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Golf in Cyprus
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Golf in Cyprus
The history of the game and the best golf clubs on the island
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Evgenia Bravo
Author: Evgenia Bravo
28.05.2017

If you find pleasure in golf — an unhasting, aristocratic, and extremely elegant sport — Cyprus can be a perfect place to spend a vacation in. Where to play golf on the island? Find all the necessary information about golf in Cyprus in the review below.

What is golf and how to play it?

Golf is a very old club and a ball sport, which was invented in the Middle Ages by Scottish shepherds, who were pulling stones down rabbit-holes with their crooks. There are also other theories about the game’s ancient origins: some historians think it first appeared in the Roman Empire or even China.

One way or another, golf in its modern form originates from the 15th-century Scotland, where it was banned by the king James II, who described the game as distracting and unwanted occupation.

The first golf clubs and established rules of the game also were recorded in Scotland. During the first tournament, golfers from different Scottish towns were trying to hit balls into holes. Very soon, the game spread all over England and Europe.

Modern golf courses contain 18 (sometimes 9) arranged holes. Each of them has a tea box (a starting position for a ball). The hole itself is marked with a flag and is located on a putting green, where the grass is the lowest. Between a ball and a hole, there can be all kinds of hazards and terrain: water, rocks, sand traps, etc.

A golfer uses different types of clubs to reach the lowest number of strokes. It is important to follow not only the formal rules of the game but also a special golf etiquette.

Where to play golf in Cyprus?

The Minthis Hills Golf Club (Tsada) golf club is located not far from Paphos. The 18-hole course occupies an area of 65 hectares. It was designed by a famous architect and a golf lover Donald Steel. It is always chilly on the course, conveniently located on the hill 550 meters above the sea level. There is an equipment and clothes rental on the territory of the Golf Club, and the clubhouse includes changing rooms, a restaurant, a library, a gym, and even a swimming pool. Professional golf players and amateurs are welcome to take part in golf competitions that are regularly held here. Golf Club instructors are willing to teach beginners all the tips they know. Another reason to visit the place for those whose interest in golf is not steady is the Stavros tis Minthis monastery located nearby.

Individual training in the club costs 40+ Euro; 5 days long program for beginners (from 2 to 8 persons in a group) are 376 Euro per person. Club members can qualify for a discount.

The Elea Golf Club is located not far from Paphos. Beginners can attend classes in a golf academy, while amateurs and professional golfers who happened not to bring equipment with them, can rent it on the spot and play on their own. The traditional golf course was designed by Sir Nicholas Alexander Faldo, a famous English golfer. There is a restaurant (events, including wedding parties, can be held here) on the territory of the club house.

Training prices start at 35 Euro, the cost of a game on the course is 87 Euro / person.

The Aphrodite Hills Golf Club is also located near Paphos. It includes a traditional 18-hole golf course, a training academy with its own smaller golf course, and a club house — which is fun for golfers of all ages. While playing, enjoy the view of the Mediterranean Sea and the exact spot where Aphrodite is believed to have first stepped on the land.

The project of the Aphrodite Hills Golf Club golf course was suggested by Cabell Robinson — an American architect and a member of the American Society of Golf Course Architects. 4 experienced instructors are willing to help beginners: classes are held in Greek, English, or German. All the golf equipment is available at the rental facility. There are changing rooms, a restaurant, and a bar at the club house.

Individual golf tuition is 57 Euro for one person and 66 Euro for a couple. Several 45 minutes long classes set is 216 / 245 Euro. The game is 101 Euro per person.

The Secret Valley Golf Club is also famous for its scenic location next to Petra tou Romiou, or an Aphrodite's Rock. This luxurious club was opened in 1996. The 18-hole golf course is spread out among beautiful trees and rocks. Rental services, changing rooms, a shop, a restaurant, and a bar are located here for visitors’ convenience. Individual and group classes can be scheduled on the spot.

In 2011, beginners could get an individual training at the club for just 28 Euro.

The Marios Golf Park is the fifth (and the last) golf club on the outskirts of Paphos. It houses a traditional 18-hole course, as well as a mini-golf course, a golf academy with English-speaking instructors, and a bar. Here visitors can also play a FootGolf game and try to get a soccer ball in a hole. Game price is 20 Euro per person.

The Vikla Golf Club is located in 20 kilometres from Limassol. It is included in the Cyprus Golf Federation. Training sessions for individuals and groups are offered here. There is a swimming pool on the territory of the Golf Club. Irrigation system here is designed to save as much water — one of the most important natural resources on the island — as possible.

45-minute long training session at the club will cost only 15 Euro. The game is 25 Euro per person.

There are all kinds of hotels, as well as villas and apartments for rent next to all Cyprus golf clubs. Property owners in villages around golf clubs often qualify for benefits and discounts.

In conclusion, a fact worth mentioning: Cyprus is an appealing place to practice for many well-known golfers. Season on the island is much longer than in most European countries: the weather is good for golf practically all year round, and the terrain is ideal for golf course design. It goes without saying, that the quality of service in all the golf clubs we mentioned in this review will satisfy even the most sophisticated golfers.

Foto: Aphrodite Hills, Secret Valley Golf Club, Marios Golf Park и Minthis Hills Golf Club.

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