Many holiday-makers just aren't happy to laze on the beach day in day out for a fortnight with a few sightseeing trips thrown in! The good news is that a wide variety of sports are available in Cyprus with superb facilities - often at cheaper rates than in other European countries. Most hotels offer good tennis and badminton courts and some have squash courts too, if not rest assured that each resort has a variety of excellent sports clubs that welcome visitors.

Cyprus enjoys more than 320 days of sunshine each year so water sports can be enjoyed almost all year round - and in complete contrast, the island enjoys a short skiing season in the winter! The real novelty for many visitors is to ski in Troodos in the morning and then travel down to the coast for a quick dip in the beautiful Mediterranean in the afternoon! Sports that make the most of the beautiful countryside are popular and even complete novices enjoy having a go at pony trekking. Golf of course is another increasingly popular sport with many keen golfers booking their annual holiday to Cyprus in the Spring or Autumn, when the temperatures are a little lower, but it is unlikely that rain will stop play!

In Cyprus apres golf is just as important!

Life generally continues at a slower pace in Cyprus and to Cypriots friends and family are the highest priorities - and not a hurried phone call every few weeks, but in Cyprus this means sharing time together, and more often than not , a meal. Consequently, all the golf courses also offer excellent facilities in their clubhouse so that you can enjoy a leisurely beer or meal with golfing friends.

What about non-players?

Enjoying a good game of golf is always difficult when your partner does not play, but having said that, the magic of Aphrodite's island might just rub off enough for them to have a go! If they decide not too, then again the great bonus is that most of the golf clubs offer wonderful leisure facilities like a good pool, so whilst you go out on the greens { OK we admit it! They are sometimes a little brown during the parched days of summer!} and get frustrated missing that all important shot, your partner can relax with that good book next to the pool!

Golf - the up and coming sport in Cyprus....

Golf is increasingly popular as a sport throughout Europe, and in Cyprus this is no exception as more and more local people enjoy a game after work and those who have retired in Cyprus fulfil their dreams of a daily round! The Cyprus government appreciate the golf is a big attraction for holidaymakers so is currently planning for Cyprus to secure its place on the golfing map of Europe with some great golf courses and championships that of course go hand-in-hand with good hotels, food, sightseeing and of course excellent climate that Aphrodite's homeland already offers….

Two 18-hole courses to enjoy.

There are currently two 18 -hole championship golf courses in Cyprus and both of them are situated west of Limassol. The older of the two courses at Tsada is situated in beautiful rolling countryside high above Paphos and it nestles amongst a string of villages that are known for their wine so the beautiful views reveal grape-laden vineyards and , in the distance, the Paphos coastline.For those who would like to discover Tsada, it is easy to find as it is clearly marked from the main Paphos to Polis Chrysochou road that leads northwards from the town..

The Tsada golf course was the first 18-hole golf course to be built in Cyprus and was completed in 1994. It has been cleverly designed as two circular interconnecting nine-hole courses that are par 72. It is a very popular golf course with plenty of good amenities including changing rooms {so you can quickly change from your sight-seeing gear!}, a driving range and putting green for that all-important practice, and if that practice does not seem to be making perfect, there is a PGA Golf Pro on hand to give helpful advice and coaching! Tsada also has a well-stocked shop of golfing accessories and equipment can be hired. The cost for an 18-hole round ia about £24. Further details are available by telephoning 09 - 683900

A well kept secret amongst golfers!

The second 18-hole golf course in Cyprus is at Secret Valley, which is a really beautiful valley just west of one of the island's most popular beauty spots - Petra tou Romiou - or Aphrodite's Rock. This is where local legend tells that the goddess of beauty and love emerged from the waves - and as some local golfers like to add -'holding a golf ball'!

The golf course is nice and easy to find as it is situated just inland from the old Limassol to Paphos road. If you are heading west from Limasssol just follow the highway signed Paphos until it reaches Petra tou Romiou where it rejoins the old road. At the point where the road turns right to rejoin the highway, just continue straight on the old road for about another kilometre and the golf clubs sign boards can clearly be seen on your right. Secret Valley is also a par 72 course that is situated amongst the most spectacular countryside in a hidden valley - hence its name! The Secret Valley course is a challenging one and again, if they are needed lessons and guidance are available from the Secret Valley Professional! The Club House at Secret Valley is very attractive as it has been designed in traditional Cypriot style, and offers some very attractive meals to be enjoyed. For those eager to improve their game there is video tuition available and afterwards you can put what you learned into practise on the driving range! {Telephone 09 - 683900 for further information}.

A very central golf course....

The Vikla Golf and Country Club lies nearly equi-distance from Nicosia, Limassol, Larnaka and Ayia Napa and has the Troodos mountains as its backdrop. It is situated just 30 minutes from Ayios Tychonas, to the east of Limassol town on the edge of the village of Kellaki. Although only a nine-hole course at the moment, it is a challenging one, and golf clubs and other equipment is available for hire. At present it costs about £10 for the course and the great news is that partners can play at half-price - so how's that for an incentive! { The winner is treated with a Brandy Sour by the loser{s} in the clubhouse afterwards!}.

The owner of the Vikla Golf Club and Country Club is changing the course and is in the process of having extra holes created to make the course a 12-hole course- a saize much favoured by 'golfer- extraordinaire' Arnold Palmer! It is hoped that over the next couple of years the golf course can be developed even further into a full 18-hole course. For non-golfers, the clubhouse offers an attractive swimming pool to laze by, with the same marvellous panoramic viewers that the golfers enjoy. Afterwards there are plenty of tasty snacks available in the clubhouse{Telephone 05 -622894/09 - 674218.

An exciting new golf project currently in progress...

A new 18-hole championship golf course is currently under construction and is scheduled to be completed by October 2002. The Aphrodite Hills Resort is certainly an ambitious project as it is just that - a whole purpose-built resort that will be the first five star resort in Cyprus, with villas, hotel and all types of sports facilities, in particular tennis and golf. It is hoped that the golf course will help establish Cyprus as a prestigious 12-month golfing destination and of course it will be another great asset to the country's importance as a business conference and incentives destination.

The Aphrodite Hills Golf Course has been designed by Cabell Robinson, the world famous golf course designer, and he hopes that his innovative plans will enhance the natural beauty of the area, and that the new golf course will rank amongst the best in Europe. It is being developed on twin plateaux with spectacular views of the Mediterranean and the whole area has already been planted with a lush selection of hybrids. There will be a three-hole golf academy, which will give players the perfect opportunity to correct any problems with technique - and a Pro will be on hand to offer valuable advice!

And one for all the family!...

In Paphos, golfers are getting increasingly younger as the island's only adventure mini golf course never fails to capture the imagination! The course is a specially designed American 18-hole mini course that provides both challenging play and great entertainment - as any sceptics will be quickly told just because the distances on the course are small, it doesn't mean that you don't need just as much skill! During the summer season, the course is floodlit in the evenings and games are not finished until 23.00, when of course it is far easier to be energetic in the cooler evening temperatures! For further details, please telephone 06 - 996177

So, all in all Cyprus has so much to offer golfers throughout the year, and after all if your game is not going so well as you would like, there is always the view to admire and the promise of a nice cool beer in the clubhouse afterwards!

Information courtesy forsale.com.cy