26 - 50 Golf Courses

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List of Courses

26. 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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27. 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

28. 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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29. Pacific Dunes, USA

Bandon Dunes has five excellent courses and is a top class resort. The infrastructure here is on a massive scale. Everything is huge. Even the practice area might be the biggest in the world. We booked almost a year in advance and there was no accommodation available on site. We stayed in the town of Bandon which was good fun. Read More

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

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30. San Francisco, USA

There have been many great surprises along this journey but this was certainly one of them. I had never heard much about this course and had not seen much about it either. It is just the most wonderful golf course. It is situated in the city of San Francisco and its immediate neighbours include Olympic Club and Harding Park. But then again, when you hear that it was designed by the brilliant A. W. Tillinghast you start to think that it might be top class and it is. Read More

San Francisco Golf Club’s original routing was done mostly by a trio of club members, who first staked out the course in 1918. Tillinghast remodelled the course in 1923, establishing its signature greens and bunkering. He also added the par-3 seventh, called the “Duel Hole” because its location marks the spot of the last legal duel in America. The two pistols from that duel hang behind the bar in the clubhouse. Three holes were replaced in 1950 in anticipation of a street widening project that never happened. In 2006, the original holes were re-established by Tom Doak and his then-associate Jim Urbina.

The 2nd is a tough but brilliant par 4 of some 455 yards and is the index (handicap) No.1 hole. It is played from an elevated tee down to a valley fairway that sweeps to the left and then your second shot is played to a slightly raised green. The 3rd is a great par 4 that doglegs in the opposite direction to the second. The 4th is a super par 3 of over 200 yards. The next par 3 is the 7th and is 187 yards to a small green but it plays downhill. This is the duel hole and the duel took place just down to the right of that 7th tee box.

There are many great holes on the back nine including 10, 13, 14, 16 and 17. In truth, all the holes at San Francisco Golf Club are really good but those were my favourites on the inward nine. The 16th is a lovely driving hole with trees and many bunkers off the tee to keep you honest while the green, as I found out, is more sloping than you might think. Anything down the right half of the green is in danger of falling off to the right. The 17th is one of the best par 4’s you could wish to play. Lots of tall trees on both sides and as the hole doglegs to the right you must be accurate off the tee. It plays every inch of the 429 yards that it says on the scorecard. The conditioning of the course was perfect.

The 18th is a strong par 5 that finishes in front of one of the most beautiful clubhouses you could wish to see. We had the privilege of having lunch afterwards and it was excellent. I had the pleasure of playing here with 3 great guys – namely Bo, Mike and Brent. They may be visiting Ireland in the coming years on a golf trip and if they do, I will meet up with them for sure. Andrew is the head pro and he is one of the nicest people that I have met in golf or outside of golf. It was a day that will stay in my memory forever.

6 Best Holes: 2, 17, 7, 16, 3, 4
Best Par 3: 7
Best Par 4: 2
Best Par 5: 18

31. Royal Birkdale, England

Birkdale was established in 1889 but was redesigned in 1922 to give its current layout. It has held the Open Championship ten times which is a testament to its greatness. Ireland is famous for its large sand dunes but there is certainly no shortage of them here at Birkdale. There are so many courses in the greater Liverpool area but Birkdale is most people’s favourite from that great list. Read More

6 Best Holes: 13, 12, 9, 17, 1, 18
Best Par 3: 12
Best Par 4: 13
Best Par 5: 17

32. Barnbougle Dunes, Australia

In December 2004, Barnbougle Dunes in Tasmania opened its doors and what had been a potato farm has since become one of the best golf courses in the world. It’s only right that the word Dunes is in the name as golfers have to navigate some massive sand dunes, particularly on the front nine of this links course. Read More

6 Best Holes: 7, 17, 6, 15, 18, 8
Best Par 3: 7
Best Par 4: 17
Best Par 5: 14

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33. The Country Club (Brookline), USA

In 1894 The Country Club was one of the five charter clubs that founded the United States Golf Association along with Shinnecock Hills, Chicago Golf Club, Newport Country Club and St. Andrew’s New York. It has played a big role in US golf history. It has played host to a Ryder Cup in 1999 and has held four US Opens, most recently in 2022. Read More

