101 - 125 Golf Courses

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List of Courses

101. Gleneagles (Kings), Scotland

It is pretty much a wow moment when you drive into Gleneagles. This place is 5 star all the way. We stayed in a hotel 10 minutes away to save money but the hotel at Gleneagles looks stunning, if your pocket allows. The first tee for the Kings course is on the left as you drive in and the clubhouse is right there too. They have three courses here – the Kings, the Queens and the PGA course. They used the PGA course when they held the Ryder Cup here in 2014. Read More

6 Best Holes: 3, 4, 10, 13, 7, 14
Best Par 3: 5
Best Par 4: 3
Best Par 5: 18

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102. Pasatiempo, USA

This course opened in 1929 and was designed by the brilliant Dr. Alisteir MacKenzie who also designed courses such as Cypress Point, Augusta and Royal Melbourne. Unlike many of the best courses in the US, this course is bookable. While we were on a family holiday in California, I decided to play here and it was a great decision. There is a plaque to the left of the 6th fairway to show people the house where MacKenzie lived in from 1929 until his death in 1934. After his funeral and cremation his ashes were scattered via airplane over his beloved Pasatiempo. Read More

6 Best Holes: 16, 3, 11, 5, 10, 18
Best Par 3: 3
Best Par 4: 16
Best Par 5: 6

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103. Waterville, Ireland

One of the best courses in Ireland, this links beauty is located in the stunning county of Kerry on the south west coast of Ireland. I have played the course many times and certainly the work that was done in recent times on the course and around the clubhouse will ensure its greatness for a long time. Read More

6 Best Holes: 3, 14, 11, 17, 7, 18
Best Par 3: 17
Best Par 4: 3
Best Par 5: 11

104. Peninsula Kingswood, Australia

This is another brilliant sand belt course and it is situated 45 minutes south of Melbourne City which puts it within easy reach of some of the other great courses such as Royal Melbourne. It has to be one of the great golf destinations in the world. It has the perfect climate with a combination of heat and rain to help the courses to show off their brilliance. This course is fast, firm and difficult which is the norm around here. It is possible to putt into a bunker or chip off the green from the edge. Read More

6 Best Holes: 10, 1, 4, 9, 14, 18
Best Par 3: 14
Best Par 4: 10
Best Par 5: 15

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105. Worplesdon, England

This is one of the 3 W’s that are close together in this area. The other two are Woking Golf Club and West Hill Golf Club and we felt that Worplesdon was the best of the three. This is another classic heathland course in the area and its brilliance came as quite the surprise. It is a great golf course where the last 6 holes provide one of the best finishing stretches in the UK.

The course was laid out in 1908 by one of the finest course architects at the time, namely J F Abercromby. The greens and bunkers were constructed by Willie Park Jnr who also designed the famous old course at Sunningdale. Getting top class architects then has certainly paid off since.Read More

6 Best Holes: 14, 5, 16, 18, 2, 17
Best Par 3: 16
Best Par 4: 14
Best Par 5: 11

106. Kinloch, New Zealand

This Jack Nicklaus designed Links course only opened in 2007 and it is a wee belter. It is courses like this in recent years that have turned New Zealand into a top golf destination. You need to play well hereac to score. There are undulating fairways, lots of large bunkers which are then followed by fast greens. The first is a super par 4 that gently doglegs to the right. Aim more down the right than you may first think. Read More

6 Best Holes: 18, 11, 1, 16, 17, 5
Best Par 3: 11
Best Par 4: 1
Best Par 5: 18

107. Sebonack, USA

What a location Sebonack has, overlooking the Great Peconic Bay on Long Island. It is located right next to National Golf Links of America and Shinnecock Hill which are ranked in the top 5 courses in the world. The course was designed by Tom Doak and Jack Nicklaus and opened in 2006. It is an exclusive private members club and I was very fortunate to get to play here. When it opened, membership opened at a half a million dollars and has risen considerably since then. You can’t help but notice a massive American flag as you drive up to this beautiful clubhouse. Read More

6 Best Holes: 18, 2, 11, 1, 7, 3
Best Par 3: 12
Best Par 4: 2
Best Par 5: 18

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108. Hankley Common, England

There have been many nice surprises along the way and this course was certainly one of them. It’s a beautiful heathland course and as usual it is situated to the south west of London and is less than an hour’s drive from Heathrow Airport.

