1 - 25 Golf Courses

1. Cypress Point, USA

To get to play here was an ambition of mine for a number of years… and it was well worth the wait. The ‘best’ is obviously subjective, but I’d certainly describe it as my favourite course so far. It is like playing five different golf tracks all rolled into one – each of them world class in their own right. Initially it’s got a linksy feel to it but quickly morphs into a more inland style course lined with trees from the Del Monte Forest. No sooner have you gotten used to that when it slightly switches again into a more sand-based layout similar to what you might find in Australia. That’s then followed by a series of spectacular cliff-top holes while the Valderrama-type finish completes the transformation.Read More

The first tee shot is iconic, played over a low hedge with a road behind it, namely 17-mile drive. There are consecutive par 5’s on the front nine, balanced out on the back nine with a series of par 3’s. The 7th, 8th and 9th are a world class finish to the front nine. Seven is an uphill par 3 of 170 yards which is easy to underclub. The eighth is a dogleg right par 4 where you can only see the second half of the hole once you reach your tee shot (I hit 4-iron). The ninth is a famous short par 4 of 289 yards. There seemed little point in hitting the driver with so much sand between tee and green.

The 14th is a top class par 4 where you must aim at the left hand side of the fairway or be possibly blocked out from the green by trees down the right. Holes 15, 16 and 17 are the most photographed on the course and for obvious reasons – the views out to the Pacific Ocean are breathtaking. The 15th is a much-loved par 3 of 135 yards to a green surrounded by sand. However if you think that’s tricky, you ain’t seen nothing yet. The 16th is the toughest par 3 I have ever played. In fact, it is worth considering laying up to the left and playing it as a par 4. It is 218 yards from the amateur tees out to a headland. The wind was howling in our faces when we played it. I cannot remember ever hitting a driver to a par 3 before! The 17th is a slight dogleg to the right along the cliffs. These holes can be extremely difficult due to the bunkers, the cliffs and the wind. The 18th is different again and as I said earlier it feels like you are playing in Spain all of a sudden. It might be an iron off the tee and your second shot is up to a raised green set beside a stunning clubhouse.

The course condition was exceptional and the greens were perfect but quite tricky to two-putt, as there are plenty of subtle breaks that can be difficult to see or read. It is not the longest course you will ever play but you must be extremely accurate to score. Dr Alister MacKenzie designed many legendary courses, including Augusta and Royal Melbourne West, but many say that this was his piece de resistance. A day I will never forget. Worth the trip to California from Ireland alone.

6 Best Holes: 17, 16, 9, 15, 4, 14
Best Par 3: 16
Best Par 4: 17
Best Par 5: 5

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Cypress Point, USA

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Cypress Point, USA

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2. Shinnecock Hills, USA

You feel like you’re walking on hallowed ground when you play Shinnecock. The history in the clubhouse will give you goosebumps. When you stand on the elevated first tee you can see most of the course and it is a stunning view. The course presentation is second to none. It is one of the toughest courses around and in fact, it may well be the toughest. The holes are long. I played from about 7,000 yards and was hitting 5 iron second shots for most of the day. Read More

They have fast sloping greens which are not overly receptive to that club. The greens are more suitable to a wedge approach but that isn’t happening. The greens were immaculate but you will 3 putt many times.

The 2nd hole is 221 yards long to an interesting green with bunkers short, left and right. It is officially the second easiest hole on the course which tells you something about Shinnecock. The next is a beautiful par 4 of 447 yards where the drive is all important as there are bunkers to clear and also to the right. The 6th is one of the best par 4’s in the world. It is 491 yards off the back tee and doglegs to the right. Your drive is a demi-blind shot that you play over wasteland to a fairway that is more to the right than you think. The only pond is on this hole but that is well short of the green.There is only one bunker at this green but a 5 at this hole is a decent effort for most amateurs.

The 7th is one of the toughest Redan par 3’s around. It has an undulating green that is difficult to hold with everything kicking to the left, as is normal with a Redan par 3. The 9th is a super par 4 that swings to the left. There are many humps and hollows in the fairway and your second is a blind approach as the green is perched high on a hill. The 9th sits more in front of the clubhouse than the 18th.