6 Best Holes: 13, 11, 3, 18, 9, 16
Best Par 3: 16
Best Par 4: 13
Best Par 5: 11

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34. Lahinch, Ireland

What can you say about Lahinch! It’s a wild and wonderful course set in massive dunes in County Clare. Like St. Andrews and North Berwick it is located at the edge of a town which adds greatly to a trip here. The course is famous for a couple of blind shot holes, namely the 4th called Klondyke (a blind second shot on a par 5) and the 5th called Dell (a blind par 3, yes a blind par 3) but I think it should be more famous for the par 4’s that meander their way through these famous dunes. Read More

6 Best Holes: 6, 3, 14, 15, 7, 13
Best Par 3: 16
Best Par 4: 6
Best Par 5: 12

35. Swinley Forest, England

When you drive into Swinley Forest Golf Club, it’s like taking a step back in time. The car park was full of Jaguars and Range Rovers. Some of the members that we saw, wearing purple trousers and pink sweaters, brought their dogs out on the golf course and afterwards the dogs sat with them on the terrace outside this beautiful old clubhouse. It was brilliant and we loved every minute of it. It is a stunning place. Read More

6 Best Holes: 6, 4, 9, 12, 16, 7
Best Par 3: 4
Best Par 4: 6
Best Par 5: 15

36. Maidstone Club, USA

This course was founded in 1891 and is located in East Hampton on Long Island which is about 2 ½ hours east of New York. The setting for this course is perfect and there are stunning views at times. The second hole is a par 5 with one of the most amazing greens you could ever wish to play. It has just the right amount of undulations and has sharp fall offs on two sides. Read More

6 Best Holes: 9, 2, 10, 14, 7, 6
Best Par 3: 14
Best Par 4: 9
Best Par 5: 2

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37. California Golf Club of San Francisco, USA

This course and clubhouse opened in 1926 and was designed by Irishman Arthur Vernon Macan. In 1928, Alistair MacKenzie and Robert Hunter of the American Golf Company were retained by the club. Unfortunately, there is no historical record as to why the club would hire a different architect just two years after opening.

This course is situated in quite a busy area between the airport and the city itself but when you drive through the huge entrance gates, you feel like you are a world away. There is a beautiful 500 metre drive (the first which is a par 5 is alongside to the right) up to a majestic clubhouse. It is a beautiful setting for a clubhouse and the land here is certainly not flat. Read More

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

38. Cabot Cliffs, Canada

Cabot Cliffs is a tough place to get to but well worth it. After two flights we arrived in Halifax airport in Nova Scotia and we still had a three hour drive to the course. The fact that there are two great courses with accommodation onsite makes it a great resort for golfers. Cabot Cliffs is ranked the No. 1 course in Canada. You have to remind yourself that it only opened in 2015. A great achievement by all concerned. Read More

6 Best Holes: 16, 10, 2, 5, 7, 17
Best Par 3: 16
Best Par 4: 10
Best Par 5: 7

39. Garden City, USA

This course has a brilliant location on Long Island. It is a 45 minute drive from Manhattan and only 20 mins from JFK Airport. The course was founded in 1899.

This course has all the charm in the world. It is a really old style club. The course is not particularly long but you have got to be accurate. The greens were excellent and were extremely fast. The first hole is a driveable par 4 but has a massive bunker to the front which catches the greedy average golfers like myself. Read More

6 Best Holes: 8, 11, 15, 10, 6, 14
Best Par 3: 12
Best Par 4: 8
Best Par 5: 13

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40. Kawana Fuji, Japan

What a perfect location for a golf course. It is set on a headland overlooking the Pacific Ocean. The views from various parts of the course are simply stunning. This course is bookable once you stay in the hotel and if you are in Japan, I would highly recommend playing here. Like some other courses in Japan, the course has a rail that your cart drives on all the way round. The caddie has a remote control for the cart to bring it forward etc. It is a great way for your clubs to be carried around. Read More

6 Best Holes: 15, 17, 16, 7, 1, 14
Best Par 3: 16
Best Par 4: 17
Best Par 5: 15

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41. Kiawah Island, USA

We played Kiawah the day before we went to Augusta to see Sergio win the Masters. It was a brilliant weekend. Kiawah is a very special place. When people talk about a course being in perfect condition, this is what they mean. The greens were extremely fast and were faultless. This course kicks off from the get go. The first five holes are superb. The second hole is a great par 5 that doglegs to the left while the 4th hole is index (handicap) 1 and for good reason. Read More

