Cyprus has been a holiday destination for the British for many decades, but now the island is venturing into the world of golf and with an all-year round Mediterranean climate it is ideally placed to deliver. COLIN JENKINS recently sampled what it has to offer

THERE'S much more to the island of Cyprus than first meets the eye. The only snippets of information I could conjure up from my memory banks before visiting this, the third largest island in the Mediterranean, was that Mark Anthony gave Cyprus to Cleopatra as a gift and that Richard the Lionheart married his Queen Berengaria there after the Third Crusade in 1191.

But what an island it is. It has seen it all through the centuries and stands at the crossroads of Europe, Asia and Africa.

The Mycenaeans Achaeans brought their civilisation to the island, establishing the first Greek roots 3,000 years ago, but the island can trace civilisation back 8,000BC.

Many others passed through, including Phoenicians, Assyrians, Egyptians, Persians, Romans, Crusaders, Venetians, Ottomans and the British - and they all left a bit of their cultures to make Cyprus what it is today.

The apostles of Christ walked the land while the splendour of Byzantium, founded by Constantine the Great at Constantinople, encompassed the island. There are prehistoric settlements, ancient Greek temples, Roman theatres and villas, early Christian basilicas, Byzantine churches and monasteries, Crusader castles, Gothic churches and Venetian fortifications.

And staying with the ancient, there's the game of golf - the reason for a recent visit.

The game may have been first played in Scotland centuries ago but Cyprus is only just getting to grips with its popularity.

In golfing terms Cyprus is no Costa del Sol nor Algarve - but then it is not trying to be, and let's face it that's maybe no bad thing. It does, however, have two magnificent courses with a third on the way and is, so far, one of the Mediterranean's best kept golfing secrets.

Situated in the south west of the island and each about 20 minutes from the pleasant resort of Pafos our first port of call was Tsada Golf Club, the first grass course to be built on the island outside of the various military bases.

It was completed in 1994 and is in the hills about 550 metres above sea level.

Historically, it has been part of the monastery of Stavros tis Minthis, where a 79-year-old monk by the name of Barnabas - who swapped his cats for chickens because they bring him a better financial return according to our guide! - may often be seen in the garden from the seventh tee.

But this Donald Steel-designed course blends perfectly into its natural surroundings and at up to 6,600 yards is a test for any golfer. The undulating fairways are lined with fruit trees and grape vines but a word of warning - stray off the fairways and your ball could be in a stony lie. Best to come to some arrangement before teeing off as to how you want to play from these lies otherwise clubs could be damaged.

Then there's the Secret Valley Golf Club - and never have I played a venue with a more apt name.

Near the 'Petra tou Romiou' the legendary birthplace of Aphrodite, the Goddess of Love, the course lies in a scenic tree-lined valley sculpted from natural rock formations and offers panoramic views.

The course can play to just under 7,000 yards off the tiger tees. The back nine is the more difficult of the two halves, but there are an array of holes - very few of which will disappoint.

There are two or three stunning par threes that, while short, call for pinpoint accuracy. Fairways are generous and it is a course that will reward the shot maker.

Play late morning and the breeze whips up the valley from the Med to make club selection a little tricky at times but it all adds to a magnificent venue.

Both courses have well-stocked shops and clubhouses with restaurants to match.

A third course, the multi-million pound Aphrodite Hills, is due to open towards the end of 2002. And if it's half the calibre of the existing two, Cyprus will certainly have something to shout about on the golf front.

Cyprus is not really a golf only destination because of the limits of only two courses currently but if you are a golfer and want a holiday that combines history, sandy beaches, good food and a couple of days on the links, you'd have to go a long way to find better.

And you don't have to have a degree in history to enjoy the other delights of the island. I'm certainly no history buff but it was impressive wandering around some of the ancient sites where one can only take their hat off to the people of bygone ages for what they achieved.