151 - 160 Golf Courses

For best image quality, click on the photo’s where you see the < > signs on each side.

List of Courses

151. County Sligo, Ireland

The County Sligo Golf Club at Rosses Point was primarily designed by the legendary Harry Colt in 1927. While George Combe laid out the original nine-hole course in 1894, and William Campbell extended it to 18 holes, it was Colt’s redesign in 1927 that shaped the course as it is known today. Colt’s work was top class and other courses he designed include St. George’s Hill, Burnham & Berrow, Sunningdale New, Rye and Swinley Forest. He also redesigned and advised on many other world famous courses. In 2024, members voted to approve changes to the course and it will be interesting to see those in due course.Read More

6 Best Holes: 14, 7, 11, 6, 8, 17
Best Par 3: 4
Best Par 4: 14
Best Par 5: 12

152. Gleneagles Queens, Scotland

This course opened in 1919 and was designed by the brilliant James Braid. It is hard not to love a James Braid design and he worked on 250 courses approximately around the world. At Gleneagles, he designed the Kings course and this, the Queens course. He was so great at making the best use of the natural landscape with his designs. The course was restored to its former glory in 2017.

The first is a lovely par 4 where your tee shot is played over a dip to a fairway that swings round to the left. The first green is undulating and will catch a lot of golfers out. The 3rd is a great par 4 and was index (handicap) No. 9 when we played it. It gently rises up and there is a bunker well short of the green that plays with your mind. The 6th hole is rightly index (handicap) No.1 as it is a beast. We played it into the wind which didn’t help when added to the fact that it was 437 yards off our tee. The green is slightly hidden over a ridge. It is a big green but it is Braid at his best. Read More

6 Best Holes: 6, 17, 10, 3, 9, 12
Best Par 3: 17
Best Par 4: 6
Best Par 5: 7

153. Burnham & Berrow, England

This is a links course set in sand dunes that is located on the south west coast of England. We flew to Bristol Airport and it is just over a thirty minute drive from there. They use this course for qualifiers for the British Open and I remember watching highlights of Justin Rose qualifying here. It is quite traditional as it is almost 9 out and 9 back. The course opened in 1891 as a 9 hole course but was then re-designed by the brilliant Harry Colt in 1913. Read More

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

154. Enniscrone, Ireland

Enniscrone Golf Club was founded in 1918 and is set in a stunning location amongst huge sand dunes along the Atlantic coast. It was expanded to 18 holes in 1930 and also had a significant redesign by Eddie Hackett in 1970.

The old style was for a reasonable opening hole to let you settle into your round but that is not the case here. It is a tough par 4 that doglegs to the right and is approx. 400 yards for amateurs and pros. It is index (handicap) No. 8 but it might be even tougher than that. The second hole is also a dogleg to the right but be careful off the tee as it is very easy to run out of fairway. A 3 wood might be the best option off the tee. Read More

6 Best Holes: 15, 17, 6, 16, 11, 18
Best Par 3: 17
Best Par 4: 15
Best Par 5: 16

155. Pinehurst No. 4, USA

There are now 10 courses at Pinehurst and I personally think it is the best resort in the world for resorts that have three courses or more. I have not played the No. 10 course yet but from what we have seen, this course is the second best at the resort except for the legendary No. 2 course. We stayed on site for two nights in one of their log cabins and the accommodation was perfect. It is not cheap to stay and play here but since it is a bucket list item, then that makes it ok. Read More

6 Best Holes: 5, 18, 10, 8, 16, 7
Best Par 3: 14
Best Par 4: 5
Best Par 5: 13

156. Monte Rei, Portugal

The No. 1 course in Portugal which opened in 2007 and was designed by Jack Nicklaus. It is a one hour drive to the west of Faro airport along the south coast of the country. My pal Johnny and I played here and we also played Palmares on a short trip. Read More

6 Best Holes: 17, 15, 3, 13, 14, 7
Best Par 3: 14
Best Par 4: 17
Best Par 5: 18

Playlist

1 Videos

0:16

157. Sheep Ranch, USA

There are five 18 hole courses at Bandon Dunes and this is the newest of the five. Believe it or not there are no bunkers on this course. There are wastelands of sand but no bunkers. This course was designed by Coore and Crenshaw and only opened in 2020. They had 1 mile of coastline and cliffs to play with and as a result 9 of the greens are perched at the top of those cliffs. The views are breath-taking. Read More

6 Best Holes: 6, 9, 12, 11, 14, 4
Best Par 3: 7
Best Par 4: 6
Best Par 5: 11

158. Jumeirah Earth, United Arab Emirates

There are two courses at Jumeirah namely the Earth and Fire courses. The Earth course, which opened in 2009 and was designed by Greg Norman, hosts the prestigious DP World Tour Championship each year which is the final event of the Race to Dubai. It is only a thirty minute drive from downtown Dubai. Read More