The 10th is an excellent par 4 that plays over a hill and hopefully down to the bottom half of the fairway. Your second shot plays back up to a raised green. There are lots of run-offs around this green but that is quite normal at Shinnecock. The 11th is one of the best par 3’s in the world. It is only 159 yards but is played to a tiny raised green with 4 large bunkers around the putting surface. It’s either the green or trouble off the tee here. It’s exemplary. The 18th is a strong par 4 made famous by Corey Pavin in the 1995 US Open. He hit his approach to 5 feet from 225 yards and went on to win by 2 strokes.

It is the oldest incorporated golf club in the US and is one of the 5 founding members of the USGA. The club was formed in 1891 and the original 12 holes course was designed by Willie Davis. This was extended to 18 holes in 1895.

It was an honour to play here and it makes you appreciate how brilliant professional golfers are. It has held 5 US Opens and it is the perfect venue to test the best. How anyone can go round here under par off the back tees is amazing. Thank you to Sean Quinlivan, the head pro who is a top class individual. I played the course with professional Dan, Josh and John. Our caddie was Chris. What a day!

6 Best Holes: 6, 11, 10, 3, 9, 7
Best Par 3: 11
Best Par 4: 6
Best Par 5: 16

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3 Videos

Cypress Point, USA

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Cypress Point, USA

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Cypress Point, USA

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3. Royal Melbourne West, Australia

This is a masterpiece, designed by the brilliant Dr Alisteir MacKenzie. He mapped out the course in 1926 and the course opened for play in 1931. This era has been described as the golden age of golf architecture and it is hard to argue. He was helped by a local man, named Alex Russell, who went on to design the East course next door. One thing I love with golf is that no matter how much money developers spend nowadays they struggle to match the brilliance of courses built 100 years ago. Read More

6 Best Holes: 5, 11, 17, 6, 16, 7
Best Par 3: 5
Best Par 4: 11
Best Par 5: 4

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2 Videos

Royal Melbourne West, Australia

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Royal Melbourne West, Australia

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4. National Golf Links of America, USA

This course was designed by Charles B. MacDonald in 1906, with the help of chief engineer Seth Raynor, and was inspired by some of the best holes that Ireland and Great Britain had to offer. It has a fantastic setting being next door to Shinnecock Hills. It is certainly one of the most beautiful courses you could wish to play. Read More

It starts with 2 short par 4’s with the Windmill in full view. The Windmill was previously a water tower. A member, Dan Pomeroy, suggested that a windmill would look better. After it was completed the bill for all the work was left in Mr. Pomeroy’s locker!

Both of the opening holes are possibly drivable and the 2nd tee shot is a blind one where the best line is maybe only 20 metres right of the aforementioned stunning Windmill. The 3rd is one of the most famous on the course. It is named “Alps” and was inspired by the famous 17th Alps hole at Prestwick. It is 426 yards long and you must clear a cross bunker to reach the diagonal fairway. There is a huge hill that hides the green and this ensures that your second is a blind one. There is a large bunker at the front and to the right of the green.

The 4th is another masterpiece and is a brilliant Redan par 3 of 195 yards. This hole was inspired by the Redan 15th at North Berwick. It is a stunning hole where the green is very difficult to hold and a tee shot that lands at the front right side may be the best option as it may feed down onto the green. It was the first Redan in America and is still among the best examples of one in the world.

The 5th, 7th and 8th are also lovely holes on the front side. The 7th was inspired by the 17th at St. Andrews and has a similar shaped devilish green as a result.

There are some excellent holes on the back nine too. The 12th is a tough 459 yard par 4 which has lots of bunkers on your tee shot and on your approach to the green. The 13th here, which measures 174 yards, was inspired by the brilliant Eden par 3 11th at St. Andrews. The 14th is a dogleg right par 4 that is played over water. This is a “Cape” hole. It is an original and has been copied dozens of times since. The 16th, “Punchbowl”, is a beautiful par 4. It plays uphill to a punchbowl green just to the right of the Windmill.

The course was immaculate and is certainly a fair and playable golf course. The last 3 holes provide a stunning finish to what is a masterpiece. There are picture postcard views to the right of the 18th. Elliott Johnson, the head pro, made me feel very welcome indeed. A special day.

