The quick read
What to know
- Ask which tees are available and suitable for your game before choosing from the scorecard.
- Keep a tee recommendation, a club's entry requirements and your handicap calculation as three separate questions.
- For an organised competition, follow the assigned tees and scoring instructions; do not invent a mixed course during the round.
Which tees should you play on a golf holiday in Belek? Start with your normal hitting distance, the carries on the course and the club’s advice. A familiar tee colour or the longest hitter in your group is not enough to make that choice on an unfamiliar layout.
A useful holiday round gives you decisions you can realistically play. This guide is a planning checklist, not a club-specific tee allocation. The pro shop, starter and competition organiser remain the people to confirm what is available and what applies to your booking.
Three questions to ask at the pro shop
Begin with three separate questions: am I eligible to play this course, which tees are appropriate and available for today's round, and how will my score be treated? A handicap certificate or a confirmed booking does not, by itself, answer all three. Have your current handicap information ready and explain whether you are playing socially or in an organised competition.
Describe the kind of round you want. You might be settling into your first day away, sharing a game with a less experienced partner or looking for a demanding final round. Give the club useful information about the distances you normally play instead of asking for a tee simply because it sounds more prestigious.
Read beyond the total length
The R&A's Pace of Play Manual recommends tee options suited to golfers' ability and hitting distance, including manageable carries. It also encourages moving away from gender labels for tees. For the visiting golfer, the practical starting point is the actual course on the card and the club's guidance, rather than an assumption about who should use a colour.
Look at the holes individually. Mark the ones that raise a question and ask the starter about the intended route. Check whether the distances are in metres or yards before comparing them with your home course. The number printed at the bottom of the card is helpful, but a short list of specific questions is more useful than judging a course from that number alone.
Use your normal carry distance when discussing a hole that requires a shot over water or another obstacle. Carry is the distance the ball travels through the air; a drive’s final distance includes roll. Take your usual shot as the starting point, rather than the longest drive you have ever hit, and ask whether a safe alternative route is available.
For example, imagine two tee sets with similar total lengths. One requires a carry you are unsure you can manage; the other gives you a route you can plan with confidence. That is a useful question for the starter before choosing. This is a hypothetical comparison, not a description of the tees at any particular Belek club.
| Check on the card | Question for the club |
|---|---|
| Units and total length | Am I comparing metres with metres, or yards with yards? |
| Carries and alternative routes | Does my normal carry suit this tee, and is there a safe alternative? |
| Tee names or colours | Which markers correspond to the card I am using today? |
| Any changes to the course | Are today's available tees and scoring information unchanged? |
Separate handicap information from tee advice
The R&A's handicapping rules distinguish a portable Handicap Index from a Course Handicap and the Playing Handicap used for a format. The Course Handicap calculation accounts for course-rating information; the Playing Handicap then applies the relevant allowance. Ask for the correct calculation for your round instead of writing your home playing handicap on every card.
Keep the paperwork practical. Before starting a scored round, confirm the course, tees, format and who will record the result. If you want it to count towards your handicap, ask your home handicap authority and the host club what arrangements apply to a round abroad. Do not assume that a holiday organiser's results sheet automatically submits a score to your home system.
For a friendly group competition, resolve any mixed-tee arrangement before anyone hits a shot. A discussion over breakfast is easier than reconstructing which tees everyone used afterwards. If the competition has already assigned tees, follow those instructions or ask the organiser for a permitted alternative.
Turn the decision into a clear starting routine
Put the chosen tee on your scorecard and check it against the starter's instructions. Take a moment at the opening hole to find the correct pair of markers. Under Rule 6, starting from the wrong set is treated as playing from outside the teeing area; the consequences differ between match play and stroke play. Ask for help before playing if the marking is unclear.
The same rule says the Committee sets the markers and restricts moving them to improve the conditions for your stroke. Make your choice among the options the club provides, rather than creating your own starting position. A practice swing with no ball and a conversation with the starter are better ways to settle uncertainty than a speculative first shot.
Keep the first-tee discussion short by doing the research beforehand. The equipment, scorecard and route to the starting hole should already be organised. If your group is using more than one tee, agree with the starter how to move between them safely and without leaving someone waiting in a hitting area.
Review the choice after the round
Make a brief note of what you enjoyed and what you would change. Was the chosen route what you expected? Were the questions you asked useful? Was the unfamiliar setting itself more demanding than the number on the card suggested? Take that information to the next day's pro shop rather than carrying over a tee colour by habit.
For a multi-course trip, keep each round as a separate decision. A successful choice on one course is helpful context, not an instruction for the next. You can discuss another tee for a later round without treating the first choice as a test you have passed or failed.
Use the Gloria Old Course and Cullinan Links guides when putting together your course shortlist. Then ask each club about its current tee options for your group. A course guide helps you prepare questions; the available markers and instructions on the day still need confirmation.
Share the group details before travelling
When planning the trip, give the organiser the golfers' handicap information and any questions about course suitability. Mention if the group includes someone returning to golf or someone who would prefer a shorter round. The purpose is to identify questions that need a club answer before the itinerary is fixed.
There is no need to make every holiday round the same sort of challenge. Start from accurate course information, ask for the host's advice and make the scoring arrangements clear. That leaves you free to concentrate on the course you have come to enjoy.
A few more answers
Common questions
Which tee colour should I choose in Belek?
Do not assume a familiar colour means the same length or difficulty at every club. Read the scorecard and ask about the tees available for your ability and normal hitting distance. If your group uses different tees, confirm the scoring arrangements before starting; a competition may prescribe particular tees.
Is my Handicap Index the number of strokes I receive everywhere?
No. The R&A distinguishes your Handicap Index, Course Handicap and Playing Handicap. Confirm the appropriate course and tee information, then the allowance for the format being played; do not reuse a stroke allocation from another round.
Can I simply move forward on a difficult hole?
Agree the round's tees before starting. If you want a shorter route, ask about an approved option or another round from different tees. For competition or handicap purposes, do not assume that an improvised mixture has the same status as a recognised rated course.
