---
type: "Article"
title: "Spectacular golf safari on Cyprus, island of the gods"
description: "Golf safari on Cyprus; wonderful and varied courses. We played four great golf courses on the island of the gods."
resource: "https://travelmemo.com/cyprus/golf-safari"
author: "Walter Schaerer"
publisher: "Travelmemo"
photo_count: 11
tags: ["Golf", "Landscape", "Cyprus"]
entities:
  - "https://travelmemo.com/ontology/places/cyprus"
  - "https://travelmemo.com/ontology/places/zuerich"
  - "https://travelmemo.com/ontology/topics/golf"
  - "https://travelmemo.com/ontology/topics/landscape"
  - "https://travelmemo.com/ontology/topics/winter-tourism"
  - "https://travelmemo.com/ontology/topics/boutique-hotel"
  - "https://travelmemo.com/ontology/topics/luxury-travel"
  - "https://travelmemo.com/ontology/topics/restaurant"
  - "https://travelmemo.com/ontology/topics/safari"
  - "https://travelmemo.com/ontology/topics/sea-travel"
  - "https://travelmemo.com/ontology/topics/vehicle-rental"
  - "https://travelmemo.com/author/walter-schaerer"
generated: { by: "human:https://travelmemo.com/author/walter-schaerer", at: 2026-07-04T14:09:46+00:00 }
verified:
  - { by: "human:https://travelmemo.com/author/katja-birrer", at: 2015-12-28T17:25:03+00:00 }
sources:
  - id: photos
    resource: golf-safari.md#photos
    title: "Original photography by Walter Schaerer"
    author: "human:https://travelmemo.com/author/walter-schaerer"
timestamp: 2026-07-04T14:09:46+00:00
---

# Spectacular golf safari on Cyprus, island of the gods

> Cyprus is a sun-drenched Mediterranean island offering a compact cluster of championship golf courses playable year-round, making it a prime winter golf destination for European golfers. Four distinct layouts — from hillside monastery grounds to a canyon-crossing coastal course — are all within a 22 km radius of Paphos.

## Destination
Cyprus, centred around Paphos on the island's southwestern coast.

## Getting there
Under four hours flying time from Zurich. A rental car is recommended to reach the courses; note that driving is on the left.

## When to go
Cyprus averages around 20°C even in winter months, making it a year-round golf destination. The article was written about an October visit with temperatures around 28°C.

## Why visit
A compact collection of high-standard championship golf courses set in varied and scenic landscapes, combined with warm weather when much of Europe is cold and foggy.

## What to see
- **Minthis Hills Golf Club** — Donald Steel-designed course laid out around a 12th-century monastery, fringed by fruit, walnut, and almond trees; located about 15 km north of Paphos.
- **Secret Valley Golf Club** — Uniquely embedded in a valley between cacti, oleander, and giant reddish rocks; the article warns to use a 7 iron rather than hands when searching for balls in the rough due to snakes.
- **Aphrodite Hills Golf** — A 6,299-metre championship course with spectacular ocean views; the par-3 7th hole requires driving across a shallow canyon to a small green on the opposite rim.
- **Elea Golf Club** — The newest course on the island, designed by Sir Nick Faldo on a former carob tree plantation near Paphos, with panoramic views of the southwestern coast from the clubhouse.
- **Petra tou Romiou** — Legendary coastal rock near Aphrodite Hills where, according to myth, Aphrodite rose from the sea.

## What to do
- **Play the four-course golf circuit** — All four courses are within a 22 km radius of Paphos and reachable by rental car in short order.
- **Dine at the Minthis Hills clubhouse** — The 19th hole serves fine snacks and menu items in a stylishly modern ambiance.
- **Try Keo beer at the 19th hole** — Cyprus's local Pilsner lager, described as a satisfying post-round refresher in the heat.

## Good to know
Golf carts are mandatory at Aphrodite Hills due to long distances between tees. Rental clubs are available at the courses but quality and shaft flex can vary — the article specifically notes an unpleasant experience with stiff steel-shaft rental clubs at Secret Valley. The authors stayed at the Almyra Design Hotel in Paphos.

## Photos

```yaml
photos:
  - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/Walter-Schaerer-Minthis-Hills-golf-course-club-house.jpg"
    caption: "Walter Schaerer in Minthis Hills club house"
  - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/Walter-Schaerer-secret-valley-golf.jpg"
    caption: "Walter not amused"
  - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/keo-beer-secret-valley-club-house.jpg"
    caption: "The beer at the 19th hole is the best!"
  - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/Walter-Schaerer-Aphrodite-Hills-not-amused.jpg"
    caption: "Walter kann sein Unglück kaum glauben"
  - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/Katja-Birrer-Elea-Golf.jpg"
    caption: "Katja Birrer am 18. Abschlag von Elea Golf"
  - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/Walter-Schaerer-Elea-Golf-Cyprus.jpg"
    caption: "Walter wieder im Hoch: Gewonnen!"
  - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/Minthis-Hills-golf-course-Cyprus-5.jpg"
    caption: "Minthis Hills golf course"
  - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/Secret-Valley-golf-course-Cyprus-3.jpg"
    caption: "Secret Valley golf course flag"
  - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/Aphrodite-Hills-golf-course-flag-Cyprus.jpg"
    caption: "Aphrodite Hills golf flag"
  - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/Aphrodite-Hills-golf-course-Cyprus-3.jpg"
    caption: "Loch 7: Man schlägt von einer Talseite auf die andere..."
  - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/Elea-Golf-club-house-Cyprus-11.jpg"
    caption: "Elea Golf Klubhaus in der Nähe von Paphos"
```