Between them, the senior panel for Golf Monthly’s Top UK&I 100 course rankings in association with Peter Millar – Rob Smith, Jeremy Ellwood and editor Neil Tappin – have a vast experience of golf courses both inside and outside the rankings process.

In this video and article they discuss some commonly voiced concerns about golf course design, debating whether various often-cited weaknesses are valid or perhaps overblown in certain circles.

Let us know in the comments section at the bottom whether you agree or disagree with what we have to say in the accompanying video...

1. A golf course shouldn’t start with a par 3

While the vast majority of courses don’t start with a one-shotter, there are a great many that do, with even a few in our UK&I Top 100 courses rankings opening with a par 3, such as Royal Lytham and St Annes and The Blue course at the Berkshire.

Some golfers don’t like the notion, but we’re generally perfectly happy with it, while noting that if the hole is particularly long or difficult, such that few average golfers are likely to hit the green, it may not be the ideal start from a pace-of-play perspective

2. You shouldn’t have blind shots

While few modern courses present you with blind shots unless you’ve strayed out of position, plenty of older courses, particularly links like Prestwick or Lahinch, do.

We’re happy with this as long as it’s not overdone – it even adds an element of anticipation as you come over the crest for the big reveal to see if your shot really was as good or bad as you thought it was.

Our No.1 course in the rankings – Royal County Down – is famed for its blind shots and that hasn’t stopped it reaching the very pinnacle of our list.

Safety is obviously a concern, and a bell or other means of advising those behind when it is safe to play is essential.

3. A good golf course needs to be of a certain length

The older the three of us get, the less bothered we are about what figure the course yardage starts with. Between us, we have played many thoroughly enjoyable courses under 6,000 yards, including plenty considerably shorter than that.

Our advice would be to never turn your nose up at a course just because the yardage doesn’t look particularly daunting or challenging.

4. Fast greens equal good greens

The slightly unhealthy obsession with fast greens – and green speed often being the sole means by which their quality is judged – is misplaced.

If they’re being honest with themselves, most average golfers don’t putt particularly well on overly fast greens however much they might yearn for them.

And the greens on many older courses were designed at a time when such speeds were never even considered, with many such greens being unsuited to lightning-fast speeds.

5. All holes should be of the same style or genre

Rob explains that he has changed his thinking on this one having once believed that consistency throughout was vitally important.

Now, he is more interested in whether the best possible use of the available plot of land has been made, even if it ventures into slightly different terrain at times.

6. The two nines need to be balanced in terms of length and par

On most golf courses, the two nines won’t be miles apart in terms of length or par, but that isn’t always the case. Is that a problem?

While believing that too big a gulf isn’t great and that an imbalance, with perhaps no par 3s or par 5s on one of the nines, isn’t ideal, we don’t think balance is essential, although if there were any way to mix things up a little more, that would be preferable.

7. You can’t build a modern classic golf course

Some golfers seem to believe that unless a course was built 100+ years ago, it can’t be much good.

While appreciating and loving the history, tradition and heritage that our great old courses are blessed with, we would respectfully disagree and say there is no reason why a course built in more recent times can’t be seen as a classic if it has been well executed.

There are several courses in our UK&I Top 100 that we believe fit the bill, including the likes of Kingsbarns and Dumbarnie, whose popularity suggests that many see them as standing shoulder to shoulder with some of the best golf courses, old and new, in Fife and much further afield.

Between them, the senior panel for Golf Monthly’s UK&I Top 100 course rankings in association with Peter Millar – Rob Smith, Jeremy Ellwood and editor Neil Tappin – have a vast experience of golf courses both inside and outside the rankings process.

The three of them have played in the region of 2,500 different courses in their lives and, while there is much to admire in golf course design right across the spectrum, the video here addresses the pet peeves and niggles they sometimes encounter.

Some of these are shared by all three; others are particular bugbears for one of the trio. Do you agree or have any other pet golf course design peeves of your own? Let us know in the comments section at the bottom...

1. Really difficult holes with really difficult green complexes

Jeremy raises the issue of whether or not it’s right or wise for an already tough golf hole to then throw an unnecessarily challenging green or green complex at you once you’ve successfully made the testing journey from tee to green (or thereabouts).

If a hole is particularly difficult through tightness or simply length, shouldn’t your ‘reward’ for mastering that difficulty be an easier two-putt or up-and-down up at the green?

2. Very long uphill par 5s

While there are undoubtedly some cracking par 5s all around the world, Rob is simply not a fan of long uphill par 5s that seem to go on forever, especially for average golfers, as such holes demand three of their very best strikes to get anywhere near.

He sees little to commend such holes, with the discussion acknowledging that sometimes they are simply getting the course from A to B within the land available, and on to the next area where the terrain allows for more interesting holes.

3. Holes with forced lay-ups

Neil – the longest hitter of the trio by quite some way – feels quite aggrieved about holes with forced lay-ups that take the long hitter’s advantage away.

Holes with cross-heather or rough at the point where a long drive would end up frustrate him and he feels that if that area was simply narrow rather than ‘no-go’, the longer hitter prepared to take on the risk should be able to reap the reward if they can find the target.

4. Pointless bunkers

All three agree that bunkers not very far up the hole, which only ever impact less skilled players who can’t hit it very far or who mishit shots frequently, are not a good idea as they’re potentially punishing those who don’t need the game to feel any harder.

They do concede that occasionally some bunkers might fulfil a visual rather than strategic role, with a wider discussion then ensuing about bunkering in general.

5. Insufficient course signage

Rob concedes that no-one wants a golf course to be unnecessarily littered with signage and course furniture, but where there is any scope for confusion over where to hit the ball or where to walk next, there should be something to assist the first-time visitor in particular.

And blind holes or shots that really require bells to be played safely should always have them, along with good signage to tell golfers there is a bell.

6. Pinchpoints out on the course

The scale of the land on which a golf course is laid out will influence whether or not there will be pinchpoints where several tees, greens or fairways lie uncomfortably close together, but from a safety and pace-of-play perspective, such pinchpoints are not desirable.

Sometimes, pinchpoints will have been created when courses have pushed greens or tees back in the quest for extra yardage, and that is a perhaps inevitable shame.

7. Heavy rough or scrub under trees

Finally, a pet hate of former Golf Monthly editor, Mike Harris – rough or scrub under trees. His view was that hitting it into the trees should be penalty enough, so to then either not find your ball, or struggle to be able to play it if you do, is an unnecessary double jeopardy.

The three agree that in an ideal world, being able to play from the trees, even if only chipping out sideways, is preferable and will perhaps also encourage golfers to sometimes be creative and take on a risky shot that just wouldn’t be possible if the ball were lying in thick rough.

One of the most highly rated courses in Ireland is set to close for more than a year as major renovation work takes place, according to an email sent out to members and shared with Irish Golfer.

The European Club in County Wicklow was purchased by the father and son Raymond and Nicky Conlan - reportedly for a deal in excess of $40.55 million - in May of this year, and the new owners have told members they plan to execute a significant overhaul of the grounds and facilities.

Work is predicted to take around 18 months to complete, with the course shutting from December 8, 2025 and only expected to re-open again at some point "in late Spring 2027."

In the meantime, the club plans to operate as usual with weekly events continuing until the second week in December.

Upon buying the property from founder Pat Ruddy, the Conlans had the option of maintaining The European Club's exclusivity or opening it up to a larger membership base and world visitors.

Although an email to members stated the upcoming project is designed to "create a new and different golfing offering, designed to stand alongside the very best destinations internationally," the owners went on to say that detailed plans for the club would be shared at a later date.

The full email, which was shared by Irish Golfer, read: "Dear Member, We are writing to let you know that, effective 8th December 2025, the current operations of ‘The European Club’ (the Club) will cease.

"The Club will come to an end and the course will close to allow a major redevelopment of the grounds and facilities.

"This project represents a significant investment and will create a new and different golfing offering, designed to stand alongside the very best destinations internationally.

"To allow these works to proceed, all existing membership arrangements will conclude on the closure date 8th December 2025.

"When the redevelopment is complete and the new offering is ready to launch, updates will be made available on a new website (details to follow once it is live).

"At a future stage, the current members will be given the opportunity to join the new offering. We would expect to open the New Golf Club in late Spring 2027.

"On behalf of the Club, we want to sincerely thank you for your support over the past number of months. We look forward to sharing further details with you through the new offerings website in due course. Yours sincerely, Raymond & Nicky Conlan."

The European Club is ranked No.18 on Golf Monthly's Top 100 Golf Courses in the United Kingdom and Ireland and has been visited by the likes of Tiger Woods, Johnny Miller and Gary Player in the past.

One of the finest layouts anywhere in the British Isles has also hosted national championships won by Rory McIlroy and Padraig Harrington previously.

The east-Ireland club was founded in 1987 by course designer Ruddy, who reportedly turned down multiple bids before eventually selling to the former motor dealers.

A very warm welcome to the 2025/26 Golf Monthly UK&I Top 100 and Next 100 course rankings in association with Peter Millar.

This is now the 11th of our biennial lists, which we strongly believe have evolved to be an honest, representative and trustworthy ranking of the best 200 courses that are open to all. Initially featuring 120 courses, we made the decision in 2009/10 to switch to a more logical Top 100 at the same time as adding a second tier, the Next 100.

At Golf Monthly, we take great pride in the fact that our Top 100 is compiled by regular, knowledgeable, enthusiastic club golfers. Our reader panel includes one or two who have been with us since the start as well as a couple who made their debuts this time round. They, along with the staff panel, have between them visited every course in the new Top 100 in the two years since the last list was compiled.