The course opened in 1897 and was extended to 18 holes in 1921 when the club hired the legendary James Braid to do so. Then in 1933, another legend of golf design, Harry Colt, was employed to lengthen the course and balance the spacing of the par 3’s. Three new holes were created at this stage namely holes 10, 11 and 12. They are three of the finest on the course.Read More

6 Best Holes: 18, 14, 10, 5, 11, 1
Best Par 3: 11
Best Par 4: 18
Best Par 5: 13

109. Spyglass Hill, USA

This course is located on the Monterey Peninsula in California and has some famous neighbours in the shape of Cypress Point and Pebble Beach. It is a public course and is a gem. It has a basic clubhouse but that does not detract from your day out one single bit. The first is a downhill dogleg left par 5 with a tricky green while the 3rd is one of the photographed par 3’s in the US. There are so many great holes on this course. The 4th is a famous short dogleg left par 4 with one of the narrowest greens you are ever likely to play. The 8th is a super par 4 that makes you think you’re in Augusta for a few moments. Read More

6 Best Holes: 8, 16, 4, 9, 13, 3
Best Par 3: 12
Best Par 4: 8
Best Par 5: 14

110. Emirates Majlis, United Arab Emirates

All the courses in the Dubai area are all bookable which is great. I got to play Emirates, Yas Links and the Jumeirah Earth course with my cousin Sean which was great. The facilities at the Emirates are top class, as you would expect. The amount of money spent here is off the charts. The course was in mint condition. The course was established in 1988 and was the first grass course in the Middle East and since then has played host to the Dubai Desert Classic most years since. Read More

6 Best Holes: 8, 5, 14, 9, 16, 6
Best Par 3: 7
Best Par 4: 8
Best Par 5: 18

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111. Alwoodley, England

I had never heard of Alwoodley but when I read who designed it I knew we were in safe hands and that it would be worth the trip to England to play it. It was the first course designed by the legendary Dr. Alisteir MacKenzie and it opened in 1907. Also, visually it has one of the most stunning clubhouse you are likely to see particularly when you see it playing the 18th. The course is situated in the city of Leeds in northern England and is a twenty minute drive from Leeds Bradford Airport. Read More

6 Best Holes: 18, 12, 8, 17, 6, 15
Best Par 3: 11
Best Par 4: 18
Best Par 5: 8

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112. Old Head of Kinsale, Ireland

This course is the Irish version of Pebble Beach and is certainly as dramatic with so many stunning holes played along the cliffs. The course is set out on a headland that juts out into the Atlantic. If you play here then it is highly recommended to stay in the nearby colourful coastal town of Kinsale. It is one of the finest towns in Ireland where the choice of restaurants is excellent as is the hospitality. If you are coming to Ireland on a golf trip you must play the Old Head but if you have flexibility try and pick the calmest day to play here because if it is windy then it becomes an incredibly difficult course. Read More

6 Best Holes: 12, 4, 17, 13, 16, 7
Best Par 3: 13
Best Par 4: 4
Best Par 5: 12

113. Hillside, England

If you are heading to the greater Liverpool area to play some of their famous courses including three British Open venues then you should consider adding Hillside to your list because this is a great golf course. It has a lovely clubhouse and a train line to the left of the first hole. What more could you want! You might bump into a few ex Liverpool players who are members here. The course held the British Masters in 2019. Read More

6 Best Holes: 6, 18, 14, 10, 1, 13
Best Par 3: 10
Best Par 4: 6
Best Par 5: 17

114. Boston, USA

There are not many modern designers who are as good as their counterparts from 100 years ago but Gil Hanse is one of them and he designed this lovely course which opened in 2005. It has a perfect location in Massachusetts and is only 30 minutes south of the great city of Boston itself. I think it is fair to call the course an inland links where the wild bunkers are stunning. The first is a par 5 and is one of the better long holes that you will encounter. Take a 5 and run. Read More

6 Best Holes: 14, 9, 2, 12, 6, 18
Best Par 3: 6
Best Par 4: 14
Best Par 5: 1

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115. The Berkshire - Red, England