6 Best Holes: 18, 8, 16, 17, 6, 12
Best Par 3: 17
Best Par 4: 8
Best Par 5: 18

Playlist

3 Videos

0:16

0:16

0:16

159. Adare Manor, Ireland

The golf course at Adare Manor was originally designed by Robert Trent Jones in 1995. The resort was purchased by an Irish business man in 2014 and subsequently Tom Fazio did a redesign of the golf course. I have played the older and the newer version of the course and while Fazio made some changes, the layout of the course has not significantly changed over the years.

The one brilliant thing about this course is that its condition is maintained at an extremely high level. No expense is spared in presenting the course in the best order possible. It should provide an excellent venue for the Ryder Cup in 2027 as it is a large estate and therefore has lots of room to cater for huge crowds.Read More

6 Best Holes: 18, 13, 2, 15, 16, 11
Best Par 3: 16
Best Par 4: 13
Best Par 5: 18

160. Les Bordes Old, France

Les Bordes is a majestic estate of 1,550 acres that is located 2 hours south of Paris. There are two courses on the estate and the new course which was designed by the brilliant Gil Hanse opened in 2021 to much acclaim while the old course opened in 1986. It was designed by Robert von Hagge and the old course has always been regarded as one of Europe’s finest courses. Indeed it was in the World’s Top 100 courses for decades.

It measures just over 7,000 yards and is a tree lined course that meanders its way through the Sologne Forest. There are plenty of lakes too to keep your mind occupied. I have said this many times – don’t judge a course until you are walking off the 18th green and this is the case with the cold course. Read More

The front nine is really good and has some great holes but the last 7 holes is the best stretch on the course. The first hole is a fine par 4 and the tee shot has an ideal location in front of a beautiful clubhouse and the putting green. The green is almost fully surrounded by sand. The 2nd is a par 5 and personally I think the dogleg is a little sharp. A 4 iron or 5 wood might be the best play off the tee here. The 5th is a great par 4. It is a tough test and a 5 is not a bad score at all.

The 7th is a great par 5. Off the tee there is a large lake down the left while tall rushes await at the end of the fairway. You have to decide whether to be brave and aim for the green with your second shot over the lake or keep to the right. One of our group made the green in two which was a highlight.

The 12th is a belter of a par 4. The fairway is not easy to hit as there is sand left and right. The green is surrounded by lots of bunkers and getting on in two shots is a decent achievement. Well done to my pal Peter who did just that. The 13th is a par 3 that played 184 yards for us into the wind. The hole is tough as the tricky green is located behind a lake. The 14th is a par 5 where the green is an island green that is only accessible by a bridge located to the right hand side of the green.

The 16th is a wonderful par 3 that played 185 yards for us. It plays uphill and hitting the large green is a must as there is lots of trouble around it. The 17th is a solid par 4 that doglegs to the right for your second shot. You play this hole in a corridor of trees. The 18th is a tough finishing hole where you really need to hit the fairway if you wish to go for the green as there is water to clear. Peter and I really enjoyed the course, particularly the back nine.

The setting for these two golf courses is so special. It is a 3km drive from the front gate to the clubhouse through stunning woodland countryside. Everything is 5 stars at Les Bordes. The clubhouse is a gorgeous large building that has that old world feel to it. The bar has an open fire and is a room that you could sit in for hours. Les Bordes is an experience you won’t forget.

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

161. Pennard, Wales

This links course in Wales was designed by the brilliant James Braid which is a stamp of approval straight away. The club was formed in 1921 but golf has been played here since 1896. There are 180 golf clubs in Wales and Pennard is ranked No. 2 in the country, only behind the excellent Royal Porthcawl. The course has a brilliant setting along the coast with some stunning views of the Atlantic particularly on the back nine.

The course starts out strong with a fine par 4 that plays uphill and has a blind second shot to the green. The 5th is a par 3 that plays slightly downhill but has a deceptive green as it is quite narrow at the front. The 6th is a belter. It is a par 4 that played 399 yards from our tee box. The green is tucked away and has a mound immediately to the right of the green and one to the rear. Read More

6 Best Holes: 13, 9, 6, 10, 16, 18
Best Par 3: 13
Best Par 4: 9
Best Par 5: 10

162. Machrihanish Dunes, Scotland

This course nestles along the coastline beside the pretty village of Campbeltown and is a three hour drive from Glasgow airport. It is next door to Machrihanish Golf Club and we ended up playing both courses on the same day. The green fees for both courses are reasonable and are worth the money. Read More

6 Best Holes: 4, 13, 2, 10, 7, 14
Best Par 3: 12
Best Par 4: 4
Best Par 5: 8

Playlist

2 Videos

0:16

0:16

163. St. Andrews New, Scotland

Imagine a course opening in 1895 and being called the New course. Golf had been played for centuries on the Old course at that stage and it only became known as the Old course when this New course opened. The New course was designed by Old Tom Morris. The clubhouse for all the St. Andrews courses as we all know is not the R&A building behind the famous first tee of the Old course but it is a fine clubhouse that is situated to the right of its second hole.