Senior panellists Rob Smith and Jeremy Ellwood have been involved in the rankings since 2009, and this has enabled consistency while so much around has changed.

As ever, standards have continued to rise. You rarely see a course in the Top 100 or Next 100 in anything but fine condition, which is perhaps why there has been less change this time round than ever before.

There are few big jumps or falls and just two re-entries, with a couple of other candidates very narrowly missing out. For any course to maintain position within the Top 100 calls for improvement.

With few exceptions, those that have dropped a few places have not declined, they have simply been overtaken by others. Each and every one of our Top 100 courses is still exceptional and comes thoroughly recommended.

No golfer will agree with all of the positions in our new Top 100, but we have always acknowledged that subjectivity is at work, while striving to make it as objective as possible. What we ultimately love about it is that it serves as a source of endless debate and enjoyable discovery.

We are delighted to be continuing our partnership with Peter Millar, one of the world’s leading and most dynamic premium apparel brands. Its products are stocked at almost every course in the Top 100, which makes them a perfect fit with our rankings.

Top 100 Courses UK&I: The Top 10

1. ROYAL COUNTY DOWN GOLF CLUB CHAMPIONSHIP COURSE

• Location: Newcastle, County Down, Northern Ireland
• Founded: 1889
• Designed by: Old Tom Morris, George Combe, Harry Vardon and Harry Colt
• 25/26 ranking: No change

A combination of the towering Mountains of Mourne in the backdrop on many holes and the Irish sea flanking the opening three makes for visual appeal that arguably puts Royal County Down as the most spectacular setting of any of the UK and Ireland's traditional links

Now over a century and a quarter old, this fabled links in Newcastle on the County Down coast is not only one of the best links courses in the UK but also one of the best on the planet.

- Royal County Down review and key info

2. ST ANDREWS LINKS OLD COURSE

• Location: St Andrews, Fife, Scotland
• Opened: 1552
• Designed by: Old Tom Morris and Daw Anderson (1850s)
• 25/26 ranking: No change

Playing The Old Course is an experience completely different from any other in golf. It is one where atmosphere and ambience is paramount as just about every legendary golfer has competed over this historic, iconic stretch of links.

With its double greens and crossovers, challenging slopes and world-famous bunkers, there is nothing quite like it.

- St Andrews Old review and key info

3. TRUMP TURNBERRY RESORT AILSA COURSE

• Location: Turnberry, Ayrshire, Scotland
• Founded: 1902
• Designed by: Archibald Kennedy and William Fernie (Martin Ebert redesign 2016)
• 25/26 ranking: Up 1

The beautiful but testing Ailsa first hosted The Open almost half a century ago in what turned into one of the all-time classics, the Duel in the Sun. In the end, Tom Watson just edged it by a single stroke from the great Jack Nicklaus.

Since then, The Open has been here on three further occasions, so it was a bold move to subsequently make substantial changes in a quest to improve it further. Martin Ebert had made some changes prior to the 2009 Open, and he was called back in but with a far wider remit and greater resources. It has now moved on very dramatically since the original post-war restoration by Philip Mackenzie Ross and is one of the very best golf courses in Scotland.

- Trump Turnberry Ailsa review and key info

4. MUIRFIELD

• Location: Gullane, East Lothian, Scotland
• Founded: 1744 (course opened: 1922)
• Designed by: Old Tom Morris, Harry Colt and Tom Simpson
• 25/26 ranking: Down 1

Muirfield is a near-perfect links, delivering superb variety and a firm but fair test. The unusual two-loops routing means the golfer will never face a succession of holes with a consistent wind direction.

It’s simply a fabulous design providing a stringent examination of every aspect of the game, both physical and mental. We believe the course is the fairest Open test of all, with everything laid out in front of you.

- Muirfield review and key info

5. ROYAL DORNOCH GOLF CLUB CHAMPIONSHIP COURSE

• Location: Dornoch, Sutherland, Scotland
• Founded: 1877
• Designed by: John Sutherland/Old Tom Morris/George Duncan
• 25/26 ranking: Up 1

The earliest confirmed evidence of golf in Dornoch dates from 1616 meaning over 400 years of the sport in the town.

The Golf Club was founded more recently, in 1877, and in 1886 the members invited Old Tom Morris to lay out a more formal course over the links. He was responsible for creating Dornoch’s famous plateau greens with their perplexing upturned saucer shaping. Royal Dornoch is a captivating place that will leave an indelible imprint on the memory.

- Royal Dornoch review and key info

6. ROYAL BIRKDALE GOLF CLUB

• Location: Southport, Merseyside, England
• Founded: 1889
• Designed by: Fred Hawtree and JH Taylor
• 25/26 ranking: Down 1

Royal Birkdale is a sublime and endlessly varied links that is simply the best course in England. It somehow manages to excel not only as a test of golf, but as a treat to the eye, as a lesson in course architecture and as an experience to savour and remember.

It hosted its first Open in 1954 and has now staged the championship ten times, most recently in 2017 when Jordan Spieth won in a thrilling climax. Although the individual holes play along generally level ground, the course is blessed with some of the most impressive dunes in the country that frame and separate the holes beautifully for the golfer.

- Royal Birkdale review and key info

7. ROYAL PORTRUSH GOLF CLUB DUNLUCE COURSE

• Location: Portrush, County Antrim, Northern Ireland
• Founded: 1888
• Designed by: Harry Colt
• 25/26 ranking: Up 1

Royal Portrush's Dunluce Links was designed by the godfather of golf course design, Harry Colt, and even before the changes that were applied in preparation for hosting the 2019 Open, there were plenty who felt it was a contender for the best course in the whole of Ireland.

It's a wonderfully natural and extremely good-looking links that is completely at one with its environment. Much is done at Royal Portrush to encourage a diverse ecosystem where flora and fauna flourish, all of which adds to the enjoyment of an already wonderful round of golf.

- Royal Portrush Dunluce review and key info

8. CARNOUSTIE GOLF LINKS CHAMPIONSHIP COURSE

• Location: Carnoustie, Angus, Scotland
• Founded: 1842
• Designed by: Allan Robertson, Old Tom Morris and James Braid
• 25/26 ranking: Down 1

There’s a strong case for saying that Carnoustie’s Championship Course may be the most challenging in our entire top 100 list.

There may be no views of the sea around the course but the terrain is pure links with firm and sandy turf over natural bumps and hollows. The narrow fairways are protected by gorse, streams and magnetic bunkering as they pick their way carefully towards the vast, supremely maintained, greens.

- Carnoustie review and key info

9. SUNNINGDALE GOLF CLUB NEW COURSE

• Location: Sunningdale, Berkshire, England
• Opened: 1923
• Designed by: Harry Colt
• 25/26 ranking: Up 1

Opened for play in 1923, Sunningdale’s New Course has stood the test of time to deliver an exacting examination of the total game. It is the highest-ranked inland course in our top 100 list.

The fairways are fairly generous but offline drives will probably require a hack out either from heavy rough or Sunningdale’s notoriously punishing heather. The greens are fast but receptive, though anything struck poorly or slightly off line will run off. If the test had to be summarised in a sentence, we'd say: Good shots will be rewarded and poor shots punished: The sign of an excellent layout.

- Sunningdale New Course review and key info

10. SUNNINGDALE GOLF CLUB OLD COURSE

• Location: Sunningdale, Berkshire, England
• Opened: 1901
• Designed by: Willie Park Jr
• 25/26 ranking: Down 1

Sunningdale's Old Course is a classic heathland layout that stands as one of the world's best inland courses. Playing up the 18^th towards the clubhouse and the famous oak tree will cause the hairs to stand proud on the necks of all golf lovers.

The course dates from 1901 and is a Willie Park Jnr design. Set across undulating heathland, its fairways are lined by pines and heather with a slightly more rugged feel than its younger brother. The greens are famously fast and true with some perplexing borrows to negotiate. A day at this stunning venue is about as good as it gets as a golfer.

- Sunningdale Old Course review and key info

• Full List: Golf Monthly UK&I Top 100 Courses 2025/26

When I was commissioned to write this feature for our UK and Ireland Top 100 golf courses in association with Peter Millar, I asked editor Neil Tappin how many holes to include.

“Seven sounds about right to me,” came the reply. It sounded about right to me too until I sat down to try and whittle it down to just that number!

My colleague, Rob Smith, wrote the equivalent feature two years ago and, after an early brainstorming session, I looked back on his article to find he’d written about four of the five holes I’d jotted down so far – the 1st at Doonbeg, 14th at Trump International Scotland, 13th at Hollinwell and 11th at Turnberry.

Subliminal vague recollection or testament to them, indeed, being four of our most spectacular holes?

I’ll leave you to decide but in the interests of variety I’m revisiting just one of those holes this time round, the par-5 1st at Doonbeg, which remains a kind of epiphany or eureka moment in my golfing journey.

I’d played a number of links courses before first visiting Doonbeg in 2003 but had never experienced anything quite like Greg Norman’s County Clare creation.

‘Amphitheatre green’ may now be a slightly overused term at some of our modern links, but it’s the only apt one for the 1st green complex at Doonbeg, where you imagine every blade of wispy grass on the steep banks standing to applaud as your carefully crafted approach lands just beyond the hole and zips back a couple of feet... in my dreams at least!

Let’s stay with par 5s and jump on a hole from another Rob included last time (the par-3 5th at Sunningdale New) and go for the magnificent 6th there.

