Cyprus is a destination that has grown in popularity for those seeking a golf holiday that mixes high quality accommodation, great climate, evening entertainment and tremendous courses.
All of the top courses in Cyprus are in and around the city of Paphos, making it possible to try a few different courses on your Cyprus golfing break while keeping the transfer times down to a minimum. In fact, Cyprus is a fairly compact island with drives between its two main centres – Paphos and Ayia Napa – easily managed in two hours.
This means you have plenty of holiday activities on your doorstep – from sunbathing on the beaches at Coral Bay and Alykes, exploring the island’s local history at UNESCO World Heritage Site Paphos Archaeological Park, or just wandering the streets of its Old Town with its quaint shops, cafes and tavernas.
Whether you are a large group looking for great nightlife as much as great golf, or a couple who want to add a few quick rounds of golf into an annual beach holiday, our guide to golf in Cyprus gives you all the information you need to book the perfect Cyprus golf break – including where to play, where to stay, and how to save money!
Cyprus at a Glance
- Location: Cyprus is an island located in the Mediterranean, southwest of Greece, and south of Turkey.
- Closest Airports: Paphos International Airport is approximately 6.5km outside the city of Paphos, which is the main destination for a golf holiday in Cyprus.
- Flight Time: The average flight time from the UK to Paphos International Airport, Cyprus, is approximately 4 hours 45 minutes. However, the exact time will depend on weather conditions and which UK airport you are taking off from.
- Best Time to Travel: Cyprus’ peak golfing season is ‘shoulder season’ (Spring & Autumn) when temperatures are slightly milder and accommodation & flight costs avoid the peaks incurred during Summer travel.
- Climate: In Paphos at spring time you can expect the weather to be between 19 & 25 degrees celsius, whereas October averages around 23 degrees celsius and November is slightly cooler at 18 degrees celsius. All of which are perfect weather to tee off in!
Best Golf Courses in Cyprus
Aphrodite Hills Golf Club
Crafted by renowned American golf course designer Cabell B. Robinson in 2002, Aphrodite Hills is a stunning 18-hole course with incredible views of the Mediterranean Sea. Robinson has created a course with pretty challenging and strategically shaped fairways with two water hazards.
Off the course you will find a luxurious clubhouse featuring a bar and restaurant for you to relax in after a day on the fairways as well as plenty of practice facilities including a double-ended 350 meter practice range, short game practice area with large pitching and chipping green.
What marks this venue out from the others is the apartments and hotel accommodation options you’ll find on-site, making it a fantastic stay and play option.
- Holes: 18
- Par: 71
- Designer: Cabell B. Robinson
- Opened: 2002
Elea Golf Club
Legendary British golfer Sir Nick Faldo designed the excellent Elea Golf Club, which opened in 2010 at the Elea Estate. This golf course is approximately 15 minutes east from the centre of Paphos and features 18 holes and a par 71.
Faldo has consciously created a course that favours the strategic player rather than the big hitter, with plenty of puzzles to solve as you navigate around Elea.
Decorated with mature carob and olive trees, with elements of limestone creeping onto the course contrasting with the well-kept green fairways to give a truly distinct feel.
Away from the course there is a beautiful modern club house that overlooks the course – it’s the ideal place to enjoy a drink and reminisce about your round of golf.
- Holes: 18
- Par: 71
- Designer: Sir Nick Faldo
- Opened: 2010
Secret Valley Golf Club
Carved into the natural landscape that surrounds it, Secret Valley Golf Club is lush with established vegetation and has spectacular views of the Mediterranean Sea.
The course architects are Hans-Georg Erhardt and Snorri Vilhjalmsson of Golf and Land Design, with Tony Jacklin, the four-time Ryder Cup captain and winner of both the British and US Open. Here you’ll find six different tee positions so it’s playable for golfers of all abilities despite the round being challenging. There’s also a floodlit 3-hole loop for those who want a taste of ‘night golf’.
