Montgomerie Maxx Royal GC Fact File:
Location: In Belek, halfway down the strip in between Cornelia and GloriaYear Established: 2008Par: 72Length (yards from yellows): 6,044Green Fees (weekdays): €230Signature Hole: Two pines bisect the brilliant par-5 13thWebsite: montgomeriemaxxroyal.com
The Montgomerie Maxx Royal began life as a commercial forest before being transformed into one of the finest courses in the area. It also began life as the Papillon Golf Club before changing to its current name which boasts the name of the European Ryder Cup legend.
In fact it’s the only course in the region to use a player’s name in its title.
The Scot ‘collaborated’ with European Golf Design, the company have worked on three courses in the area, and the layout has been carved out of 100 hectares of mixed pine and eucalyptus forest. Throw in eight lakes and waste areas and we have the tried-and-tested formula of outstanding golf in Belek.
But the Montgomerie Maxx Royal can make various claims that other courses in the area can’t. Even before it had opened in 2008 the plan was to make this a Tour stop and, within five years, it had the best players on the planet rolling in the birdies.
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In 2013 the Montgomerie was the first course to host a DP World Tour tournament when it held the prestigious spot on the calendar of being the penultimate event of the Final Series, which it would repeat the following year.
The storybook finish of a Tiger Woods victory didn’t quite materialise with the American finishing in a tie for third but it did have Victor Dubuisson claim victory for the first time on Tour. The following year Brooks Koepka also prevailed here for his first win on Europe’s main tour and Dubuisson would double up in 2015.
There would be a three-year break as the tournament moved to Carya but we would then enjoy a six-person play-off under the lights for the first time in Tour history as Tyrrell Hatton began the final day in glorious sunshine before winning at the fourth time of asking.
So the Maxx Royal, for a course that has been open less than 20 years, can already boast a CV of some incredible players and the scorecard also has something different.
Montgomerie Maxx is one of the best in Turkey
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Montgomerie Maxx Royal Golf Club Review
This is how European Golf Design explained their remit for the course when it opened.
“Along with Colin Montgomerie, EGD was introduced to the project in 2006 by the Papillon Hotel Group who were looking to create their first golf resort. Although densely covered by pine trees it was clear that sandy, rolling landscape below the tree canopy was ideal for golf.
“Right from the start the environmental impact and sustainability of the development was a major consideration and resulted in a design philosophy which combined the natural features of the site with the strategy of the golf course. The result was a golf course which utilised the natural sandy areas as hazards which come into play on more than half the golf holes and also provide a buffer between the maintained areas and the native vegetation.”
There are probably others but the Berkshire Red springs to mind for having the same mix of holes as the Montgomerie. Here we have six par 3s, six 4s and six 5s with three of the three-shotters coming in the final eight holes.
The greens are huge, the fairways wide and the water very prominent over the front nine from the 4th onwards. Visually the 4th stands out with a vast lake guarding the par-5 green – Hatton would eagle it both times over the weekend in 2019 – and all of the short holes offer something different.
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Interestingly the last time the DP World Tour visited here the par-3 5th, which can measure around 220 yards, played as the toughest hole.
Then the back nine offers a different challenge, with everything tightening up off the tee and more of an emphasis on some quality iron shots. The par-5 13th is something of a signature hole, helped by two towering pine trees sitting in the fairway, before the hole feeds right and then the 15th, the shortest of the par 4s, is a very cute two-shotter where the temptation will be to get as far down the hole with your tee shot.
Then the final hole asks plenty of questions for the better player, as evidenced by that play-off in 2019, but maybe could offer a bit more to the recreational golfer who isn’t able to take advantage of the par 5.
Montgomerie Maxx
Final Verdict
Maybe it’s the way we perceive courses that have held tour events but things move up a notch here in terms of quality and conditioning. A fun and varied test, there are only two lots of consecutive par 4s and the short holes are roundly praised. Also, the clubhouse is regarded as maybe the best in the area with some incredible practice facilities and dining options.
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Rating: 4 out of 5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
For more information, please visit the club’s website here
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