It plays from an elevated tee and keeps sweeping round and round to the right via a slight kink at about 300 yards as its two-tiered, well-protected green gradually comes into view. It is simply majestic.

Par 3s often hog the limelight in any spectacular hole contest, but I’m sticking with par 5s for one more. If you’re looking for strategy choice, few par 5s do it better than the 7th on the Marquess’ at Woburn, with its split fairways separated by a cluster of trees.

Do you go for the slightly safer left-hand route or the shorter right-hand one knowing your Sunday best might give you a shot at the green in two over a wide gully?

Get it wrong going this way, though, and your lay-up options will be limited, leaving you a long third shot. Of course, you could say the club golfer’s best option might be to aim for the central trees, see which fairway you hit and take it from there.

As for par 4s, there’s something about the 422-yard 2nd at Burnham and Berrow in Somerset that has always resonated with me. Perhaps not as dramatically striking as my other selections, its beautifully framed, rumpled fairway encapsulates everything I’m looking for as I gaze down a links hole.

There's always a slight tinge of disappointment that such a cracking hole has been and gone so early in the round whenever I visit.

St Patrick’s Links at Rosapenna could offer up several candidates here but for pure unadulterated thrills, the dogleg- right par-4 14th takes some beating.

Named Sheephaven Bay after the stirring view that greets you on its elevated tee, it plays to a maximum of 399 yards, turning right quite sharply after a big bunker on the apex. Commit to the power fade and steer your ball round it is probably the best bet, before the hole narrows down towards a green set very close to the shallow cliff edge.

As you climb to the next tee, you won’t be able to resist turning back for a photo or two.

For par 3s, my longer pick is the cracking 7th at Hankley Common, which can play up to 206 yards across a relatively shallow, heather-filled dip to a green with lots of fascinating movement, protected by front bunkers both left and right.

It sits slightly higher than much of the course and you feel miles from anywhere, with the hole a tantalisingly glorious prospect from the tee.

My par-3 tiddler is the second of two new short holes at Prince’s, the 5th on the Shore nine. It plays from 103 to 158 yards over large expanses of sand to a tricky, undulating green with run-offs and bunkers all around.

Like its sibling short par-3 newcomer on the Himalayas nine, it plays straight towards the sea, the kind of hole Prince’s used to lack. It is everything that a beautiful par 3 should be.

Jeremy Ellwood's top 7 most spectacular holes in our top 100 list:

• Trump International Golf Links, Doonbeg: Par 5 1st
• Sunningdale New: Par 5 6th
• Woburn Marquess': Par 5 7th
• Burnham and Berrow: Par 4 2nd
• Rosapenna St Patrick's Links: Par 4 14th
• Hankley Common: Par 3 7th
• Prince's Shore: Par 3 5th

Take a tour of our full UK and Ireland Top 100 golf courses list in association with Peter Millar:

Full Top 100 Courses UK&I List

• 1. Royal County Down Golf Club Championship Course, Northern Ireland - no change
• 2. St Andrews Links Old Course, Scotland - no change
• 3. Trump Turnberry Resort Ailsa Course, Scotland - no change
• 4. Muirfield, Scotland - no change
• 5. Royal Dornoch Golf Club Championship Course, Scotland - up 1
• 6. Royal Birkdale Golf Club, England - down 1
• 7. Royal Portrush Golf Club Dunluce Links, Northern Ireland - up 1
• 8. Carnoustie Golf Links Championship Course, Scotland - down 1
• 9. Sunningdale Golf Club New Course, England - up 1
• 10. Sunningdale Golf Club Old Course, England - down 1
• 11. Royal St George's Golf Club, England - no change
• 12. Woodhall Spa Golf Club Hotchkin Course, England - up 1
• 13. Royal Liverpool Golf Club, England - down 1
• 14. Kingsbarns Golf Links, Scotland - up 1
• 15. Trump International Golf Links Scotland - up 3
• 16. Royal Lytham & St Annes Golf Club, England - down 2
• 17. Royal Aberdeen Golf Club Balgownie Course, Scotland - down 1
• 18. The European Club, Ireland - up 1
• 19. Ballybunion Golf Club Old Course, Ireland - up 4
• 20. Royal Troon Golf Club Old Course, Scotland - down 3
• 21. Royal Porthcawl Golf Club, Wales - no change
• 22. Cabot Highlands Castle Stuart Golf Links, Scotland - down 2
• 23. Waterville Golf Links, Ireland - down 1
• 24. Lahinch Golf Club Old Course, Ireland - up 2
• 25. St George's Hill Golf Club Red & Blue Course, England - no change
• 26. Portmarnock Golf Club Red & Blue Course, Ireland - up 2
• 27. The Golf Course at Adare Manor, Ireland - down 3
• 28. North Berwick Golf Club, Scotland - up 1
• 29. Burnham & Berrow Golf Club Championship Course, England - down 2
• 30. Hillside Golf Club, England - up 1
• 31. Hankley Common Golf Club, England - down 1
• 32. Ganton Golf Club, England - up 2
• 33. Swinley Forest Golf Club, England - up 2
• 34. Old Head Golf Links, Ireland - down 2
• 35. Walton Heath Golf Club Old Course, England - down 2
• 36. Gleneagles Golf Resort King's Course, Scotland - no change
• 37. Dumbarnie Links, Scotland - up 3
• 38. Nairn Golf Club Championship Course, Scotland - down 1
• 39. Rosapenna Hotel & Golf Resort St Patrick's Links, Ireland - up 22
• 40. Formby Golf Club, England - up 2
• 41. St Enodoc Golf Club Church Course, England - down 2
• 42. The Berkshire Golf Club Red Course, England - down 1
• 43. Royal Cinque Ports Golf Club, England - up 2
• 44. Prestwick Golf Club, Scotland - down 1
• 45. Tralee Golf Club, Ireland - up 3
• 46. Western Gailes Golf Club, Scotland - no change
• 47. Hollinwell The Home of Notts GC, England - down 9
• 48. Trump International Golf Links Doonbeg, Ireland - down 1
• 49. Royal St David's Golf Club, Wales - no change
• 50. Rosapenna Hotel & Golf Resort Sandy Hills Course, Ireland - down 6

• 51. Silloth on Solway Golf Club, England - no change
• 52. The Machrie Hotel & Golf Links, Scotland - no change
• 53. Alwoodley Golf Club, England - up 1
• 54. Saunton Golf Club East Course, England - up 1
• 55. Liphook Golf Club, England - down 2
• 56. Gleneagles Golf Resort Queen's Course, Scotland - down 6
• 57. The Berkshire Golf Club Blue Course, England - down 1
• 58. Cruden Bay Golf Club Championship Course, Scotland - up 8
• 59. Royal West Norfolk Golf Club, England - up 4
• 60. County Louth Golf Club, Ireland - up 2
• 61. Rye Golf Club Old Course, England - up 4
• 62. West Sussex Golf Club, England - down 4
• 63. Worplesdon Golf Club, England - down 3
• 64. Walton Heath Golf Club New Course, England - down 7
• 65. Southport & Ainsdale Golf Club, England - down 6
• 66. Gullane Golf Club No.1 Course, Scotland - down 2
• 67. Ballyliffin Golf Club Glashedy Course, Ireland - up 3
• 68. Machrihanish Golf Club Championship Course, Scotland - down 1
• 69. Moortown Golf Club, England - down 1
• 70. Hunstanton Golf Club, England - up 2
• 71. West Hill Golf Club, England - down 2
• 72. The Island Golf Club, Ireland - down 1
• 73. Prince's Golf Club Shore & Himalayas Course, England - up 1
• 74. Parkstone Golf Club, England - up 7
• 75. West Lancashire Golf Club, England - up 2
• 76. St Andrews Links New Course, Scotland - down 1
• 77. Woburn Golf Club Marquess' Course, England - down 4
• 78. Carne Golf Club Wild Atlantic Dunes Course, Ireland - down 2
• 79. Woking Golf Club, England - up 4
• 80. Aldeburgh Golf Club Championship Course, England - no change
• 81. County Sligo Golf Club Colt Championship Links Course, Ireland - up 5
• 82. Aberdovey Golf Club, Wales - up 5
• 83. Trevose Golf Club Championship Course, England - down 4
• 84. Enniscrone Golf Club Dunes Course, Ireland - up 8
• 85. Wallasey Golf Club, England - up 4
• 86. Woburn Golf Club Duke's Course, England - down 1
• 87. Saunton Golf Club West Course, England - down 9
• 88. Druid's Glen, Ireland - re-entry
• 89. Sherwood Forest Golf Club, England - up 1
• 90. Blairgowrie Golf Club Rosemount Course, Scotland - down 8
• 91. Murcar Links Golf Club, Scotland - no change
• 92. Portstewart Golf Club Strand Course, Northern Ireland - up 6
• 93. Ferndown Golf Club Old Course, England - down 5
• 94. Royal North Devon Golf Club, England - down 10
• 95. St Andrews Castle Course, Scotland - re-entry
• 96. Tandridge Golf Club, England - up 1
• 97. Broadstone Golf Club, England - down 1
• 98. Woburn Golf Club Duchess' Course, England - down 5
• 99. Mount Juliet Golf Club, Ireland - down 4
• 100. Dundonald Links, Scotland - down 1

Every course on our Top 100 courses in association with Peter Millar list has excellent clubhouse facilities but some are just that bit special.

Here, we’ve selected those venues where you’ll particularly enjoy a post-round tipple, or a coffee if you’re driving, of course!

