For golf enthusiasts, the allure of an immaculately crafted course is as much a part of the game as the swing itself. The world is brimming with spectacular outdoor retreats with glamorous golf courses that offer challenging play and stunning landscapes. Furthermore, this article takes you on a journey through 25 of the world’s best golf courses.
St. Andrews (Old Course), Scotland
The Old Course at St. Andrews is the world’s oldest and most iconic golf course. The course, situated in Scotland’s east coast town of St. Andrews, is over 600 years old. It has wide fairways, deep bunkers, and large, double greens. The 18th hole, with the Swilcan Bridge, is one of the most photographed spots in golf.
Augusta National, Georgia, USA
Augusta National, situated in Augusta, Georgia, is home to the prestigious Masters Tournament. Bobby Jones and Alister MacKenzie designed this course, which boasts impeccable beauty with its lush fairways lined by flowering plants, including the famous azaleas. The course is also notorious for its fast greens and dramatic elevation changes.
Royal County Down, Northern Ireland
Royal County Down is located in Newcastle, at the foot of the Mountains of Mourne. Purple heather and golden gorse line its fairways, while intimidating bunkers surround the undulating greens. Additionally, the course is known for its ‘bearded’ bunkers, which have overhanging lips of marram, red fescue, and heather.
Pebble Beach Golf Links, California, USA
Located on California’s Monterey Peninsula, Pebble Beach Golf Links offers stunning views of the Pacific Ocean, rocky cliffs, and sprawling cypress trees. The course is also notorious for its signature hole, the par-3 7th, is one of the most beautiful in the world.
Muirfield, Scotland
Muirfield, situated in East Lothian, Scotland, is the home of The Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers. This golf course is unique due to its layout of two loops of nine holes – one clockwise, the other counterclockwise. This means that the wind direction constantly changes, providing a unique challenge.
Pinehurst No. 2, North Carolina, USA
Pinehurst No. 2 is located in the Sandhills of North Carolina. Designed by Donald Ross, also known for its turtleback greens, which are some of the most undulating and difficult to put on. Its fairways are bordered by native wiregrass and pine trees.
Royal Melbourne (West), Australia
The West Course at Royal Melbourne in Black Rock, Victoria, is among the finest in the Southern Hemisphere. Additionally, Dr. Alister MacKenzie designed its classic layout with beautifully contoured greens, strategic bunkering, and a mix of hole lengths.
Shinnecock Hills, New York, USA
Located in Southampton on Long Island, Shinnecock Hills is one of the oldest golf clubs in the United States. It features a classic links-style layout with undulating fairways, thick rough, and a constant breeze from the nearby Atlantic Ocean.
Cape Kidnappers, New Zealand
On the North Island’s Hawke’s Bay, Cape Kidnappers Golf Course defies gravity as it is set on fingers of land nearly surrounded by vertical cliffs. Designed by Tom Doak, it’s known for its dramatic landscape and challenging play.
Morfontaine, France
Located north of Paris, Morfontaine is set in a beautiful, secluded woodland. Its layout includes contoured fairways, strategically placed bunkers, and superb greens. The par-3s are especially noteworthy, with various water hazards and elevation changes.
Royal Dornoch, Scotland
Royal Dornoch is situated in the Highlands and is often mentioned as one of the must-play courses among serious golfers. The course is laid out naturally along the Dornoch Firth with raised domed greens, many of which are open at the front, encouraging a ground game.
Cypress Point, California, USA
Designed by Alister MacKenzie, Cypress Point Club is set at the foothills of the Santa Lucia Mountains on the Monterey Peninsula. Its diverse layout has holes in the forest, dunes, and along the rocky Pacific coastline.
The Old Course at Ballybunion, Ireland
Ballybunion’s Old Course, located in County Kerry, Ireland, offers a traditional links layout against the Atlantic Ocean. Its towering dunes, narrow fairways, and small greens demand precision.
Valderrama, Spain
Situated in Sotogrande, southern Spain, Valderrama is a Robert Trent Jones Sr. design. It features tight, sloping fairways lined by mature cork oak trees and greens surrounded by strategically positioned bunkers.
Kingston Heath, Australia
Kingston Heath is another gem in Melbourne’s Sandbelt, known for its strategic bunkering and excellent conditioning. The course’s roughs and bunkers are a mix of native grasses which beautifully frame each hole and add to the challenge.
Trump Turnberry (Ailsa Course), Scotland
Located on the southwest coast of Scotland, Trump Turnberry’s Ailsa Course has hosted The Open Championship four times. Its lighthouse, acting as the halfway house, is an iconic symbol of golf in Scotland.
Whistling Straits (Straits Course), Wisconsin, USA
Whistling Straits, on the shores of Lake Michigan, offers a links-style experience in the heart of America. Designed by Pete Dye, it has vast rolling fairways, dunes, and deep bunkers.
Barnbougle Dunes, Tasmania, Australia
This course is situated on the northeast coast of Tasmania and is built on a stretch of dunes. It’s the brainchild of famed golf architect Tom Doak and Australia’s Mike Clayton.
Sunningdale (Old Course), England
Set in Berkshire, England, Sunningdale’s Old Course is a quintessential heathland course. It features fast-running fairways, stunning heather, and excellent green complexes.
Banff Springs, Canada
Nestled in the heart of the Canadian Rockies, Banff Springs is a stunning course designed by Stanley Thompson. The layout meanders through rugged terrain with snow-capped mountains in the backdrop.
Shadow Creek, Nevada, USA
Shadow Creek transforms the Las Vegas desert into an oasis with lush greens, water features, and towering trees. Designed by Tom Fazio, it’s a spectacle of both design and luxury.
Sentosa (Serapong Course), Singapore
Sentosa Golf Club’s Serapong Course is a masterpiece designed by Ronald Fream. It boasts a challenging layout with undulating fairways, water hazards, and excellent views of Singapore’s skyline.
Hirono Golf Club, Japan
Hirono, situated near Kobe, is Japan’s most distinguished golf course. Charles Alison designed it to feature various holes, with strategic bunkering and beautiful use of the natural terrain.
Leopard Creek, South Africa
Located on the edge of Kruger National Park, Leopard Creek has water hazards, home to crocodiles, hippos, and other wildlife. The course, designed by Gary Player, is a stunning integration of golf and nature.
Casa de Campo (Teeth of the Dog), Dominican Republic
Pete Dye designed Teeth of the Dog as the top course in the Caribbean. It is named for the jagged rocks along the shoreline and seven holes along the ocean.
These 25 golf courses represent the pinnacle of golfing excellence across the globe. From the rugged Scottish links to the lush greens of Augusta, the diverse challenges and mesmerizing beauty of these courses capture the imagination and test the skills of golfers worldwide. Each course, steeped in history or exuding modern luxury, offers a unique and unforgettable experience.