Secret Valley Golf Course – A Strategic Gem Among Paphos Golf Courses in Cyprus
- Gunnar Kobin
- Dec 13, 2025
- 3 min read
Updated: Mar 23
Secret Valley Golf : The Course That Grows on You
Secret Valley Golf Course in Paphos Cyprus is a golf course that has a unique charm that sets it apart from other Mediterranean courses. Instead of playing with sea views, players navigate a golf course that is set in the valley with rocky outcroppings and natural formations. Players will need to employ course management and patience to craft a winning round instead of simply relying on power.
Jacklin's Design Philosophy Shows Immediately
Since its opening in 1996, Secret Valley Golf Course has been designed by two-time major champion Tony Jacklin which is evident from the first tee. Jacklin's courses embodies a philosophy of creating a golf course that makes the player feel as those the holes were discovered and not built and that flows with the speed of the rounding players.
Of the Paphos golf courses, Secret Valley is unique and the standout in its design because of its simplistic and honest routing. The course layout is shaped by the surrounding hills and cut valleys which creates an easy to walk course and rhythm to an easier loop with more holes from a design perspective.
Those Wide Fairways Are Deceiving
Secret Valley also has wide and inviting golf fairways. Many new and visiting golfers make the mistake of hitting a driver on every hole as soon as they see the fairways.
That is the first mistake.
Your driver has a good chance of finishing at a narrowing landing zone. If you miss a fairway, it can become awkward and sometimes defensive for the approach shot.
You are constantly being restrained and directed to think of other alternatives besides the most obvious. Classic Tony Jacklin design, and why Secret Valley is known as the most strategic course in the Paphos region.
The course is built in a way that it will make or break your round.
The 4 pars are the cornerstone of Secret Valley. Many of them have cross-cutting, diagonal bunkering, and make you want to take the risk.
From the many rounds that I have played here, I have learned that it is a course that requires you to open the green and not one that can be won with a driver.
You are not likely to overpower the course, but you will be likely to solve it.
The straight and semi-firm course requires confidence in the short-game.
Plotting your way to the proper spot in the fairway will greatly increase your chances.
The conditioned and well-protected greens have subtle, and at times dramatic contours.
The greens recovery shot needs to be automatic, and recovery shots can be difficult. Playing firm is key. Control your approach to a release. Landing will become a critical. Short-game confidence is a good thing to have when the course plays firm and fast.
While wind is usually a lesser factor than at Cyprus' coastal courses, the open valley setting can still examine/allure your ball flight on certain days.
No Rush, No Pressure
Secret Valley is really appealing because of its relaxed, unpretentious vibe.
No rush, no forced resort vibe—just a peaceful round of golf in a beautiful setting.
Valley courses tend to feel special in the mornings and after the sun has gone, when the valley is at its quiet and extended best, and the course shows its true character.
Who Gets It
Secret Valley suits golfers who like a course that is a bit more strategic, who like walkable courses, who like natural flow, and who want a more subtle challenge that is a bit more elevated than the scenery, and who want to avoid the crowds that are a bit more commercial at the Paphos resorts.
Those looking for cliff-top views might find it a bit too subdued. Those looking for strong thoughtful design will find it to be a great Secret Valley.
Why It’s Worth Playing
Secret Valley is one of the best designed golf courses in Cyprus. It is more rewarding than a lot of the courses around. And it is more rewarding than a lot of the courses in the more commercial resort layouts.
It may not have immediate wow factor, however, hole by hole, it draws you in, and by the time you walk off the 18th green, you understand the quality of the course.
Secret Valley deserves a spot on your calendar if you are going on a golf holiday in Paphos or looking for the best courses in Cyprus.
It's not the course that impresses you in pictures. It's the course that earns your respect over 18 holes.