With tremendous views up the Moray Firth and across to the Black Isle, the art deco-inspired clubhouse at Cabot Highlands may just offer the best views of any in the Top 100. With panoramic windows, comfortable seating and upstairs balconies, it’s a beautiful spot in which to unwind after your game.

Another club in a wonderful setting is Aberdovey. Sitting on the terrace there in the late afternoon sun is hard to beat. One of the great things there is that the clubhouse is basically at the train station, just a minute away. Ideal if you want to enjoy a pint or two of the local ale.

Prestwick’s clubhouse is also right next to the local station. It’s a historic club with amazing artefacts and original features to take in. The now unused ash trays remain in the ‘smoking room’ and pints are served in pewter tankards.

There’s also great history to be found at Royal Liverpool. The club’s collection of memorabilia is one of the most important anywhere. You can really feel the golfing gravitas of the place as you sip on a creamy pint.

Many clubhouses on our list are packed with character. A couple of the most interesting are Royal Porthcawl (below) and Royal West Norfolk.

At both, you feel like you’ve stepped back in time heading into the bar. Both offer an extremely friendly welcome and a cosy, fascinating post-round experience.

Sunningdale’s clubhouse exudes classic style, with an unpretentious, classy vibe to soak in whether inside or outside on the terrace.

Kingsbarns on the Fife coast offers a small but perfectly formed clubhouse, totally in keeping with its surroundings. It’s a very cosy spot for a wee dram after what is always a thoroughly enjoyable 18 holes of links golf.

Nairn, Gleneagles and Prince’s all provide a great post-game clubhouse experience, with the versatility to accommodate groups of any size or type.

There are many more fabulous clubhouses to be found within the list but these are just a few of our favourite post-golf drinking holes. Cheers!

Let's not beat about the bush – the price of rack-rate green fees at the top courses in the UK and Ireland has risen significantly in recent years.

If you want to experience one of the tracks towards the pinnacle of our Top 100 golf courses in association with Peter Millar at a peak time, you’re going to face a hefty bill.

But there are ways to get a tee time at many venues on the list for a more reasonable price. Clubs and courses sometimes offer deals to locals, deals out of season or reduced fees towards the end of the day.

There are deals for multiple rounds, while some courses in the Top 100 simply remain relatively affordable.

Here are five money-saving strategies to consider with examples...

Twilight deals

One of the very best deals comes from Woodhall Spa, the home of England Golf. The superb Hotchkin course at the Lincolnshire venue has climbed to No.12 in the 2025/26 rankings. After the two layouts at Sunningdale, it’s our top- ranked inland track.

This summer, members of golf clubs affiliated to England Golf can play a twilight round on the Hotchkin for just £110, a discount of £120 on the standard summer green fee. Twilight times start from 3pm in mid-summer, 2pm in September and 1pm in October.

Shoulder-season rates

Playing in the spring and autumn can save you money.

At Nairn Golf Club this year, a round in March or November costs just £120, that’s a saving of £180 on the summer rate of £300.

Combination tickets

A good way to tick off two of the courses on our list and get another round at a low price is to buy the three-links ticket available at Rosapenna.

Between April 11 and October 20, international visitors can play the St Patrick’s, Sandy Hills and Old Tom Morris Links for a total of €550, a discount of 20% on the individual green fees. For Irish residents, it’s just €250 – that’s a fabulous bargain.

Two rounds in a day

If you’re prepared to play twice in a day, there are some good deals to be found. One of the best comes from Sherwood Forest Golf Club.

The standard summer green fee is £145 but if you play 36 holes in a day, it’s only £165. That effectively means you’re paying just £20 for 18 holes of golf.

That might just be the cheapest 18 holes available in our Top 100.

Less expensive courses

There are some courses in the Top 100 where the rack-rate summer green fee remains fairly low, close to the £100 mark.

Royal North Devon is £100 Sunday to Friday; Aberdovey is £110 Sunday to Thursday; Silloth on Solway, ranked 51st, is £110 all week this summer – possibly the best-value rack rate in our Top 100.

Generally, if you want to experience the very best, you have to pay for it. But if you think creatively and do some research, you can still play a Top 100 course without breaking the bank.

With its commitment to excellence and service, an offering that delivers classic and contemporary design and a drive to innovate and evolve, clothing brand, Peter Millar, is the perfect partner for Golf Monthly’s Top 100 courses.

Based in Raleigh, North Carolina, Peter Millar has grown through the years to become a complete golf and lifestyle clothing brand, producing luxury performance sportswear, active and golf apparel, plus casual and formal tailored garments.

Like all the courses in Golf Monthly’s Top 100 list, Peter Millar delivers superb variety plus high-quality design and presentation, using the very best in materials and craftsmanship. Put simply, both have an overarching objective of delivering the best products possible.

This commitment to excellence could be the reason Peter Millar is stocked in 94 of the Top 100 courses. There’s a synergy driven by the customer relationships forged with the clubs.

The brand offers quality, crested embroidery and, above all, exemplary service.

Face the elements

We know that on the golf courses of the UK and Ireland, the golfer can face all weathers.

Peter Millar has you covered. If the sun is shining, there’s a huge range of lightweight polos in a selection of vibrant and more muted colours, depending on your taste.

If the weather isn’t so kind, exceptional, high-performance rain gear will protect you and allow you to continue to perform your best. The Rain Walker suit (5 stars from Golf Monthly) was designed specifically to meet the technical needs of the Walker Cup team. It’s now available on general sale. It delivers unbelievable mobility and is highly waterproof, windproof and breathable.

In colder or windier weather, like you might encounter on one of the great links courses in the Top 100, layering is the key to comfort and performance. Peter Millar can offer a broad range of pullovers, quarter-zips, gilets and hoodies to help keep you swinging with confidence.

Collections

Peter Millar has three distinct men’s collections, each offering different expressions to suit different requirements and occasions.

Crown Sport offers fine-tuned designs with technical fabrics. It is best-in-class outerwear, inspired by classic golfing style but evolved for today.

Crown Crafted is about subtle elegance and refinement. It’s more understated and seamlessly blends performance and luxury.

Then there’s Crown, which is clean, classic and versatile. It’s designed for dressing up or dressing down and uses cotton sourced from the worlds finest mills.

On and off the course

Peter Millar’s depth of product range ensures that you have options for on and off the course. There’s great choice, be it for a one-off special purchase or the majority of your wardrobe.

The Albatross range features a selection of cotton- blend polos and quarter-zips that are perfect crossover garments. They perform superbly on the course but also offer that relaxed vibe that will suit the post-round wind-down on the terrace.

For the more traditional clubs in the Top 100 list, Peter Millar can offer beautifully tailored shirts and blazers that will be ideally suited.

Elsewhere, there are sweaters ranging from the finest cashmere to the most technical designs. There are trousers offering sporty performance, then jeans and shorts. From sneakers to loafers, belts to bags, Peter Millar has it all.

Travel in style

A visit to one of the iconic courses in the Golf Monthly Top 100 is going to be a highly memorable experience for a golfer and Peter Millar can provide the complete wardrobe to enhance the whole day.

Golfers want to travel to, and arrive at, the venue in style and comfort, and Peter Millar has an exceptional range of options to help you do that.

The Bingham blazer, trousers and shorts offer a great example. The ultra- lightweight performance fabric with stretch properties makes for the ultimate smart-casual travel option. Paired with a tailored-fit cotton shirt, you’ll arrive feeling fresh and ready to hit the fairways.

If you are playing a Top 100 venue, you want to look and perform your best. From casual or crossover travel wear to arrive in, through stylish high- performance golfing wear to play in and on to a choice of relaxed or more formal post-round attire, Peter Millar delivers the quality and versatility to perfectly accompany and complement Golf Monthly’s Top 100 courses list.

Visit www.petermillar.co.uk to discover the collection

Druids Glen Key Information

Druids Glen

Druids Glen took a brief rest away from the Golf Monthly Top 100 last time round while it was treated to a comprehensive upgrade and so was closed for most of the review period. One of the most beautiful inland courses I have played, it is now back with a bang!

Journalist-turned-golf course designer, Pat Ruddy, is perhaps best-known for his creation of and enhancements to a great number of Ireland’s spectacular modern links such as his very own European Club. But this County Wicklow course he created alongside Tom Craddock is one of the country’s very finest parkland courses, packed with challenging holes and great visual beauty.

Just a couple of miles from the coast, Druids Glen is a lush golfing oasis, complete with majestic tree-lined fairways, many thought-provoking water features, and considerably more than a splash of colour at the right time of year. It is unquestionably one of the best golf courses in Ireland.

Four Irish Opens have been played here since it opened in 1995, and it also staged the Seve Trophy in 2002. It is a layout ingeniously designed to test every facet of your game.

Consecutive holes dogleg the opposite way twice during the front nine, therefore favouring neither the fader nor the drawer. There is also water to consider on no fewer than eight of the eleven closing holes, often very dramatically.

The 8th and 12th - the latter with its famous floral Celtic cross - are both mid-length par 3s where water will be very much on your mind on the tee. Then there’s the mighty par-4 13th, one of the very toughest two-shotters you might ever face. Teeing off from way up high near the hotel, you drive down to a fairway set between a stream on the right and trees on the left. Even if you find it, you’ll still face a daunting long approach over water to a narrow green. It scared me, but I still loved it!

For good measure, there’s then a Sawgrass-style island-green at the 17th with more water defining the glorious closing hole, a super-tough par 4 that weaves its way up towards the clubhouse with a final approach over gently cascading waterfalls. The panellists who have seen the improvements were all impressed, and I very much hope to see them for myself before too long.