Every time we get to play a heathland course that we haven’t played before, we get pleasantly surprised and that was certainly the case with the Berkshire Red. The course opened in 1928 which was 17 years after Sunningdale and four years after Wentworth. I have come to adore heathland courses and when you stand on the first tee of the red course you know you are in for a great afternoon. Read More

6 Best Holes: 16, 17, 8, 14, 4, 10
Best Par 3: 16
Best Par 4: 8
Best Par 5: 17

116. Tralee, Ireland

This course was designed by Arnold Palmer and most people have heard of the famous quote “I designed the front nine and God designed the back nine”. The course starts very strongly. The 2nd hole is a super par 5, which is a dogleg right around the cliffs above Barrow beach. The 3rd hole is a par 3 where you can almost feel the waves crashing up against the tee box, the same feeling applies up at the green with water all down the right hand side. Read More

6 Best Holes: 16, 13, 12, 3, 8, 2
Best Par 3: 16
Best Par 4: 12
Best Par 5: 2

117. Nairn, Scotland

Nairn is located in the north of Scotland and is only a twenty minute drive from Inverness Airport. There are not many more beautiful tee shots than the first here with the North Sea to your right hand side. You start with three par 4’s where the second is the longest and most difficult of the three. The 5th is index (handicap) 2 and is the most difficult hole on the outer half. Read More

6 Best Holes: 12, 14, 5, 13, 3, 16
Best Par 3: 14
Best Par 4: 12
Best Par 5: 7

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118. Saunton East, England

I have said on a few occasions that some courses have been a pleasant surprise due to their brilliance and this course in the south west of England is certainly one of those. The front nine is superb and you might think that is where the standard of the course will stay but the last 7 holes on the east course provide one of the best finishes stretches to a links course that you could wish to play. It really is a hidden treasure.

The club was formed in 1897 and the course became an 18 course in 1908. W Herbert Fowler re-designed the course in 1919 and he deserves a lot of plaudits for the job he did. The first hole is 464 yards off the amateur tees and is quite a testing par 4 to begin with especially as the green is narrow due to a hill which is just to the right hand side of the green.Read More

The 4th is index (handicap) No.1 and is tricky as the fairway gets narrower the further you hit your drive. Nothing wrong with a bogey here. The 8th is a hole that would not be designed nowadays, which is a pity. It’s a blind tee shot and then a blind second shot to the green. The hole is only 350 yards off the amateur tees and is more than fair.

I wasn’t a huge fan of the 11th hole which is a short par 4 that plays around the out of bounds but from the 12th tee onwards this course is top class. The 13th is a beautiful par 3 that plays slightly to a perched green that has plenty of slopes on it. It possibly has the widest tee box I have ever seen and therefore the hole can be played from lots of different angles which is a major asset.

The 14th is index (handicap) No.4 and played 432 yards from our tee. It is quite a straight long par 4 but has a beauty of a green awaiting. The 16th is a magnificent par 4. It was 405 yards for us and your tee shot is mostly blind. The hole doglegs to the left and the perfect tee shot is down the left or left half of the fairway. The second shot is super as there are ridges running along the fairway and the green is hidden behind these ridges. A world class hole.

The 18th is a stunner too. It sweeps around to the right and plays between large sand dunes. Your second shot is uphill to a green in front of the beautiful old style clubhouse that was built in 1929. If you finish with a par, then well done. If I lived near Saunton, I would love to be a member here. The staff were all super friendly and everything about the place was excellent.

They have a West course here also which is situated more in the dunes. We did not get to play it but by all accounts, it is a super course also. My cousin Sean and I played with two English lads named Brian and Paddy. Yes, two Paddy’s playing an English man named Paddy! They were great company and we thoroughly enjoyed our day at Saunton. Play it if you ever get the chance and I hope you enjoy the last 7 holes as much as we did.

