The Turquoise Coast

Bask in the Mediterranean paradise of the Turkish Riviera.

- Ilona Kauremszky

BENEATH A STARRY SKY, the golf gods seem to smile upon this group of nighttime golfers steadily keeping their eye on the white dimpled ball on a course lit up like a baseball stadium, smack in the heart of the dreamy Turkish Riviera.

Famous for over-the-top resorts, stunners that exceed 5-star resort expectations, one of the favorite pastimes besides big-time pampering at a hammam spa is to try the area’s biggest pleasure sport: night golf.

“Everyone ought to try it at least once,” says one Turkish insider who dares folks like me, a nongolfer, to give it a swing.

For newbies and seasoned golfers, it’s time to head to those must-try championship greens, of which there are plenty. Aim your driver toward Belek, the coastal region known for the country’s top golf courses. The PGA Sultan course in Antalya, southwest Turkey, hosted the likes of Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy and winner Justin Rose at the 2012 Turkish Airlines World Golf Final. Find other golf resorts like the Antalya Golf Club, Turkey’s first 36-hole golf resort with two 5-star hotels and, yes, Europe’s first nighttime golf course, the Carya Golf Course.

Between the course winds, the undulating sand ridges enveloped by natural pine and the fragrant eucalyptus trees, no wonder golf reigns supreme during the year-round warm Turkish nights. Imagine taking your shot and watching the sun go down.