What's new for 2025/26? What our panellists said...

This is a really lovely place to come and play golf. The fabulous mature parkland setting combined with a very challenging, but very playable, golf course all adds up to a treat.

This is now one very special parkland venue. Originally booked for four Irish Opens even before Pat Ruddy had built it, the latest reincarnation, after a 16 month closure, has surely fulfilled its earlier promise. An inspiring venue and my favourite holes included the new fourth, to a green which juts out into a pond, and the beautiful par 3s.

The course has been recently renovated. Layout wise, there are minimal changes, excepting number four which has a relocated green shouldered by a new reduced level pond. The conditioning has been vastly improved and there are new greens to 4, 9, 10, 14 and 18.

Druids Glen Location

Druids Glen scorecard

Best Courses Close to Druids Glen

Best Places To Stay Close to Druids Glen

Druids Glen Hotel and Golf Resort - Book now via the Resort

Simply the most obvious and perfect base for a golfing visit to the area with its excellent accommodation, its rooms overlooking the course or the Wicklow mountains, its spa and comprehensive leisure facilities.

Glenview Hotel & Leisure Club - Book now at Booking.com

With stunning panoramic views and a beautiful, peaceful setting, this 4-star hotel offers superb leisure and relaxation facilities. There are 70 elegant and individually designed rooms, along with the Conservatory Bar, an award-winning leisure club and the Woodlands Restaurant which holds an AA Rosette award.

Druids Glen Course Gallery

Historical Top 100 Rankings UK&I

• 2025/26 - 88
• 2023/24 - N100
• 2021/22 - 82
• 2019/20 - 77
• 2017/18 - 73
• 2015/16 - 76
• 2013/14 - 71
• 2011/12 - 68

Frequently Asked Questions

St Andrews Castle Course Key Information

St Andrews - The Castle Course

The Castle Course took a brief rest away from the Top 100 Golf Courses UK & Ireland last time round, but is back in at 95. I am personally very pleased to see it back as I have thoroughly enjoyed it each of the times I have been lucky enough to play here. It is the most recent addition to the St Andrews Links portfolio, and delivers different views, different terrain and a quite different test. It’s an undulating rollercoaster of a course offering great fun and tremendous variety throughout.

Set on the cliffs around Kinkell Ness to the south and east of St Andrews, it was constructed to a design by David McLay Kidd, architect of the excellent new Dunas Course at Terras da Comporta in Portugal. Quite different from the courses on the links to the west of town, The Castle was built on land used over the centuries for hunting then farming.

The terrain has been sculpted to create a natural looking course with rolling fairways and severely undulating greens. Hugging the rugged coastline, the course offers stunning views out to sea and down to the historic town of St Andrews. Due to its elevated situation, I think that the wind is even more influential here than down by the water, and its direction and strength will be key to any round.

The course opens with a relatively gentle uphill par 4, before crossing the entrance road to a tough left-to-right dogleg with the first glimpses of the town beyond. A major feature of the course, and indeed one that originally attracted criticism, is the severity of some of the greens. I, too, initially found them too much, but they have been softened a little although you will certainly still encounter some challenging putts.

There are a number of spectacular holes, but the par-3 17th stands out. It’s played over a yawning ravine to a green perched on the cliff edge with the attractive clubhouse and the town’s towers and spires as a backdrop. For me, this is one of the most exciting courses in the area and it makes for a perfect alternative to the more traditional and historic links in Fife such as the Old Course, and one of the very best courses in the Next 100, Elie.

What's new for 2025/26? What our panellists said...

The experience is one of the best in St Andrews and I think it is underestimated in terms of its score on the leaderboard. It will perhaps always be overshadowed by its neighbours, which is unfortunate. You should respect this course as much as you would its neighbours.

This my new “crusade” course now that Wallasey is rightly elevated into the top 100. This is right at the top of my “which course should be a lot higher up our rankings.”

You feel slightly detached from the golfing centre, but the welcome and the difference in the experience are well worth the very short trip from town. Exhilarating golf, if not a bit extreme.

I absolutely loved it and would probably return ahead of going to the Old Course.

St Andrews Location

St Andrews Castle Course scorecard

Best Courses Close to St Andrews

Best Places To Stay Close to St Andrews

The Old Course Hotel, St Andrews - Book now at Booking.com

Overlooking the famous Road Hole on the Old Course, this fine hotel features a luxury spa and award-winning restaurant. The refurbished bedrooms have sumptuous décor and modern bathrooms.

Fairmont St Andrews - Book now at Booking.com

This 5-star hotel has two very enjoyable courses of its own, the Torrance and the Kittocks, and there is a complimentary shuttle service to the town centre. The large rooms are equipped with air conditioning, satellite TV and modern bathrooms with heated floors.

St Andrews Castle Course Gallery

Historical Top 100 Rankings UK&I

• 2025/26 - 95
• 2023/24 - N100
• 2021/22 - 89
• 2019/20 - 84
• 2017/18 - 85
• 2015/16 - 90
• 2013/14 - 91
• 2011/12 - 90

Frequently Asked Questions

Every July, when the Open Championship is played, golfers from all around the world get their fix of links golf.

And when we see the beautiful panoramic views of some of the most spectacular coastlines in Great Britain and Ireland, it so often inspires us to book a links golf getaway.

Many a golfer – especially those with deep pockets – can claim to have played every course on The Open rota.

To help you plan your own itinerary, here’s a little more on each course, including details of where each Open venue ranks in the latest Golf Monthly UK & Ireland Top 100 Courses rankings in association with Peter Millar.

2. St Andrews (Old Course) - Fife, Scotland

The Old needs no introduction – it's quite simply the spiritual home of golf. This special place is at the very heart of the sport, and the most famous course in the world.

The last time The Open was held at St Andrews was in 2022, for the championship's 150th playing. It returns in 2027 for the 155th.

No other venue has hosted more Open Championships than St Andrews' 30 stagings.

3. Trump Turberry (Ailsa Course) - South Ayrshire, Scotland

The Ailsa Course is one of the more recent newcomers so far as hosting The Open is concerned. Its first was in 1977 – and it put Turnberry on the global golfing map.

‘The Duel In The Sun’, which involved an epic battle between Tom Watson and Jack Nicklaus, is one of The Open’s most historic moments.

The four-time host venue has not held the championship since Stewart Cink pipped Tom Watson in 2009, with R&A CEO Mark Darbon saying that Turnberry's infrastructure needs to improve for The Open to return.

4. Muirfield - East Lothian, Scotland

Ask a lot of people who have played here what they remember most about Muirfield, and there’s a good chance they’ll tell you how immaculate the conditions were – they never dip below exceptional.

The last time The Open was held on this East Lothian links, Phil Mickelson struck two mighty blows onto the green of the par-5 17th to secure the Claret Jug.

It hasn't hosted since the left-hander triumphed in 2013, with Muirfield also facing infrastructure issues - particularly around the driving range.

6. Royal Birkdale - Merseyside, England

Originally designed in the late 1890s by George Lowe, Royal Birkdale was further developed by Hawtree and Taylor in the 1920s into a superb test of golf.

Since 1954, it has hosted no fewer than ten Open Championships, and it will put on number 11 in 2026. Who can forget what happened last time? Certainly not Jordan Spieth and Matt Kuchar.

Birkdale is our no.1-ranked course in England.

7. Royal Portrush (Dunluce Links) - County Antrim, Northern Ireland

The Dunluce was designed by the legendary Harry Colt, and played host to golf’s oldest Major Championship in 2019 for the first time in 68 years. Ireland’s Shane Lowry was a popular winner.

Who will triumph here in 2025?

8. Carnoustie (Championship course) - Angus, Scotland

The Championship course at Carnoustie delivers one of the sternest yet measured tests of golf of any layout in the world. There may be no views of the sea around the course, but there’s a beauty in the questions it asks.

The last time it hosted The Open was in 2018, when Italy’s Francesco Molinari triumphed. That was its eighth Open, with champions here including Padraig Harrington, Tom Watson, Gary Player and Ben Hogan.

11. Royal St George’s - Kent, England

The Kent links hosted the Championship for a 15th time in 2021, and it toasted a fine winner in America’s Collin Morikawa - who won on his Open debut in hot, dry conditions.

One of the great features of St George’s is the fact the holes point in multiple directions, so the background is always changing, so too the wind direction, whilst the green complexes are famously appealing.

13. Royal Liverpool - Wirral, England

Built in 1869, on what was then the racecourse of the Liverpool Hunt Club, Royal Liverpool (also known as Hoylake) is the second oldest of the English seaside courses, after Royal North Devon. It’s a course a lot of people don’t fall in love with immediately, but the affection will often grow.

Brian Harman is a fan. The American triumphed at a very wet Hoylake in 2023. That followed Rory McIlroy's first Claret Jug in 2014 after Tiger Woods' incredible win in 2006.

16. Royal Lytham & St Annes - Lancashire, England

Although surrounded by urbanisation, and a fair distance from the sea, the course at Royal Lytham & St Annes is a true links, famous for its devilish pot bunkers and rolling terrain.

The routing has stood the test of time and never fails to deliver a stern test of golf.

Lytham's last Open was 2012 when Ernie Els pipped a faltering Adam Scott, and it's currently not booked in for another one. It's unclear whether The Open will ever return to this supreme links, as its footprint is no longer thought to be big enough to hold a modern day Open Championship with 300,000 spectators and everything else that comes with the Major.

