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yprus is an island that likes to be visited; it has been host to gods and crusaders, saints and heroes. And thousands of holiday makers seeking the Mediterranean sun.

Golden Aphrodite, Greek goddess of love, was born of the sea foam that hisses on the beach of Achni on the south coast of Cyprus. Mortal men, too, have known Cyprus for a long time. Idols have been unearthed that were carved by stone age sculptors 8000 years ago and more, and Cypriot mines – which are still worked, provided copper for the entire eastern Mediterranean area in the third millennium BC. The Greek name of the metal and the island – kypros – are the same.

The 7th at Aphrodite Hills

Then too, lying as it does on a maritime crossroads between Europe, Asia and Africa, Cyprus has always assured of a great variety of visitors and conquerors. Macedonian Greeks established city-kingdoms in about 1500 BC and thereafter the island was in turn annexed by the empires of Egypt, Assyria, Persia, Rome and Byzantium. Christianity was brought to the island by St. Paul and St Barnabas in the first century AD. In 1191 it was occupied by Richard I (the Lion-heart) of England who married Princess Berengaria of Navarre at Limossol, and handed the island over to the Knights Templar, a miniature religious order founded to protect pilgrims to the Holy Land. Members of the French Lusigane Dynasty were kings of Cyprus from the 12th century until they were ousted by the Venetians in the 16th century. They in turn were expelled by the Turks who governed Cyprus until 1778 when they leased it to the British who made the Island a crown colony in 1925. Now they are a republic in their own right – no wonder they have problems.

The Saranta Kolones ruins near Paphos

At present the island is partitioned with the northern third inhabited by Turkish Cypriots and the southern two-thirds by Greek Cypriots. A political entanglement continues and is still an ongoing issue.
But they are moving in the right direction as they have now established three championship golf courses, one on the way and a 12-holer. There are indications that golf in Cyprus will be rapidly expanding and with its rolling hills and perfect climate it’ll be a Mediterranean haven and on the hit-list of many travelling golfers. The courses on Cyprus are taking a very professional approach to its establishment and resident golfers are required to join the Cyprus Golf Federation handicap accreditation scheme while visitors to the Island’s courses will be expected to prove their handicap and make sure of any of the clubs’ requirements before they visit.

The 18th at Aphrodite Hills

The Aphrodite Hills Golf Club wonders through lakes, olive and carob trees in the rugged hills above Paphos. The Secret Valley Golf Club is set in the legendary birthplace of Aphrodite, the goddess of love and is set in a deep green valley surrounded by green forests and amazing rock formation.
The Tsada Golf Club was designed by Donald Steel and was opened in 1994. Situated on the outskirts of Paphos it enjoys the pleasant cool sea breezes in the summer months.

Secret Valley

Tsada Golf, Paphos

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