Carya Golf Club, Thomson Perrett & Lobb’s acclaimed heathland inspired course in Belek, Antalya, has been announced as the venue for Turkey’s first European Challenge Tour event in 11 years.
The course, regarded as one of the finest on Turkey’s Mediterranean Coast, will stage the Turkish Challenge, the Tour’s opening event of the 2010 season, 26-29 April.
Five-times Open Champion Peter Thomson, along with partners Ross Perrett and Tim Lobb, sent their congratulations to Carya Golf Club following the announcement by the Turkish Golf Federation.
Tim Lobb, visiting Carya Golf Club this month, said: “Peter, Ross and I knew from our first visit that this was a very special site for a golf course and that Carya Golf Club had all the potential to become both a commercially successful and highly enjoyable course for golf tourists, as well as an outstanding venue for professional golf tournaments.
“The heathland inspired design has captured the imagination of golfers and created a unique type of golf course in a region that is fast becoming one of the best golfing destinations throughout Europe, the Middle East and Africa.”
Inspired by the classic courses found in the UK, such as Sunningdale and The Berkshire, nearly one million heather sprigs have been planted around the course. In a first-of-its-kind project, the heather was propagated on site in specially constructed glasshouses.
Carya’s free flowing holes run between established woodland and across a dramatic sand ridge. From the Championship tees, the 7,186-yard (6,570 metres), par 72 course will be a demanding test of strategy for Challenge Tour players looking to break onto the main European Tour.
The Turkish Challenge, sanctioned by the Turkish Golf Federation, is part of a three-year agreement between the Challenge Tour and Carya Golf Club and heralds the start of an exciting partnership which will help promote the Antalya region as a golfing destination.
The event will provide an opportunity to further develop golf in Turkey from the grass roots up to encourage the next generation of professionals. Five Turkish professionals and three amateurs will be included in the field.
Fikret Öztürk Chairman of Carya Golf Club, said: “We are delighted to sign a three year agreement with the European Challenge Tour and welcome the future stars of the world game to Turkey to compete. We believe Carya Golf Club is a first class venue, and look forward to seeing how the top quality professionals enjoy the golf course. The whole region will benefit enormously from hosting an international golf event – there is so much on offer in the Antalya region for golfers, and with the worldwide TV coverage that will be here we can show Carya Golf Club and Antalya at it’s very best.”
Tim Lobb added: “Carya Golf Club has been open for less than a year, yet it looks as if it has been established for years. The CEO, Mr. Fikret Öztürk, must take enormous credit – we have been able to work closely with him and his team in constructing and maintaining the course to the highest professional standards. We, and everyone involved in this project, are delighted that the Challenge Tour will be coming to Carya Golf Club.”
For further information about Thomson Perrett & Lobb – and to see a video interview with the partners about Carya Golf Club – visit the company’s website at www.tpl.eu.com
Carya Golf Club www.caryagolf.com