6 Best Holes: 13, 4, 17, 10, 5, 12
Best Par 3: 17
Best Par 4: 13
Best Par 5: 2

42. Sunningdale (New), England

The old course at Sunningdale opened in 1901 and the new course opened in 1923. It was designed by the brilliant Harry Colt. The land is made up of heather, gorse and some pine trees. The new course is considered to be more rugged, with less bunkering and tree lining than its older sibling. Right from the start, you know you are on a championship course as the first is a testing par 4 with trouble all the way down the left. The colours on show here in the summertime are stunning with purple being the most prominent apart from green. Read More

6 Best Holes: 10, 9, 11, 4, 15, 1
Best Par 3: 10
Best Par 4: 11
Best Par 5: 6

43. Somerset Hills, USA

This course opened in 1918 and was designed by the great A.W. Tillinghast. Before that the site had been used as a racecourse and you can still see the track in some parts of the course. The clubhouse is old world. It is very beautiful and looks over most of the course. Read More

6 Best Holes: 2, 15, 7, 11 16, 1
Best Par 3: 2
Best Par 4: 15
Best Par 5: 9

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44. Cape Kidnappers, New Zealand

Cape Kidnappers has become world famous because of the aerial photos of the coastal holes on the back nine. These holes are dramatic and your phone battery will be tested because of the amount of photos that you will take. However, I think that the front nine might have the better overall golf holes. The 6th hole for example is a brilliant par 3 that will test every golfer and you might be happy to settle for a 4. Other great holes on the front nine include 1, 3, 4 and 7. Read More

6 Best Holes: 12, 15, 6, 3, 1, 10
Best Par 3: 6
Best Par 4: 12
Best Par 5: 15

45. Woodhall Spa (Hotchkin), England

This is the home of the governing body for amateur golf in England, “England Golf” and is situated in mid-eastern England. We flew into Sheffield and from there it is about a 90 minute drive to the south east. It is a heathland course but it is one with a difference as the bunkers are huge with rather large eyebrows too. The course opened in 1905 and was originally designed by the famous Harry Vardon before being re-designed by Stafford Vere Hotchkin in the 1920’s. It came as a shock as to how great this course is, having not heard much about it beforehand. Read More

6 Best Holes: 12, 13, 7, 11, 4, 16
Best Par 3: 12
Best Par 4: 13
Best Par 5: 18

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46. Bethpage Black, USA

I have to say that I fell in love with Bethpage Black. I flew into JFK and went straight to Bethpage where on a Friday evening I played 14 holes. The following morning I woke up at 5.30am due to jetlag and thought I will go to Bethpage and see if I can get a tee time. It’s not easy to book in advance if you live outside New York. I arrived at 6.20am to find a massive queue of people thinking the same thing. The doors opened at 7.30am and I got a tee time on the black course for 9.40am which was brilliant. Read More

6 Best Holes: 15, 5, 11, 4, 17, 13
Best Par 3: 17
Best Par 4: 15
Best Par 5: 4

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47. Inverness Club, USA

Inverness Club is in Toledo, Ohio. I flew into Detroit and from there it is about an hour south. The course held the Solheim Cup in 2021. In 1916, the club made a great decision. They hired the brilliant Donald Ross to design them a course and two years later the course opened. What a wise thing to do. Read More

6 Best Holes: 7, 17, 4, 10, 16, 15
Best Par 3: 3
Best Par 4: 7
Best Par 5: 13

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48. New South Wales, Australia

Melbourne gets most of the attention when it comes to the top golf courses in Australia as the sand belt courses there are excellent but it is nice to see Sydney get one on the map and New South Wales is deserving of its place on any list. It has a dramatic location on a headland and is not that far from both Coogee Beach and Bondi Beach. The views from parts of this course are amazing. Read More

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

49. Royal Troon, Scotland

I got to play Royal Troon twice and I thought it was excellent both times. The course starts out quite gently with some relatively straightforward holes early on. Things soon change. When you walk from the green on the par 5 6th up to the 7th tee, you get to see what’s in front of you for the next six holes which is a brilliant stretch of holes. Holes 7 through 12 are majestic. Read More

6 Best Holes: 11, 8, 17, 10, 9, 12
Best Par 3: 8
Best Par 4: 11
Best Par 5: 6

50. Portmarnock, Ireland

I have had the pleasure of playing this great links course many times as it is less than an hour from where I live. The course opened in 1894 and is situated on a headland on the outskirts of Dublin. The clubhouse is one of the finest in the world and you are never in a hurry to leave it. Read More

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