6 Best Holes: 16, 18, 4, 13, 17, 14
Best Par 3: 13
Best Par 4: 16
Best Par 5: 15

119. The Island, Ireland

This links course opened all the way back in 1890 and is perfectly located thirty minutes north of Dublin City Centre. It may be the perfect place to start a golf trip in Ireland as the course is less than a twenty minute drive from Dublin Airport. Read More

6 Best Holes: 12, 13, 18, 14, 3, 10
Best Par 3: 13
Best Par 4: 12
Best Par 5: 10

120. Sand Valley, USA

Sand Valley has become quite the golf destination. You could spend a week here. There are 4 golf courses – namely Lido, Sand Valley, Mammoth Dunes and Sedge Valley. The accommodation onsite is decent and the food in the clubhouse is decent too. I have played the first three courses named and I would certainly recommend giving it a visit. It is owned by the Keiser family who also own Bandon Dunes and both have a similar atmosphere. Efficient and relaxed.

This course was designed by Coore and Crenshaw and it opened in 2017 but it feels it has been around a lot longer than that. As the name suggests it is a sand based course and perhaps can be best described as an inland links.Read More

The course starts out well but really kicks into top when you get to the 4th. It is a superb par 5 that measures 593 yards from the back tee. Lots of bunkers to avoid as you meander your way up to this slightly elevated green. This hole is index (handicap) No. 1 and normally it is hard to see why a par 5 should be regarded as the toughest hole on the course but in this case I think it is fair enough. The green is not huge and it slopes from back to front just to make life even more difficult. An excellent 3 shot hole.

The rest of the front nine is top class and is one of the best stretches of holes that you could wish to play. The 5th is a par 3 that is tough as the back half of the green slopes away from you. The 6th is a brilliant par 4 of 455 yards. The 7th is a dogleg left par 5 that feels like it has acres of bunkers on it. The 8th is a short uphill par 3 of only 136 yards but you must hit the green. The green slopes hugely from back to front and a par here is well earned. The 9th is a driveable par 4 but has bunkers protecting the green and the green itself is interesting to say the least.

The back nine is decent but not as good as the front nine but then again it would be difficult to match the excellence of the front half. Holes 10 and 12 are par 5’s but were slightly downwind and were not difficult. Three of the par 4’s on the inward nine were strong – namely 11, 15 and 16. The 16th is a super hole that plays 451 yards to a green that has a false front so you have to hit two good shots to get there.

The 18th is a great par 5 to finish on. As is the case with most holes, here you must try and avoid lots of bunkers on this hole. Staying left for your second shot is a must with so much trouble down the right. It was a pleasant surprise how good Sand Valley was, especially the stretch from the 4th tee to the 9th green. It was worth playing here for that alone. I played here with a guy called Chris and he was great company. We chatted plenty on the way round. Sand Valley comes recommended and by the way it possibly has the best value halfway house on the planet with chicken or pork tacos available for $1.

6 Best Holes: 6, 16, 18, 7, 4, 8
Best Par 3: 8
Best Par 4: 6
Best Par 5: 18

121. The National (Old), Australia

The National is a great golf club that has 4 courses and is situated 90 minutes south of Melbourne City. It is set on a headland overlooking the waters of the Bass Strait and offers some stunning views. The Old course is the oldest of the 4, as the name suggests, and was designed by Robert Trent Jones Jnr. Two of the other courses also figure prominently in the best courses in Australia lists, namely The Moonah course which was designed by Greg Norman while Tom Doak designed the Gunnamatta course. Read More

6 Best Holes: 7, 2, 13, 16, 9, 1
Best Par 3: 7
Best Par 4: 2
Best Par 5: 17

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122. European Club, Ireland

If you are looking for 3 top class Links courses along the east coast of Ireland that are close to Dublin then look no further than Portmarnock, The Island and the European Club. This course was designed and built by Pat Ruddy and what a superb job he did. The European Club is set amongst large dunes where playing to your handicap is aspirational as the course is a beast. The 4th and 5th are two superb par 4s and are tough holes. Avoiding trouble off the tee is paramount. A total of 10 shots or less for those two holes is just fine. Read More

6 Best Holes: 7, 4, 10, 5, 18, 8
Best Par 3: 14
Best Par 4: 7
Best Par 5: 3

123. Hindhead, England

I had never heard of Hindhead Golf Club and perhaps you haven’t either at this stage but my ever increasing fascination with heathland golf brought me here. It is south west of London, but then again most of the heathland courses are located in this greater area. It is just under an hour’s drive from both Heathrow and Gatwick. The green fee was reasonable and it comes highly recommended.

