Since the first courses of the Belek region of Antalya were built in the 1990s, Turkey has become established as a popular destination for golf holidaymakers.
From April 2026, they will have a new area of the country to consider, as a new 18-hole course will open at the Hilton Dalaman Sarigerme resort. Also on the Mediterranean coast, it’s about 200 miles west of Belek, and very close to Dalaman International Airport.
First conceived in 2006, the project stalled due to the 2008 financial crisis as well as environmental and planning challenges. The development restarted in 2023 with revised plans and new client ambitions. Construction of the course began in April 2024 and was completed in September 2025.
Ümit Yasar Atalay, the club’s general manager, says: “Our vision is to create an environmentally conscious, nature-integrated golf course that meets international standards and positions Turkey where it rightfully belongs in the global golf tourism arena. The area’s rare qualities inspired us to envision a course that would not only coexist with the landscape but also enhance it. It’s been designed as a sustainable, aesthetic living space and one that provides a premium experience for players of all levels. Our guests won’t just play golf here; they’ll enjoy a peaceful experience in harmony with nature.”
Holes have been routed around pine forests, mountains, sand dunes, lakes and marshland
The golf course site is bordered by the beach resort to the south and a river to the west, and features diverse vegetation and lakes that serve as a stopover for migratory birds. The project team says the region is one of the most ecologically rich areas in southwestern Turkey.
Golf course architect Andrew Craven of International Design Group (IDG) says: “The site is a gift; with sand dunes, mountains and marshlands, it’s both varied and delicate.
“From the outset we embraced a respect-for-nature philosophy with the client. Nature told us where to place each element – we just had to listen. The terrain shaped the routing plan organically, with two loops of nine holes returning to an elevated clubhouse. Each hole is designed to offer a rich sensory and visual experience, and the layout can be adapted in future to meet the demands of professional tournaments. We wanted a course that punishes poor shots but rewards good ones, that challenges experienced golfers yet is accessible to newcomers.
“One highlight is the fifteenth hole, a par five with a 25-metre drop from the tee, flanked by a nature reserve on one side and a manmade lake on the other. Golfers will need nerves of steel.”
Architect Andrew Craven has routed the course so both loops of nine return to an elevated clubhouse (labelled A on the plan)
Given Dalaman’s sandy soils and its hot, dry and windy coastal microclimate, irrigation planning was critical. Giles Wardle of lrriplan designed and specified the irrigation system and has worked with IDG to align the course routing with efficient water use. Wardle and Craven collaborated to fine-tune grassing lines, adjust tee positions to fit the rotor spacing, tweak teeing surfaces and check distances from cart paths to ensure that irrigation coverage was optimised and uniform.
The course’s water supply will come from a lake fed by a river outfall, ensuring a reliable and sustainable source. To manage this efficiently, a Rain Bird IC System has been installed, designed with the region’s warming climate in mind so it can support the course for decades to come. Rain Bird’s CirrusPRO Central Control and 1,382 sprinklers provide precise and uniform coverage across the site. Golf Med, Rain Bird’s distributor in Turkey, and its sister company Golf Tek, oversaw construction, while the client contributed professional surveying, drone mapping and engineering services to fine-tune the installation.
“Since the beginning, we’ve provided consulting services and worked closely with our investor client who also owns one of the country’s leading construction companies,” says Naki Evrandir of Golf Med. “We combined our golf course construction experience with their workforce potential, working in perfect harmony under the challenging terrain and climate conditions. The site combines many natural features and related construction challenges, but we’ve previously undertaken many with a similar climate and terrain. We’ve used every available irrigation system on previous projects, but for this one we’re using the Rain Bird IC System with CirrusPRO Central Control, which is undeniably superior to others on the market, and so we’d recommend it for any future projects.”
Warm season paspalum grass has been chosen for its dark green colour, salt tolerance and resilience, well suited to brackish water irrigation and variable mowing heights. Selected areas of natural vegetation will remain as rough, reducing irrigation needs and enhancing visual variety.
Atalay adds: “For us, success isn’t merely completing the golf course – it’s establishing Dalaman as a recognised hub of international golf tourism. Within the next five years, our goal is to host international tournaments, set an example with our sustainable environmental practices, and create a destination that prioritises guest experience.”
This article first appeared in the October 2025 issue of Golf Course Architecture. For a printed subscription or free digital edition, please visit our subscriptions page.