6 Best Holes: 3, 4, 16, 12, 17, 8
Best Par 3: 4
Best Par 4: 3
Best Par 5: 9

5. Royal County Down, Ireland

When people talk about the best front nine in the world, Royal County Down has to be right at the top of the discussion. The first hole, a par 5, is a gentle introduction for what is ahead. Once you don’t visit the out of bounds beach down the right then a par should be achievable at the first. The next 8 holes are all excellent. Yes there are some blind tee shots, namely on holes 2, 5 (semi-blind), 6, 9 & 11 which not everyone loves but the secret to them is to aim slightly further left than the target stone. Read More

6 Best Holes: 9, 13, 4, 3, 8, 5
Best Par 3: 4
Best Par 4: 9
Best Par 5: 18

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Royal County Down, Ireland

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6. Royal Dornoch, Scotland

Golf at Dornoch can be traced back to 1616 but the club was formed in 1877. Located in the north east of Scotland, this brilliant links course was extended from 9 holes to 18 by Old Tom Morris in 1886. George Duncan later helped change the course to its current layout. Donald Ross was the keeper of the greens at Dornoch before heading to America. He went on to design over 400 courses predominantly in North America. Royal Dornoch has had an influence on so many courses around the world since. Read More

6 Best Holes: 14, 6, 17, 13, 7, 11
Best Par 3: 6
Best Par 4: 14
Best Par 5: 9

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Royal Dornoch, Scotland

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7. Merion (East), USA

What a beautiful setting for a clubhouse with people having lunch just metres from the first tee. The course is a wow with so many great holes. It is very difficult to say what the best holes at Merion are because there are so many of them. The par 4 5th measures 412 yards and is index (handicap) 1 and is a flawless design. The fairway and the green slope from right to left which brings the stream down the left hand side more into play. The 7th and 8th are not long par 4’s but they are superb golf holes where accuracy is required to take advantage. Read More

6 Best Holes: 18, 5, 16, 14, 11, 7
Best Par 3: 13
Best Par 4: 18
Best Par 5: 2

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1 Videos

Merion (East), USA

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8. Fishers Island Club, USA

I was staying on Long Island while playing some of the other famous courses around there. I had to get a ferry to New London, where I stayed overnight, and then get another ferry to Fishers Island to play here. My helicopter was being serviced that day (joking). It was definitely worth the effort. What a golf course and what a surprise. Read More

6 Best Holes: 4, 13, 10, 5, 11, 2
Best Par 3: 5
Best Par 4: 4
Best Par 5: 6

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2 Videos

Fishers Island Club, USA

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Fishers Island Club, USA

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9. St. Andrews, Scotland

I have been lucky enough to play here 3 times, but the first day you play St. Andrews is a day that you will never forget. You stand on the first tee and you’re shaking with excitement, fear and nerves. There is nobody else in the world who is hitting a tee shot from the first tee in St. Andrews at that moment! It’s a rush. It helps that it is the widest fairway that you will ever play. No harm to keep further left than you might think. Read More

6 Best Holes: 17, 11, 14, 16, 12, 2
Best Par 3: 11
Best Par 4: 17
Best Par 5: 14

10. Pebble Beach, USA

I got to play Pebble Beach twice which was great, as the first day was quite foggy for the front nine which took away from the experience a little bit. It also took 5 ½ hours to go round. Both of these things, the fog and the slow play can be a factor at Pebble. The second day I got to play the front nine on a sunny evening on my own with nobody in front of me and that was amazing. I joined up with two other golfers for the back nine. Read More

The best holes at Pebble are along the coast and they start with the 4th which is a short par 4 that has a tiny green. The same applies to the 5th which is a lovely par 3 with water on the right and where again the putting surface is small and tricky to find off the tee. The 6th is a stunning par 5 where if you manage to find the fairway between bunkers down the left and the cliffs down the right then you can think about going for the green in two. You must hit a blind shot over a hill with cliffs on the right. Par 5’s don’t get much better than this. Then you have the famous short 7th hole. It is only 109 yards long but 5 bunkers around a small green make things interesting and that is especially true if the wind is blowing.

The 8th is another magic golf hole. It’s a semi-blind tee shot to a raised fairway. A three wood may be enough off the tee here. Your second shot is played over a cliff edge and a ravine to a green below you but this shot is maybe 170-190 yards so it’s an extremely difficult hole to par. This shot was made even more famous when Jordan Spieth somehow managed to hit his second shot from the cliff edge in 2022. Craziest thing I have ever seen in Golf. I went close to where he hit his shot and I had to turn back. Check out YouTube. The green slopes towards the water too. Very few people par this hole I would imagine.

The 9th and 10th holes are played in the same direction along the cliff tops and overlook the Carmel Sunset Beach. They are low index (handicap) holes and rightly so. Those are three brilliant par 4’s in a row.

