘Tiberius’ nine is fairly gentle but the 2nd hole, named ‘Corridor’, is just that, a par five through an avenue of trees doglegging twice from left to right. Another great hole is the 7th, ‘Faldo’s Choice’, which is the drivable par four but watch out for the tall trees that protect the green. These will quite happily divert even a well-struck tee shot.
Continuing the Roman theme, the second nine is called ‘Sempronia’, which again contains a collection of stunning holes and one of the best must be the 13th, named ‘Deception’. It’s a lovely par four that turns right at the elbow of a dogleg leaving a tough approach to the well-bunkered green.
A third nine – called ‘Gaius’ – opened in June 2007, and this is perhaps the best nine holes of the three. It would appear that one of the best new clubs in Europe has further improved and we are convinced that the Cornelia will soon receive many more accolades. | |
|
| |
If the above course review article is not accurate, let us know by clicking here |
|
|
|
|
|
 |  | | Average Reviewers Score: |  | | | I played here last year with a group of friends and hated it then but thought I would give it another go as a few of them wanted to play there again. Well after this year, everyone disliked it. How it is so highly rated is beyond me. I notice a few comments from other reviewers that rang very true to us. If you hit the ball a long way, leave the driver at home as you will constantly run out of fairway. All the fairways slope off to the sides so anything other than dead straight will end up in the rubbish. Shame really as it is beautiful but unplayable in my opinion (and the other 7 that played) |
|
|
| 13 September 2012
|
Reply
|
| | This is a very good golf course but I fail to see how it rates so highly against Carya and Sultan. These two courses are in another league above. As a low handicap and long hitting player, the fairways are crowned and shots that seem to be straight down the middle seem to roll off into waste sand catchment areas and and you feel unfairly punished. |
|
|
| 01 March 2012
|
Reply
|
| | I played Cornelia in March 2011 with my team-mates on a trip to Belek. The piece of land is awesome, really beautiful pine trees give the course a much more mature look than it actually is (opened in 2006). Designwise Faldo did a very good job, the course is demanding and the architecture fits well to the land. Especially the Par 3's are strikingly beautiful. Unfortunately the greens were a disappointment. They do not look bad, but as a previous review states: "concrete hard but tee box slow.." I couldn't have said it more suitable, very strange and of course this tempered our delight. (the Sultan course for example had perfect greens the same week) Usually I like to walk a golf course, but in Cornelia a buggy might be a good idea. However be careful with the staff, we only rented trolleys for the day, which some staff guys pushed rudely in front of our feet, while they were apparently swearing at us, impudent behaviour for no comprehensible reason, I just didn't understand that. Having said that, the course is too good to look back in anger. With better greens it should get 6 balls. |
|
|
| 14 February 2012
|
Reply
|
| Being a part of the golf travel industry gives me the chance of playing some great venues as part of my work and this is one of those times, as I  did a site visit for the Argentine Golf Association preparing some info for 2012 Word Amateur. I played the course last week with 3 swedish colleagues (one of them ex European Tour Player who scored 4 under 68) and I was impressed by the design, really challenging and creative, I really liked it. As I didn´t carry my own set, played it without driver and I believe this made me not being able to test it with my best abilities, but all the same it was a very fun round. Many doglegs, some blind shots, a lot of hazards and very ondulated greens together with high temperatures and humidity will really test world´s top amateurs next year. A great Faldo creation, really worth the visit. |
|
|
| 22 November 2011
|
Reply
|
| | I played this course 3 times in October, 2011. I failed to understand why this course is rated that good. Design is average, fairways'quality is good, but the greens were terrible (way worse than at Carya, National or Montgomerie): they were very slow (don't think they were rolling any faster than 4-5 on stimpmeter), speed of the greens was very different on front 9 and back 9. |
|
|
| 31 October 2011
|
Reply
|
| | I played 7 golf courses in Turkey during the summer of 2010. Cornelia had the highest expectations given the number 1 rating in Turkey and high European rating. And I can see why. No expense spared, fantastic clubhouse etc. I have played two modern Faldo designs (this and Algarve) and, well, he likes to trick them up! I was well over my handicap, this is one tough course. It is certainly no resort course for feel good factor. A word of warning: buggies cost extra, and the layout of the design really does not allow for walking (we did). A buggy is a must. I rank it course number 3 in the region behind The Sultan and Lykia Links. |
|
|
| 02 December 2010
|
Reply
|
| Response: | | | James | 30 May 2011 | | I would have to agree, and with all the doglegs, the Faldo, Lykia and Pines you will definitely want a buggy : But of the 7 you still have 7 more to enjoy yourself on, and with 2 more courses just around the corner!! |
| | | Poor conditon.... I played Cornelia 27 holes in late november 2010. Design great. Beautiful shaping of greens. Nice championship layout.but condition for 160 eur terrible. Holes on the fairway, greens speed 2 !!!yes two and there was no areation . Like putting on the teebox. Very dificcult and i agree with ega that they chossen this and Sultan for eisenhower trophy but they have to improve quatity. I would say the best in town is sultan with similar or litllle less difficulty and 100 times better quality.i say best combinantion if you play 18 is queen-prince but never for this price. I would gladly come back when greens will be like on sultan or montgomerie not concrete hard and teebox slow.i am scratch player |
|
|
| 25 November 2010
|
Reply
|
| | I agree with most of the comments about this course. There are a few issues I have with it.
