Golf

A temperate island for golf almost year-round

Cyprus’ climate is one of the major assets for golfers visiting the destination. With nearly 340 days of sunshine each year, a spring that begins as early as February, and an autumn that lasts until November, the island offers a playing season that is exceptionally long compared with major European golf destinations. In winter, daytime temperatures typically stay between 15 and 20 °C along the coast, allowing continued comfortable play while northern Europe endures the cold. The island’s five courses are concentrated in the southern half, within reasonable reach of Paphos International Airport (PFO) and Larnaca International Airport (LCA). Four courses lie in the Paphos region, less than a thirty-minute drive from the airport; the fifth, Limassol Greens, is located in Limassol. Creative Tours Cyprus supports its French-speaking partners in discovering these five golf destinations, offering a turnkey service that includes transfers, tee-time bookings, and guided excursions in French.

The Paphos region concentrates four of the island’s five courses, each designed by an internationally renowned architect. Eléa Golf Club, about five kilometres from downtown Paphos, was designed by Nick Faldo and opened in October 2010. This par-71 course features a 2,260 m² clubhouse and an academy with a 300-metre driving range, a facility geared toward both seasoned players and learners. Aphrodite Hills, in Kouklia, is probably the destination’s best-known signature: designed by Cabell Robinson and inaugurated in November 2002, this par-71/70 course spans 6,299 metres within a 234-hectare resort. Buggy use is mandatory there. Secret Valley, also located in Kouklia about 18 km east of Paphos, was designed by Tony Jacklin in collaboration with Erhardt/Vijhalmsson. This par-71 course with 419 Bermuda grass greens offers a feature sought by some clients: a three-hole illuminated loop, playable on summer evenings, as well as simulators. Finally Minthis, at Tsada, perched 550 metres above sea level on the site of a XIIth-century monastery: originally designed by Donald Steel in 1994, it has been fully renovated by the Mackenzie & Ebert firm. This par-72 course is the first in Cyprus to obtain GEO (Golf Environment Organization) certification and lies within a Natura 2000 zone.

For a long time, Cyprus’ golf offer was centered on the Paphos region; it has recently expanded to Limassol with the opening of Limassol Greens, the island’s fifth course. Designed by Cabell Robinson, it spans roughly 6,300 metres, par 71, with five tee positions per hole to cover all playing abilities. The course blends two types of grass: Bermuda Tahoma 31 on the fairways and Bentgrass 007 on the greens, a combination recognized for delivering excellent playing quality even in hot weather. For Francophone partners, Limassol Greens is a strategic asset: it complements Cyprus’ golf portfolio by offering an alternative to Paphos, nearer to Limassol’s major five-star hotels, and rebalances the destination’s geography for a stay that combines golf with Mediterranean city life.

For agencies building golf holidays, here are a few practical points to know about the destination. The four Paphos courses require a handicap of Men 28 / Women 36 for access. Limassol Greens applies a somewhat more open rule, with a handicap of Men 36 / Women 45, making it an entry point for more intermediate players. The peak golf season runs mainly from March to November, with busy periods in spring and autumn — the European interseasons — and a winter season that remains playable, particularly sought after by Nordic and British clients. On the logistical side, Creative Tours offers dedicated transfers from the Paphos region, Aphrodite Hills Hotel, and Pissouri to each of the five courses, by car and air-conditioned coach with a Francophone welcome.

As a Francophone incoming operator in Cyprus, our golf expertise rests on a precise mastery of green-fee availabilities and rates, updated season after season. We negotiate conditions tailored to our partners and design tailor-made stays centered around golf: lodging in a golf resort (Aphrodite Hills, Elysium, Minthis) or in a 3- to 5-star hotel, in Paphos and Limassol; personalized transfers to the courses; and excursions to Cyprus’s highlights — Tombs of the Kings, Baths of Aphrodite, Akamas, wine tastings, Cypriot flavors — guided by our Francophone Cypriot guides certified by the Cyprus Tourism Office. Our take is simple: these five courses do not compete, they complement each other through architectural signatures, geography, and playing profiles. As highlighted in our latest press release published on TourMaG, Creative Tours remains the island’s only 100% Francophone receptive operator — a single point of contact for any golf stay in Cyprus. For any quote or inquiry about a golf stay combining one or more of these courses, our partners can reach us at [email protected] for individuals and [email protected] for groups.