The holes along the sea are famous. They are possibly the best 5 hole stretch in the world. Holes 6 to 10 and they are off the charts. Nothing can compare to that stretch. Yes there are a few ordinary holes on the back nine but the last two holes remind you of its brilliance, especially the 18th which is such a great par 5, as we all know from watching on TV, with water all the way along the left. It is expensive but well worth it. I booked the day before at 7am and did not have to pay for accommodation.

6 Best Holes: 8, 6, 9, 18, 7, 10
Best Par 3: 7
Best Par 4: 8
Best Par 5: 6

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Pebble Beach, USA

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Pebble Beach, USA

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11. Chicago GC, USA

Chicago Golf Club might have the best set of greens in the world and might have the best starting four holes in golf also. I didn’t know much about this course before I got there. It has a stunning clubhouse. When you look out, you see a large square field and you wonder if this course could be amazing or not…but it is. Seth Raynor did a super job in designing this course with the green complexes being a particular highlight. They are perfect. Read More

6 Best Holes: 2, 7, 12, 3, 11, 18
Best Par 3: 7
Best Par 4: 2
Best Par 5: 4

12. Pinehurst No. 2, USA

I got to play Pinehurst No. 2 the year before Bryson won the US Open here from Rory on that dramatic final day. It always makes watching a pro tournament all the better when you have played a course and that certainly was the case here. The fact that they can go round here under par for 4 rounds of a US open off the back tees is remarkable. We played the course twice and this added greatly to the experience. Read More

6 Best Holes: 11, 4, 7, 6, 18, 2
Best Par 3: 6
Best Par 4: 11
Best Par 5: 5

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3 Videos

Pinehurst No. 2, USA

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Pinehurst No. 2, USA

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Pinehurst No. 2, USA

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13. Kingston Heath, Australia

This sand belt course is just outside Melbourne and it’s a cracker. The greens run up to the edge of bunkers which is a glorious sight when you see it for the first time. The routing of this course is excellent as you play holes in different directions all the time. It was in perfect condition and as is the case with almost all Australian courses, the greens were fast and firm. Read More

6 Best Holes: 15, 16, 9, 6, 18, 7
Best Par 3: 15
Best Par 4: 16
Best Par 5: 7

14. Turnberry, Scotland

Sitting on the western coast of Scotland, this course has so much history. It played host to one of the great final rounds in a major when Tom Watson just about fended off Jack Nicklaus in the Duel in the Sun in the 1977 British Open. The course has changed a lot by all accounts since then. The new routing is excellent. It is striking that golfers get to play 8 holes in a row along the coastline, namely from the 4th to the 11th inclusive. They are a super stretch of holes too. Read More

6 Best Holes: 16, 9, 17, 8, 15, 11
Best Par 3: 9
Best Par 4: 16
Best Par 5: 10

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Turnberry, Scotland

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15. Royal Portrush, Ireland

It was truly great to see Royal Portrush host the British Open in 2019 and the course is easily up to the standard of hosting a major championship such as that. It is located at the very top of Northern Ireland and there is always plenty of debate about which is the best course – Royal County Down or Royal Portrush? It is a close call and both are excellent links courses. Read More

6 Best Holes: 4, 16, 14, 5, 11, 6
Best Par 3: 16
Best Par 4: 4
Best Par 5: 11

16. Friars Head, USA

I hadn’t heard much about this course before playing it except for a quote from Rory McIlroy, stating that he felt the finish here was among the best in the world. How right he was. Holes 14 – 18 are brilliant and can ruin any scorecard that is going well up onto that point. The par 4 15th hole is the most photographed on the course and rightly so. Read More

6 Best Holes: 15, 18, 14, 6, 17, 8
Best Par 3: 17
Best Par 4: 15
Best Par 5: 14

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Friars Head, USA

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Friars Head, USA

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Friars Head, USA

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Friars Head, USA

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Friars Head, USA

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Friars Head, USA

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Friars Head, USA

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Friars Head, USA

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17. Royal St. Georges, England

It is ranked the No. 1 course in England and it deserves that accolade. This is a beautiful piece of land along the sea. The clubhouse has a lot of old world charm. The modern clubhouses struggle to match their much older counterparts that’s for sure.As you walk to the first tee, you see that famous starters hut to the right and you know you’re in a special place. There are a lot of great links holes here on both nines. Read More