One major issue is the waste bunkers and the amount of sand in amongst the trees. It is all very well saying you shouldn't be there but the shape of some of the holes and slope of the fairways mean even being just in the trees means you are virtually playing a bunker shot.
My other issue is with the design. Even though you don't have to shape your shots, it is definitely a big advantage if you can. Being a solid 17 handicap golfer, I am unable to do this and whilst i enjoyed the round immensely, a few of the holes were almost too tough for me. Think carefully about playing here if you hav a handicap similar to mine. |
|
|
| 09 December 2009
|
Reply
|
| Response: | | | Ivan | 10 December 2009 | | One of the most ridiculous things a golfer can say is to blame a course because it makes you shape your shots. A truly incredible "issue" to have. |
| | | I'd like to once again review this course as I am more experienced now. After having played Valderrama which is World No.84(see my last review) I have to say that The Cornelia comes very close. Valderrama is definitely a better and tougher course when it comes to attacking the green and esp. the pin. It is a kind of a second shot course. It is also in much better condition. At the very same time the Cornelia course is built on a much better piece of land and the golfing terrain is far superior to that in V. Shaping your shots has a crucial meaning on Cornelia and this is true for any shot on the course. The greens despite being larger and generally easier to attack than those on V. have better and more pronounced contouring and much more undulation. So overall, what C. lacks is well offset by the rest of things and all in all it is almost on par with Valderrama as a perfect example of great golf terrain and course design. If only the conditioning was as good as it is at the V. the Cornelia GC would definitely take it's place in the World's Top 100. Ivan |
|
|
| 25 November 2009
|
Reply
|
| | The best course in Turkey? May be yes.
Definitely the best golfing terrain. Very hilly with lots of undulation. Keep your ball away from the trees - there is killer scrub there, you may not find the ball.
The holes are very diverse - there are big driving holes with wide open fairways and difficult to attack greens, there are short strategic par 4's and huge multi doglegs par 5's. Most par 3's are very similar in charachter, though, having elevation differences and great bunkering. Despite the fact those par 3's look like twin brothers I wouldn't complain, they are so beautiful.
In my opinion the Faldo's decision to make 27 holes was not right, he could have made a true masterpiece by building an 18-hole golf course with no weak holes at all where each and every hole would have it's distinct character.
My favorites would be holes No.3, 4, 27. Definitely the holes to remember. There are some others but I do not remember their exact numbers so come and see for yourself.
The conditioning is very good but not excellent. The greens are fairly quick and have a lot of slopes and brakes.
Definitely a 5-ball course. |
|
|
| 10 September 2009
|
Reply
|
| | Played all 27 holes in July 2008 as I was in the area and wanted to experience the course especially as this is ranked number 1 in Turkey. First off, mid-summer is not the best time to play in Belek; it is too hot really and also the courses undergo the most maintenance because of the lack of traffic. My opinion of the course was really high, the three loops of nine are all strong and have a variety that makes it difficult to choose the best 18 – I am sure this will be a good talking point. Pine trees border most holes, many with water in play either off the tee or at the green. I can see why the course has received the good press so far and I will be back in around 3 years, by then it should be perfect. |
|
|
| 04 August 2008
|
Reply
|
| | After playing many courses around Europe, the biggest thrill for me is for a course to exceed expectations after my first visit. Well that is what happened at the Cornelia – played it six months after opening and the best new course golf experience for me since Kingsbarns, Scotland. Attention to detail, location, diversity of holes, vibe in the clubhouse, just everything about the place really is brilliant. It’s a tough course from the back tees but not un-playable for the higher handicaps with the forward tee options. Cannot remember any weak holes at all and difficult to pick the best hole…I’ll go for the 4th, a par 4 to an elevated green. At this point I believe Belek has eight courses open and two more due to be ready for play later in 2007 – If you cannot get around them all on your trip, make sure the Cornelia is towards the top of your play list, you will not be disappointed here and generally this area is a must for the travelling golfer. |
|
|
| 25 April 2007
|
Reply
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