The first tee of the New course is beside this clubhouse and is also close to the famous Himalayas putting green, which is certainly spending 30 minutes on before or after golf. The New course has the Jubilee course to its right and the Old course to its left. All three courses have one thing in common – the front nine mostly heads out and the back nine mostly heads back in.Read More

6 Best Holes: 9, 6, 16, 17, 10, 18
Best Par 3: 9
Best Par 4: 6
Best Par 5: 3

164. Jacks Point, New Zealand

Queenstown is located on the south Island in New Zealand and it is world renowned for its scenery. Jacks Point is a short twenty minute drive from the town centre and the scenery will take your breath away, of that there is no doubt. The course opened in 2008 and since then it feels like a lot of property has been built and is continually being built close to the course. Read More

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

165. Le Golf National, France

This course became a household name after hosting the Ryder Cup in 2018. It has also been the venue for a European Tour event for many years. It has an excellent location and is only a forty five minute drive to the south west of Paris. It is a parkland course which was built with crowds in mind. The large club house is also the home of the French Golf Federation National Performance Centre. Read More

6 Best Holes: 18, 2, 12, 7, 17, 15
Best Par 3: 2
Best Par 4: 18
Best Par 5: 9

166. Marco Simone, Italy

Marco Simone became the first Italian course to host the Ryder Cup in 2023 and is only a handy thirty minute spin in the car from the Colosseum in the magnificent city of Rome. The course is bookable and the green fees are not extortionate. Read More

6 Best Holes: 15, 10, 16, 1, 8, 14
Best Par 3: 17
Best Par 4: 15
Best Par 5: 8

167. Harding Park, USA

This course had held many prestigious events including the Presidents Cup in 2009, the WGC American Express Championship in 2005, the WGC Cadillac Match Play and more recently the PGA Championship in 2020 which was won by Collin Morikawa. Most people will remember Morikawa driving the par 4 16th hole on the final day before going on to beat Dustin Johnson and Paul Casey by 2 shots. The 16th hole had a big say in the 2005 WGC American Express Championship as that is where Tiger Woods defeated John Daly at the second playoff hole after John Daly missed a short putt. This was straight after Daly had played an amazing approach shot to 3 feet from over the trees and front right bunker.Read More

6 Best Holes: 18, 14, 8, 17, 2, 18
Best Par 3: 8
Best Par 4: 18
Best Par 5: 10

168. Crans Sur Sierre, Switzerland

This is one of the picturesque golf courses in the world as its location is quite unique. It is set high up in the Swiss Alps beside the town of Crans Montana. It is a stunning village with postcard views. We stayed in a hotel called Chetzeron. It is like something you might see in a James Bond movie. Switzerland is expensive to visit but there are not many more beautiful countries to visit. Read More

6 Best Holes: 4, 2, 12, 7, 17, 13
Best Par 3: 13
Best Par 4: 4
Best Par 5: 14

169. Pinnacle Point, South Africa

This is a beautiful cliff top course in Mossel Bay and is a four hour drive east of Cape Town. I left Cape Town at maybe 7pm and drove to Fancourt. I played Fancourt Links and Pinnacle Point the next day and was back in Cape Town within 24 hours. It was quite a busy but brilliant day. The green fees were reasonable but then again most things are reasonably priced in South Africa. Read More

6 Best Holes: 7, 9, 18, 4, 13, 12
Best Par 3: 7
Best Par 4: 4
Best Par 5: 18

Playlist

1 Videos

0:16

170. Lawsonia Links, USA

This course opened in 1930 and was designed by William Langford and Theodore Moreau. Recently the course was modified to bring it back to its former glory. The brief was to bring back firm and fast golf and that has been achieved. The course features deep bunkers, wide fairways and greens that are huge, fast and in super condition. The back nine is much the better of the two nines. Best not to evaluate this course until you walk off the 18th. It is currently in the top 100 courses in the US as judged by Golf.com. It is well priced too.Read More

6 Best Holes: 7, 16, 10, 13, 15, 18
Best Par 3: 7
Best Par 4: 16
Best Par 5: 13