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Golf with a view
By Camilla Kaas Stock
With its spectacular backdrop of The Five Finger Mountain to on one side and the turquoise blue Mediterranean Sea on the other, Korenium Golf & Country Club doesn't just offer breathtaking scenery, but also some of the most challenging golf in the Mediterranean. The 18 hole championship standard golf course, designed by acclaimed British golf course architect David Hemstock, was opened in April 2007. The architect has created a course that enhances the existing landscape and retains enough of the olive and carob trees for the annual commercial harvest, as well as the forest of umbrella pine.
We talk to Sales and Marketing Executive Lyndsay Davies, who came to North Cyprus in May 2008 to take up her position at Korineum. She and her husband Nick, who is Golf Course Superintendent, have worked at various golf courses around the world. They are both exited about developing the golf course from the beginning and open it up to the overseas market.
Who built the golf course?
"It is very much a family business, built and run by Dr. Gunay Cerkez and his wife, it employs several family members. Mr Cerkez and his family had the vision and belief that an 18 hole champion standard golf course would be a success in North Cyprus. The Golf Course, Academy and club House are part of the first stage of the development. Later a Hotel and villas are planned to accommodate golfers".
Can you tell me a bit about the special grass?
"The golf course, which covers 65 hectar, is one of the first in Europe to be seeded with paspalum grass, which creates a unique playing surface in this part of the Mediterranean. The sea spray paspalum, a highly engineered turf grass, is watered with seawater treated in the de-sanitation plant, which takes the salt out of the water. Because of the constant water shortage in North Cyprus, this was the best alternative and will be cost effective in the long run. The golf course also claims to have one of the most testing par 3 holes in the Mediterranean, so there is plenty here for golf enthusiasts".
What are the best seasons?
"The golf course is open all year around, but the main seasons are the spring and autumn. The summers are very hot and people tend to play early in the morning and late in the afternoon. North Cyprus has one of the best climates in the Mediterranean, with little rain and nice year round temperatures. Whereas in Spain or Portugal, you could suddenly be rained out for a week, which can be very disappointing for people on holiday, here it might rain for an hour or two and then go back to sunshine. Even when we get rain, it never lasts for long. So if you come here for a week to play golf you know you are guaranteed good weather. This of course is a big plus for golfers. We had a Swedish lady here in the autumn, who said she needed to let the sun brush her soul before returning to the cold dark winter in Scandinavia".
How are your visitor numbers?
"It is still early days for the golf course, but we currently have 300 full time members and we also get a lot of holiday memberships as well as walk-ins. And of course there are a lot of people who spend part of the year here and come to play. We are now also seeing more and more golfers coming from the south of the island, because of the standard of the golf course and the beauty of the location. Korenium also offers very good value for money".
What about Scandinavian golfers?
"The overseas market is still growing and we are getting quite a few players from the UK and Germany, but so far only a few Scandinavians. We went to Marbella to the International Golf Travel Market (IGTM) for the first time to promote Korenium. And we have been to the SAS Masters Event in Sweden to attract the Swedish golfers and to the European Golf Open in the UK.
We are still in a growth faze, but busier than last year. The Scandinavian market is our ideal market, because they want to play in the autumn, winter and spring and we are looking to expand on this".
Apart from membership, what can you offer holiday players?
"If you only want to play for a day, you just pay a green fee. Then we have 3-4 day packages, hotel packages and golf packages as well as membership. We also have The Academy for beginners, with a three whole course and a registered PGA qualified pro teacher for group or individual lessons so you can just join the academy and then transfer up to the golf course when you are ready.
"We also work with various schools in the area for junior golf and have summer camps for children. The Cyprus Golf Federation plays many of their events here, also various sponsored tournaments are held here through the year and we are hoping to host the Pro Am event here in the near future".
What else have you got to offer here?
"The restaurant at the Club House is very popular and many people will come out here just to eat and enjoy the picturesque surroundings. We do Sunday Brunch, barbeques on Saturdays and Tuesdays, we have a snack and lunch menu in The Clubbers Lounge and Bar, as well as an À la carte menu in The Valley Restaurant. You can enjoy a massage or a facial in The Spa & Wellness Centre. We have a fitness centre and a conference centre. We also cater for Wedding parties".
Are golfers still apprehensive about coming to play in North Cyprus?
"The situation is quickly becoming history and people are starting to realise that it is easy to travel between the North and the South of the island. The North has a lot to offer with its unspoilt beauty and much more affordable prices. So I think we are very competitive.
Now it is also getting easier to travel here. You can go with Turkish Airway or Cyprus Turkish Airlines via Istanbul. People can also fly to Larnaca or Paphos and cross the border. We are happy to arranging pick-ups for golfers if they wish" says Lyndsay.
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Issue 4