20. Royal Troon (Old course) - South Ayrshire, Scotland

The Open returned to Royal Troon in South Ayrshire in 2024 for the first time since Henrik Stenson’s memorable victory over Phil Mickelson, with Xander Schauffele shooting a stunning final round to win his second Major.

The course has three distinct sections: the first six head out along the coast; holes 7 to 12 ask more technical questions, moving through the dunes; then the challenge ramps up with the final six holes generally playing into the wind.

Troon, next door to Prestwick, is of course known for the Postage Stamp - one of the most famous par-3s in the world.

43. Royal Cinque Ports, Kent, England

The two-time Open venue Royal Cinque Ports follows a broadly out-and-back routing with one or two deviations, including an Old Course-style loop at the far end.

Going out, you’ll hug the sea wall closely in places, which makes for some memorable holes. The course has also benefitted hugely from Martin Ebert’s judicious and selective design touch in recent years.

It now hosts Open Final Qualifying each year.

44. Prestwick - South Ayrshire, Scotland

A lot has changed has changed at Prestwick – another links beauty in Ayrshire – since it hosted the first of its 24 Opens in 1860.

However, its glorious, rumpled terrain still provides a tangible link with the challenge Old Tom Morris and co would have faced.

73. Prince’s (Shore/Himalayas) - Kent, England

In 1932, The Open visited Prince’s for what would prove to be the first and only time. Gene Sarazen set a new scoring record for the Championship of 283 using the newly invented sand wedge.

All three nines (there’s also the Dunes) at Prince’s have benefited from a transformational and hugely impressive upgrade under the guidance of Martin Ebert.

This superb links venue is right next door to Royal St George's and is home to a brilliant lodge - which is where Collin Morikawa stayed during his 2021 victory.

N/A. Musselburgh - East Lothian, Scotland

Musselburgh Links played a critical part in the early development of The Open.

Arguably the oldest golf course still in existence, Musselburgh Links, which runs through a popular race-track, hosted six Open Championships up until 1889.

Back in the Summer of 2009, Golf Monthly published a feature in which Jeremy Ellwood accompanied reader John Howlett as he completed playing all of the Top 100 courses in the UK&I. This took place at Loch Lomond, and the pair were joined by John’s son Michael, and his grandson Connor.

Sadly, John was in the latter stages of cancer and passed away the following year. One of his enduring legacies, however, is that the course-collecting gene has been inherited by both Michael and Connor. So much so, that Michael has himself just completed playing the entire 2021/22 Golf Monthly Top 100. This he did with Connor on a lovely April's day at the excellent Dumbarnie Links in Fife, where manager David Scott was waiting to congratulate him as he returned to the clubhouse.

The day spent at Loch Lomond was several years before reader opinion led to Golf Monthly excluding from the rankings the very small number of clubs that do not accept regular green fee visitors. There are many golfers such as Michael who are keen to play and tick off as many as possible of the Top 100 and Next 100, and they understandably don’t want to be tempted by courses they cannot visit.

Michael is a 51 year-old self-employed plumber, married to Vicky and with three children of whom Connor, 28, is the only other golfer. Michael has been a member at Ashton-in-Makerfield, situated between Liverpool and Manchester, for more than 40 years. Having achieved single figures, he now plays off what he describes as “a very poor 13!"

It was John who initiated the Howlett quest for playing the top 100 courses, and Michael’s earliest memory related to this was on a 2-week family holiday touring Scotland with his mum and sister… who both disliked golf! The first course he was able to tick off was Royal Dornoch, not a bad start, and he and his father played another handful during the holiday.

A generation on, and the same thing still happens with Michael heading off with Connor for a sneaky game while on family holidays.

Michael’s finest performance on his mission has been a 3-over gross on the lovely East Course at Saunton… “unfortunately a feat never to be repeated!” He has hit “many, many bad shots on these wonderful courses”, but also some real pearls including the first of his four holes-in-one which came on the 8th at Royal Cinque Ports.

Another wonderful golfing memory is playing The Old Course twice. The first time; no lost balls, no bunkers found and a gross 83. The second time, an eagle on the 3rd, 1-under gross after 10, but then turning into the wind to be 14-over for the final 8!

According to Michael, “To play the top 100 courses, we always try to do it in as cost-effective a way as possible. This means playing them in clusters, usually getting in about 6 or 7 rounds over 4 days. Playing this much golf, as well as all the travelling, eating and drinking really is a challenge… although my wife doesn't see it that way! We try to book them in low season, a week or so before the prices increase.”

Generally lucky with the weather, Michael has one tale to tell of when he booked to play at our number one course, Royal County Down, as a Christmas present for his father. This ended up being his dad’s favourite-ever course, and they played in January at a very welcoming rate… unlike the weather. “It was brutal! Cold, snow, torrential rain, we were the only ones on the course, and the secretary was waiting on the 18th green to welcome us home and offer us a partial refund because of the conditions.”

Also with his father, at Doonbeg, he was teamed up with a pair of Americans who asked how they had travelled over from England. Michael explained they had come by boat, so which the reply was, "Gee Mike, you like to sail?"

Asked to list his personal favourites, Michael is reluctant as there are so many wonderful courses, but nonetheless lists Tralee, Formby, Berkshire (Blue), Kingsbarns, and “last but not least, the Marquess’ Course at Woburn. This is where I've told my wife to scatter my ashes on the split fairway on the par-5 7th. A hole that I managed to get a 10 on… the beauty of the hole distracted me too much!”

The recently updated 2023/24 Top 100 includes two courses Michael has not played. Tandridge, which is where the author of this article plays who would be more than happy to welcome him for a game, and the stunning new St Patrick’s Links at Rosapenna.

A final word from Michael, “I’ve already booked flights, golf, hotels and car hire for June - starting at Portsalon and then all 3 courses at Rosapenna - hopefully 36 holes on the Saturday and Sunday - very understanding wife!”

Story Update - July 2023

As explained above, the Top 100 is a regularly moving feast as it is updated every two years. Since its first publication, there have always been a handful of changes, and there was no exception when the 2023/24 list was revealed this May. Happily, following a flying visit to Rosapenna, Michael then drove down with Connor to re-complete (if there is such a word !) his feat with a game at Tandridge.

Golf Monthly's Rob Smith is a member at the club, which kindly offered courtesy to mark his feat, so he and Jeremy joined the Howletts as Michael once again reached his sacred goal.

Now it is Connor's turn! He is on 42 and hits the ball a mile. While he's still some way to go, there is no doubting that the drive and passion is there so it will be fascinating to follow his progress and see if he can make it father, son AND grandson.

Want To Be A Golf Course Rater? Join Our Top 100 Panel

PLEASE NOTE THAT APPLICATIONS FOR THE 2025/26 REVIEW PERIOD ARE NOW CLOSED

The biennial Top 100 Golf Courses UK & Ireland as well as the Next 100 lists are compiled with the assistance of a team of around three dozen experienced, enthusiastic and knowledgeable readers. Most importantly, each panellist will have played many courses of differing styles and standards, and ideally, each has played a minimum of 20 courses in the existing Top 100. This is key because all of the courses are wonderful. It therefore becomes a matter of working out which are actually even better than the others!

All panellists should be based in the UK or Ireland, and be able to commit to visiting and reviewing a minimum of ten contender clubs (from our shortlist of approximately 140 courses) during the review period. For the next set of rankings for 2027/28, this window will run from the summer of 2025 to late autumn 2026. There are more details on how we rank golf courses in the Top 100 section of the website.

All panellists are expected to arrange their own visits, beginning with a polite and friendly email to the club. They also pay for their own expenses such as travel, food and drink, and any associated accommodation. We believe that the integrity of the process relies on this. Each is supplied with a PDF 'letter of introduction' that explains they are an assessor for Golf Monthly.

In return, the majority of our contender clubs offer courtesy, although some do now charge a discounted reviewer's rate. Happily, we now find that most panellists also complete some of their reviews as a secret shopper; by playing in matches, society or corporate events, with friends who are members, or on golfing days out or trips further afield with friends. We very much welcome all such assessments. Another benefit is that great friendships are formed, and there is a biennial get-together which last time round was at Dumbarnie Links.

Although the group we have now is extremely strong, there is naturally a small turnover of personnel from time to time. In addition, it is healthy to seek fresh ideas and input. Golf Monthly's content and its audience is increasingly diverse, and we are keen to mirror this. We are therefore particularly interested in applications from women and younger golfers so long as they have the experience mentioned above. It is also worth noting that for the sake of impartiality, we do not allow golf industry professionals on the panel.

There will be just a handful of places on offer this time round, so if you are interested, then please email Rob Smith at r.smith896@btinternet.com between April 15th and April 30th, and he will send you more details about how to apply.

How We Rank Golf Courses

It is hard to believe that Golf Monthly has now reached two decades of UK and Ireland Top 100 golf course rankings.

What was initially a keen but tentative foray into defining the Top 120 courses in the UK&I has evolved into a solid, stable and well-respected process that is open, democratic and comprehensive.

Based on feedback from clubs, assessors and, of course, our readership, we have developed a method that makes a subjective process as objective and complete as possible.

By concentrating on just one set of rankings – the Top 100 and Next 100 – and by taking time to do so properly, we feel confident that this is as trustworthy a list of must-play courses as you will find anywhere.

NO SIGNIFICANT CHANGE TO THE TOP 100 PROCESS

The integrity and stability of our rankings stem from longstanding reliable criteria. They took years to refine but didn’t change at all this time.

Most of the valuable feedback we receive tells us they are relatable and fair. The result is a ranking with fewer major changes than ever.