The spacious clubhouse and restaurant provide the perfect place to relax and unwind after a round of golf here, with two relaxing balconies that overlook the 18th green.
Home to a Troon Golf Academy, there are some fantastic practice facilities here too which make it an ideal base for golf professionals looking for a venue for their next tuition break. These include a 300-metre driving range that includes two large grass tees, 22 covered bays, two indoor bays, three full size practice greens (one for chipping, one for putting, and one for pitching) as well as two full size bunkers and a warm up putting green beside the first tee.
- Holes: 18
- Par: 71
- Designer: Tony Jacklin
- Opened: 1996 (Re-designed by Tony Jacklin in 2013)
Minthis Hills Golf Club
Minthis Hills is an 18-hole, par 72 Championship golf course created by Donald Steel before its opening way back in 1994. Since then, it’s been re-developed by Mackenzie & Ebert with a focus on sustainability.
The course is laid out around natural landscapes, taking you past ancient groves, olive trees and fruit orchards with gorgeous views of the Troodos Mountains and a 12th century monastery. The iconic hole here is undoubtedly the 15th, which is a beautiful par 3 where your tee shot is played onto an island green – the only one in the Paphos region.
After your round, be sure to check out the stunning modern clubhouse that features a restaurant and terrace. Plus, there’s a well-equipped golf academy on-site offering a driving range, putting green, chipping green, driving range practice green and a three-hole academy that’s perfect for PGA professionals looking to host golf tuition breaks.
- Holes: 18
- Par: 72
- Designer: Donald Steel
- Opened: 1994
Top 5 Travel Tips for Your Cyprus Golf Holiday
- Pre-reserve Buggies: Some of these courses are quite hilly so we would recommend pre-reserving buggies on your golf holiday to avoid disappointment in case they sell out upon arrival at the pro-shop!
- Book Early For Prime Tee Times: We can say this for pretty much every destination especially for those travelling in a large group but the golf courses in Cyprus are no different – the earlier you book your tee times, the better they are likely to be.
- Combine Golf & Beach Holiday: For those travelling on a budget consider combining a golf break to Paphos with a traditional beach holiday to save on multiple trips. Plenty of the accommodation we provide is located on the beach-front in and within walking distance of cultural sites, shops, bars and restaurants.
- Consider All-Inclusive Board Basis: We have some great options in hotels that offer an all-inclusive board basis that can help you budget whilst on holiday! This means breakfast, lunch, dinner, and drinks are already included in the cost you pay upfront for the accommodation so no more squabbling over who owes what when the bill comes!
- Check For Extra Value On Deals: Our expert team can help you find the best value that best suit you, for instance at the time of publishing Leonardo Plaza Cypria Maris Beach Hotel & Spa offer free airport and golf transfers for groups of four or more which can really help lower the price of your Cyprus golf holiday! Also Aphrodite Hills offer 1 in 8 on accommodation, and Secret Valley & Elea offer 1 free green fee for every 12 golfers.
Top Golf Holiday Deals: Play Some of Cyprus’ Most Popular Golf Courses
We have hand picked the most popular golf break resorts in Paphos, Cyprus:
- 5* Aphrodite Hills
- 4* Leonardo Plaza Cypria Maris Beach Hotel & Spa
- 4* Constantinou Bros Athena Royal Beach Hotel
- 4* Constantinou Bros Athena Beach Hotel
- 5* Olympic Lagoon Resort Paphos
- 4* St. George Beach Hotel & Spa Resort
- 5* Almyra Hotel
- 4* Avilda Hotel
- 4* Capital Coast Resort & Spa
- 4* Alexander The Great Beach Hotel
About Glencor Golf
We have many years of experience in organising the perfect golf holiday to so many destinations, including Cyprus! Whether you are a golf society looking to plan an annual trip to an exciting new destination that you haven’t played before or a couple looking to combine a beach holiday in Paphos with some rounds of golf, our friendly and experienced team can help! Call 01904 406550 or email info@glencorgolf.com.