The 18 hole version of the course, previously was a 12 hole course, opened in 1907 with a match between two greats of the game – namely James Braid and the designer of the course J. H. Taylor, which Braid won. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, the creator of Sherlock Holmes, was the Club’s first President from 1905 to 1907. Read More

It was the most perfect site to build a golf course on with its rolling valleys, glorious heather and tall pines. There are a lot of elevation changes during the round but as usual the old designers always made the most of that.

The front nine starts out well but the final three holes are a work of art. They are played down in a valley and are all top class. The 7th is index (handicap) No.1 and rightly so. It is 410 yards long but you must be accurate as the heather encroaches on both sides. The second shot is played to a well-protected green. A five is not a bad score at all here. The 8th is a par 3 of 233 yards so again a par is certainly not easy. The 9th is so picturesque and is simply begging for a picture to be taken from behind the green. It plays 419 yards and is index (handicap) No. 3 for good reason. Those 3 holes are an incredibly tough test where one par is a reasonable return. Years ago, those three holes were part of the back nine but that was changed to help members have a drier back nine in the winter.

The 10th is a beautiful par 3 of 171 yards. There is a falloff to the right so hitting the green is a must. I cannot think of a bad hole at Hindhead. The rest of the back nine is superb with 17 and 18 being a very strong finish. Both of these par 4’s are over 400 yards. There have been many nice surprises on this journey but Hindhead is certainly one of them. I had the pleasure of playing here with Rishi Persad who you may know from presenting sports on TV such as horse racing, golf and tennis. I know Rishi through horse racing and he is one of life’s good guys. He is an absolute gent and a decent golfer too. We had good fun on what is an excellent golf course. If you get the chance, play Hindhead.

It was the most perfect site to build a golf course on with its rolling valleys, glorious heather and tall pines. There are a lot of elevation changes during the round but as usual the old designers always made the most of that.

The front nine starts out well but the final three holes are a work of art. They are played down in a valley and are all top class. The 7th is index (handicap) No.1 and rightly so. It is 410 yards long but you must be accurate as the heather encroaches on both sides. The second shot is played to a well-protected green. A five is not a bad score at all here. The 8th is a par 3 of 233 yards so again a par is certainly not easy. The 9th is so picturesque and is simply begging for a picture to be taken from behind the green. It plays 419 yards and is index (handicap) No. 3 for good reason. Those 3 holes are an incredibly tough test where one par is a reasonable return. Years ago, those three holes were part of the back nine but that was changed to help members have a drier back nine in the winter.

The 10th is a beautiful par 3 of 171 yards. There is a falloff to the right so hitting the green is a must. I cannot think of a bad hole at Hindhead. The rest of the back nine is superb with 17 and 18 being a very strong finish. Both of these par 4’s are over 400 yards. There have been many nice surprises on this journey but Hindhead is certainly one of them. I had the pleasure of playing here with Rishi Persad who you may know from presenting sports on TV such as horse racing, golf and tennis. I know Rishi through horse racing and he is one of life’s good guys. He is an absolute gent and a decent golfer too. We had good fun on what is an excellent golf course. If you get the chance, play Hindhead.

6 Best Holes: 7, 9, 18, 12, 10, 5
Best Par 3: 10
Best Par 4: 7
Best Par 5: 2

124. Punta Espada, Dominican Republic

This course is widely regarded as being in the top three courses in the whole of the Caribbean. If you are looking for a game of golf in a topical setting with lots of palm trees in the baking heat then this is the place for you. This course opened in 2006 and visually it is beautiful. I played it on a windy day, not uncommon I believe, and the course certainly was no pushover. Read More

6 Best Holes: 13, 10, 17, 5, 11, 18
Best Par 3: 13
Best Par 4: 10
Best Par 5: 2

125. Woking, England

Woking Golf Club is a heathland course near London that is situated right next door to Westhill GC and Warplesdon GC. They are known as the Three Ws. The clubhouse at Woking is possibly the most quaint of its kind. We had lunch beforehand on the front patio and literally there is a golf green right beside you. We assumed this was the 18th, but in fact it was the 14th. It’s hard to imagine people playing golf this close to people having lunch anywhere else in the world. We loved it. Read More

6 Best Holes: 2, 6, 13, 9, 3, 11
Best Par 3: 2
Best Par 4: 6
Best Par 5: 14

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