We have five broad and enduring categories, weighted for importance: quality of test and design (35 marks); conditioning and presentation (30); visual appeal (15); facilities (10); and the visitor experience (10). However, for the 2025/26 review window, we are making a small change to the marking to reflect that conditioning is temporary (and usually extremely good) and that visual appeal is actually extremely important to most golfers. Accordingly, conditioning and presentation will drop to 25 while visual appeal will increase to 20.

But we recognise that applying marks still involves some degree of opinion, so we also look very closely at the written reports and descriptions submitted by the panel.

Every two-year cycle, we ensure that each contender course is visited for a number of fresh assessments to keep our rankings as up-to-date as possible. The contenders are our existing Top 100 plus 40 or so from our Next 100 we feel have the greatest chance of promotion.

Between us, we have visited every course in the Top 200. We liaise with all the clubs, and are very grateful for their support and cooperation. In addition, many ‘secret shopper’ visits take place – games with friends, club matches, society visits, holidays and so on.

Below are the weighted criteria used by Golf Monthly assessors when visiting/rating one of the Contender Courses during each 2-year cycle.

For clarification, the Contender Courses are all of those in the current Top 100 plus 40 or so from the Next 100 that we consider stand the best chance of making the leap. Based on strong feedback from readers, many of whom use these lists to plan future trips and days out, the Golf Monthly rankings do not include the very small number of UK&I clubs such as Wentworth and Loch Lomond who do not accept regular green fee visitors.

QUALITY OF TEST AND DESIGN (35 Marks)

• Is there a good balance of par 3s, 4s and 5s
• Is there a good balance of longer and shorter par 4s
• How varied are the par 3s (style/direction)
• Is risk/reward a factor
• How well placed are the hazards
• How fair is the course
• Are there any weak holes
• Is there a signature/stand-out/feature hole - if so, which
• How well is the course defended by hazards and nature
• How memorable are the individual holes - and the course as a whole
• How well do the holes flow together from 1-18
• Are a wide variety of shots tested and are you required to use most of the clubs in your bag
• How difficult is the course for your handicap category

CONDITION AND PRESENTATION (25 Marks)

• The teeing areas
• The fairways
• The green approaches and surrounds
• The greens themselves - pace, trueness and consistency
• Presentation of bunkers
• Quality and consistency of sand in bunkers
• How well-defined are the fairways from the semi-rough and the rough
• Is wear and tear from golf traffic (walkers, carts, buggies) well-managed throughout
• Quality of course furniture (tee markers, signage etc)
• If visiting outside the recognised playing season, is this course in better than expected condition?

VISUAL APPEAL (20 Marks)

• How aesthetically pleasing is the course to look at
• How interesting and inspiring are the views on offer of the area surrounding the course
• Is the course in keeping with its surroundings
• What sort of flora and fauna are present on and around the course

FACILITIES (10 Marks)

• Clubhouse - view from outside
• Clubhouse - view from inside looking out
• Clubhouse - standard of décor
• Clubhouse - facilities (locker rooms etc)
• Clubhouse - catering and bar
• Clubhouse - overall feeling
• Halfway Hut
• Quality of club’s website
• Quality of the practice facilities

EXPERIENCE (10 Marks)

• What is the welcome like for visiting golfers
• Is there a sense of occasion visiting the club
• What sort of value for money would it be
• And the almost undefinable, how great was it to visit

IMPROVING TO STAY THE SAME

Standards of conditioning and presentation are better than ever. The skill of our brilliant greenkeepers means that other than when extreme weather causes temporary hiccups, our courses have never played or looked better.

This raises an important point – simply to maintain its ranking, each course actually has to improve. There is also substantial, long-term work going on at several contender courses that is very much on our radar and will require a closer look next time as it reaches fruition.

COURSES FOR EVERYONE

Based on reader feedback, in 2017 we decided to exclude exclusive golf courses where you cannot pay a regular green fee. Unlike the States, the UK&I has relatively few such clubs that would be on the contender list, so with planning, any keen golfer can play each of the fabulous courses in our rankings.

Our Top 100 and Next 100 truly are lists created for regular golfers by regular golfers.

GREEN FEES

With more clubs moving to dynamic pricing, and the wide array of fees that depend on season, day, time, number of golfers, replay rates, etc, we have decided not to display Green Fees this time round.

The Top 100 Panel

Our real strength is that we are able to rely on our dedicated reader panel to complement the review visits made by staff. This time, we were keen for our panel to be more representative of the full breadth of golfers who use and enjoy our rankings, so we increased the number significantly with both female and younger golfers.

We now have our strongest panel yet. They do this for the love of golf and golf courses. They receive no payment or expenses, and we are extremely grateful for all their efforts. Anyone interested in joining the panel should check out the Top 100 golf courses section on our website.

Preparing the Next 100 is a more subjective process than our main UK and Ireland Top 100 courses in association with Peter Millar - and we make no apology for the fact that this list is more volatile. There are courses here that are constantly knocking on the Top 100 door, a further vast majority whose worthiness of a place in the Next 100 is obvious, and a small minority whose presence is perhaps more open to debate.

Generally speaking, comparing courses from 150 round to perhaps 250 is even more marginal, and we do not have the resources to assess courses outside of our contender list every two years. This is also the reason why we do not actually rank the Next 100; suffice to say, though, they are all excellent.

Updating the Next 100 involves listening to recommendations and feedback from staff and panellists from their travels during the review window, as well as keeping a keen eye on all that is happening throughout the UK and Ireland. This time round we are showcasing five new entries – three in England and two from Ireland.

Some might disagree, but it is likely that, for many of us, the Next 100 is actually a more playable and enjoyable list of courses. Here, fun and adventure are more to the fore, and there is often a more relaxed atmosphere, not to mention a greater degree of wallet-friendly affordability. Our Next 100 is a collection of diverse and brilliant courses packed with variety and charm.

Golf Monthly UK&I Next 100 2025/26

In alphabetical order...

• The Addington
• Archerfield (Fidra)
• Ardglass
• Ashburnham
• Ashridge
• Ballyliffin (Old)
• Beau Desert
• The Belfry (Brabazon)
• Blackmoor
• Blackwell
• Boat of Garten
• Brocket Hall (Palmerston) - New entry
• Brora
• Carlow (Deerpark) - New entry
• Carton House (Montgomerie)
• Castlerock (Mussenden)
• Castletown
• Cavendish
• Celtic Manor (Twenty Ten)
• Chart Hills
• Close House (Lee Westwood Colt)
• Concra Wood
• Conwy
• Cowdray - New entry
• Coxmoor
• Crail (Balcomie)
• Crowborough Beacon
• Delamere Forest
• Donegal
• Dooks
• Dunbar
• East Devon
• Elie
• Enville (Highgate)
• Fairmont St Andrews (Torrance)
• Fulford
• Gleneagles (PGA Centenary)
• Goodwood (Downs)
• Goswick Links
• The Grove
• Gullane (No.2)
• Hayling
• Hindhead
• Huntercombe
• Ipswich (Purdis Heath)
• K Club (Palmer North)
• Killarney (Killeen)
• Kilmarnock Barassie (Barassie Links)
• Kilspindie
• Knole Park
• Ladybank
• Lindrick
• Little Aston
• Littlestone
• London (International)
• Lough Erne
• Luffenham Heath
• Luffness New
• Lundin
• Machrihanish Dunes
• Machynys
• Monifieth (Medal)
• Montrose (1562)
• Moray (Old)
• Narin and Portnoo
• New Zealand
• North Hants
• Panmure
• Pennard
• Piltdown
• Pleasington
• Portmarnock Resort (Jameson Links)
• Portsalon
• Prestbury
• Pyle and Kenfig
• Remedy Oak
• Rolls of Monmouth
• Royal Ashdown Forest (Old)
• Royal Dublin
• Royal Wimbledon
• Sandiway
• Schloss Roxburghe
• Seacroft
• Seascale
• Seaton Carew (Old)
• Sheringham
• Slaley Hall (Hunting)
• Southerndown
• Southerness
• Spey Valley (Championship)
• St Andrews (Duke's)
• St Andrews (Jubilee)
• St Annes Old Links
• St Mellion (Nicklaus)
• Stoneham
• Strandhill - New entry
• Tenby
• Thorndon Park
• Trump Turnberry (King Robert The Bruce)
• West Surrey - New entry

NEW: Top 100 golf courses UK and Ireland 2025/26

A very warm welcome to the 2023/24 Golf Monthly rankings, the tenth biennial list of the Top 100 Courses in the UK & Ireland. Having begun life as a Top 120, the process was refined in 2009/10 to make it a Top 100 at the same time as a second tier was added – the Next 100.

We continue to believe that what sets our rankings apart is that they are compiled entirely by knowledgeable, regular club golfers who are enthusiastic about golf course architecture.

For this update, a bigger reader panel allowed us to achieve a record number of well over 700 assessment visits right across the UK&I. To provide stability and balance, the senior panel has remained the same since our third edition in 2009/10.

What became clear from this increased number of reviews is that, with few exceptions, the quality of golf on offer continues to improve. This makes determining exact positions and, in particular, deciding on those just inside and outside the cut-off points, more difficult than ever.

We’ve worked for many years towards a ranking that is robust and sensible, so there are now few big leaps or falls. Most of us are particularly keen to see which new courses have made it in. This is always bittersweet as it means others have to make way for them despite still being fabulous courses.

There are six newcomers to whet the appetite this time – one brand new stunner, two re-entries, and three where major improvements have led to their promotion.