6 Best Holes: 18, 15, 4, 14, 5, 13
Best Par 3: 11
Best Par 4: 18
Best Par 5: 14

18. Muirfield, Scotland

When you arrive at Muirfield it is a little bit like arriving at Chicago Golf Club because you see a large square-ish field and you wonder if this is going to be a world class course. It is. It was designed by Old Tom Morris and opened in 1891. Then in 1923 Harry Colt made substantial changes to the course. One great thing about here is that you get to play the holes in all different directions. Read More

6 Best Holes: 13, 18, 8, 6, 14, 1
Best Par 3: 13
Best Par 4: 18
Best Par 5: 17

19. Tara Iti, New Zealand

It is a long way to New Zealand from Ireland but it is worth it to play Tara Iti. It is hard to believe that the course only opened in 2015. It looks like it has been there for 50 years. Everything about the place is top class. Super friendly staff, but that’s Kiwi’s in general for you, with an understated elegance about the clubhouse. Te Arai is nearby for the same owners and the three courses make it a fabulous world class resort. Read More

6 Best Holes: 17, 7, 15, 6, 14, 3
Best Par 3: 17
Best Par 4: 7
Best Par 5: 18

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Tara Iti, New Zealand

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Tara Iti, New Zealand

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20. Sunningdale (Old), England

Playing golf courses around the world has been a joy and a privilege but my biggest surprise is how brilliant the heathland courses near London are. Please, if you are going to play one course outside the norm or away from where you live, then I think you should play a heathland course. They are stunning. Scotland and Ireland grab a lot of headlines for their links courses but I think heathland courses deserve similar respect. Read More

6 Best Holes: 2, 12, 5, 10, 7, 16
Best Par 3: 4
Best Par 4: 2
Best Par 5: 14

21. Morfontaine, France

Located just over an hour north of Paris, this course is rightly regarded as the No. 1 course on mainland Europe. It is tucked away in a forest but feels very much like a heathland course. You feel like you’re a thousand miles from civilisation while the course itself is a stunner. The clubhouse is typically French and is all class. They don’t have a menu for food and the chef just makes what the Members like. There’s an idea. It opened in 1927 and was designed by Tom Simpson. Read More

6 Best Holes: 16, 13, 7, 14, 15, 1
Best Par 3: 13
Best Par 4: 16
Best Par 5: 18

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Morfontaine, France

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Morfontaine, France

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Morfontaine, France

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22. Crystal Downs, USA

This course has a beautiful setting along the shores of Lake Michigan and opened in 1929 having been designed by the brilliant Dr. Alister MacKenzie. The two nines are set apart from each other and are a little different. The front nine is widely regarded as one of the best front nines in the world and I have to say I agree. Particular favourites would be 1, 5, 7, 8 and 9. So much variety and a good test of golf too. Read More

6 Best Holes: 11, 5, 13, 8, 17, 9
Best Par 3: 11
Best Par 4: 5
Best Par 5: 8

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1 Videos

Crystal Downs, USA

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23. Carnoustie, Scotland

Carnoustie Golf Club was formed in 1839 which is remarkable. James Braid made sweeping changes in 1926 and then the course was ready to stage the British Open. It has held the Open championship on 8 occasions, most recently in 2018. Read More

6 Best Holes: 17, 15, 2 , 6, 18, 16
Best Par 3: 16
Best Par 4: 17
Best Par 5: 6

24. Ballybunion, Ireland

The course which is set in the beautiful county of Kerry was laid out in 1892 and the clubhouse opened the following year. The first hole measures 408 yards and you must stay left of the out of bounds and the graveyard down the right. The 2nd hole is the index (handicap) 1 and measures 445 yards. Your second shot is played uphill and this adds greatly to the difficulty. Read More

6 Best Holes: 11, 17, 8, 7, 2, 15
Best Par 3: 8
Best Par 4: 11
Best Par 5: 16

25. Seminole, USA

A little bit like Chicago Golf Club and Muirfield, when you arrive at Seminole and see a big square field you wonder if the hype lives up to reality. What Donald Ross did here in designing Seminole is remarkable. He did not have the biggest parcel of land to use but he created a masterpiece. The old designers were a class apart. The routing is excellent and you are constantly playing in a different direction. Read More

6 Best Holes: 6, 17, 11, 4, 18, 2
Best Par 3: 17
Best Par 4: 6
Best Par 5: 3

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Seminole, USA

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Seminole, USA

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Seminole, USA

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