As is the case around the world, the sport that is followed most in Turkey is football. For someone looking from the outside, it can seem like football is the only sport in Turkey, but this is far from the truth.
For example, the oldest sports branch in Turkey is golf. Golf was founded in Turkey 122 years ago. Established in 1895 as the "Constantinople Golf Club," it changed its name to the "Bosporus Golf Club" in 1911. After the proclamation of the Republic in 1923, the British Ambassador Waugh, U.S. Ambassador Ravndal and 60 founding members changed its name to the "Istanbul Golf Club" in accordance with the laws of the Republic of Turkey. Until that day, only foreign nationalities and minorities had been allowed to be members; thus, necessary amendments were made in club regulations and Turkish citizens were granted the right to become members.
However, there is a longstanding problem that the club has been experiencing since its establishment; the gold course problem. The club's first course was opened in Okmeydanı, Istanbul; however, for various reasons it moved to the hillsides of Bebek shortly after. Then in 1922, it was relocated to the Maslak-Levent area where it stayed for 92 years.
In 2012, the course's contract was up, and authorities did not want to renew it so the land could be used for non-sporting activities. And so, the 120-year-old club was left without a course.
Mustafa V. Koç was president of the club until his death, and now his wife, Mrs. Caroline Koç, has taken over. The Koç family opened a temporary golf course at Koç Holding in Nakkaştepe until a course in Riva, in honor of Mustafa V. Koç, is complete. Previously, the Koç family met with club members at the new course and told them about the most recent developments. It looks like the Istanbul Golf Club will finally be getting its own course.
Diplomatic & Business Golf Invitational
In the past few days, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs hosted a very special tournament at the Antalya National Golf Course in which Turkey's leading business people and diplomats from around the world came together for the first time.
Ambassadors from various countries, such as Spain, Japan and England, participated in the tournament, which was led by Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu. From the Turkish business world, Turkish Football Federation President Yıldırım Demirören, Turkish Golf Federation President Ahmet Ağaoğlu, OPET Chairman Fikret Öztürk and LİMAK Holding Chairman Nihat Özdemir took part in the tournament.
At the end of the tournament, the team of business people won.