No-one will agree with everything, but that’s fine because, as objective and representative as we try to make the process, it will always be the topic of endless debate among golfers.

We are delighted to welcome Peter Millar as our partner for the 2023/24 Top 100 rankings. Peter Millar is one of the world’s leading premium apparel brands, and one that very much shares our vision for celebrating the best of the best.

We very much hope that you will enjoy our new rankings and be inspired to visit some of these quite brilliant courses.

Prices shown for green fees range from lowest quoted 18-hole fee (sometimes a twilight or winter rate) up to a 36-hole high-season rate (where available). Some clubs offer local resident or hotel guest rates. Winter rates may require the use of fairway mats at some courses. For full details contact the clubs or visit their websites.

Top 100 Courses Quick Links

• 1-10 courses
• 11-20 courses
• 21-30 courses
• 31-40 courses
• 41-50 courses
• 51-60 courses
• 61-70 courses
• 71-80 courses
• 81-90 courses
• 91-100 courses
• Full List
• The Process

Next: 11-20 Courses

1-10

1. ROYAL COUNTY DOWN GOLF CLUB CHAMPIONSHIP COURSE

• Location: Newcastle, County Down, Northern Ireland
• Founded: 1889
• Designed by: Old Tom Morris, George Combe, Harry Vardon and Harry Colt
• Green fee: £150-£425
• 23/24 ranking: No change

For many, Royal County Down enjoys arguably the most spectacular setting of any of our traditional links and represents the pinnacle of golf within these shores. With its rollercoaster fairways, blind shots, beautifully natural bunkering and majestic views it delivers a golfing experience without equal.

The ride through the dunes is always exhilarating and often challenging with the Mountains of Mourne providing the glorious backdrop. When the gorse is in bloom, there’s no lovelier place to play. The golfing experience matches the pedigree, with many standout holes, such as the much-photographed par-3 4th from an elevated tee. On the 9th, the town forms the backdrop as your fire one away over a crest to the hidden fairway miles below, and there’s a real sense of anticipation as you stride over the top to see if your perfect drive is as perfect as you thought.

- Royal County Down review and key info

2. ST ANDREWS LINKS OLD COURSE

• Location: St Andrews, Fife, Scotland
• Opened: 1552
• Designed by: Old Tom Morris and Daw Anderson (1850s)
• Green fee: £190-£295
• 23/24 ranking: No change

Is there anything that can be said about the Old Course that has not been said before? Almost certainly not. In which case there can be no shame in repeating that it is quite simply the spiritual home of golf. It is at the very heart of the sport, it is the most famous course in the world, and on any serious list of Must Play, Bucket List courses, this really should be top.

It is also different from any other course in the world. There are just eleven greens, only two short holes and two par 5s, it is open to all and it attracts golfers from all over the world, but is closed for golf on Sundays.

It is, in almost every way, unique. Golf has been played over this rolling land since the 15th-Century, and the provenance and evolution of the Old Course is such that its architect is quite simply Nature. With bunkers hiding in the most unexpected places and greens that can confound the first-time visitor, a caddie here is more necessary than perhaps anywhere. There’s the Swilcan Burn, Hell’s Bunker and The Coffins, the Road Hole and its own take-no-prisoners bunker, the Swilcan Bridge and the Valley of Sin. There is everything!

- St Andrews Old review and key info

3. TRUMP TURNBERRY RESORT AILSA COURSE

• Location: Turnberry, Ayrshire, Scotland
• Founded: 1902
• Designed by: Archibald Kennedy and William Fernie (Martin Ebert redesign 2016)
• Green fee: £175-£475
• 23/24 ranking: Up 1

The Ailsa Course is one of the more recent newcomers to host The Open. Its first was in 1977 and this put Turnberry on the global golfing map as the final round developed into one of the all-time classics. Tom Watson edged it by just one stroke from Jack Nicklaus. The Open has returned three times, most recently in 2009, since when the course has been greatly improved. Martin Ebert, who had made some earlier changes, was given a far more expansive remit and resources and the course reopened in 2016.

Every hole had received a substantial wash and brush-up, with the most exciting changes occurring out by the lighthouse. The first of these was the creation of a spectacular par 3, the 9th. This is now a daunting prospect from the back tee, played over the cliffs and crags to a new green right by of the lighthouse. The new 10th is a thrilling par 5 along the cliffs, and the 11th is another new hole, a picture-perfect par 3 that yet again flirts with danger all the way on the left.

- Trump Turnberry Ailsa review and key info

4. MUIRFIELD

• Location: Gullane, East Lothian, Scotland
• Founded: 1744 (course opened: 1922)
• Designed by: Old Tom Morris, Harry Colt and Tom Simpson
• Green fee: £150-£495
• 23/24 ranking: Down 1

Effectively playing as two loops of nine holes, with the wind coming at the player from every point on the compass during the round, Muirfield is a simply fabulous design, providing a stringent examination of every aspect of the game, both physical and mental. For many, it’s the fairest links test of all, with everything laid out in front of you.

The course is always immaculately conditioned, and the turf is a joy to play from. The course is strong throughout, but the run for home is particularly tough with par being a very good score at the two challenging par 3s, the 13th and 16th. The par-5 17th provides a birdie chance though, and the opportunity for drama right at the end of a round. In the 2013 Open Championship, Phil Mickelson struck two mighty blows onto the green to secure the win.

The Open Championship has visited Muirfield on 16 occasions and the East Lothian links has been the scene of some of the most thrilling instalments of golf’s greatest tournament. It’s a historic golfing venue and a real experience to visit.

- Muirfield review and key info

5. ROYAL BIRKDALE GOLF CLUB

• Location: Southport, Merseyside, England
• Founded: 1889
• Designed by: Fred Hawtree and JH Taylor
• Green fee: £185-£320
• 23/24 ranking: Up 2

Originally designed in the late 1890s by George Lowe, this pre-eminent links was further developed by Hawtree and Taylor in the 1920s into a magnificent test of golf. Since 1954 it has hosted no fewer than ten Open Championships with the roll-call of victors including Arnold Palmer, Lee Trevino and Tom Watson.

The design ethos here has been to run the holes through the dunes rather than over them, the result being a very honest test that receives universal praise. The four par 3s are all very strong and engaging, with perhaps the standout being the 12th which is played to a steep-fronted green set in an amphitheatre of dunes. A sublime and endlessly varied links that’s simply the best course in England.

- Royal Birkdale review and key info

6. ROYAL DORNOCH GOLF CLUB CHAMPIONSHIP COURSE

• Location: Dornoch, Sutherland, Scotland
• Founded: 1877
• Designed by: John Sutherland/Old Tom Morris/George Duncan
• Green fee: £150-£400
• 23/24 ranking: No change

The philanthropist and industrialist Andrew Carnegie said of his home in Dornoch, “If there is heaven on earth, it is here.”

It is a captivating place that will leave an indelible imprint on the memory. It’s a beautiful setting and an equally attractive golf course, the holes blend so naturally with the surroundings it would be hard to believe it has not existed since time began. Royal Dornoch is a forward-thinking club and is always looking to improve its already tremendous offering. Following dramatic improvements to the 7th hole, work has been undertaken to enhance the 8th hole. The tees have been shifted to change the playing characteristics and a significant amount of gorse and soil has been removed to open up the vistas of hills and sea.

- Royal Dornoch review and key info

7. CARNOUSTIE GOLF LINKS CHAMPIONSHIP COURSE

• Location: Carnoustie, Angus, Scotland
• Founded: 1842
• Designed by: Allan Robertson, Old Tom Morris and James Braid
• Green fee: £198-£282
• 23/24 ranking: Down 2

The Championship course at Carnoustie delivers one of the sternest yet measured tests of golf of any layout in the world. It’s a course that demands both skill and strategy. There may be no views of the sea around the course at Carnoustie but the terrain is pure links.

The turf is firm and sandy over natural bumps and hollows. The narrow fairways are protected by rough, streams and magnetic bunkering as they pick their way carefully towards the vast, supremely maintained, and often fast, greens. It's a great championship venue and was most recently used for The Open in 2018 when Francesco Molinari plotted his way over the baked fairways to a memorable victory.

- Carnoustie review and key info

8. ROYAL PORTRUSH GOLF CLUB DUNLUCE COURSE

• Location: Portrush, County Antrim, Northern Ireland
• Founded: 1888
• Designed by: Harry Colt
• Green fee: £295
• 23/24 ranking: No change

The Dunluce was designed by the legendary Harry Colt, one of the greatest golf course architects of all time. Even before two new holes were introduced in preparation for the 2019 Open Championship, there were plenty who felt it was already right up there with the very best golf courses in Ireland.

Packed with sublime golf, selecting a stand-out hole would be tough but the par-4 5th is a quite spectacular hole where you drive from an elevated tee down to the fairway before you turn right towards the ocean.

The final par 3 is a classic, the super-tough 16th, Calamity Corner.

- Royal Portrush Dunluce review and key info

9. SUNNINGDALE GOLF CLUB OLD COURSE

• Location: Sunningdale, Berkshire, England
• Opened: 1901
• Designed by: Willie Park Jr
• Green fee: £325-£550
• 23/24 ranking: No change

A Willie Park Jnr design that was opened for play in 1901, the Old Course at Sunningdale Golf Club is a superb heathland layout set amidst the pines, with heather-lined fairways leading to fabulous putting surfaces that are famously smooth and true.

The course delivers a classic test of heathland golf, where placement and strategy must be to the fore. The greens and surrounds are always immaculate. A deft short game is essential for success around the Old Course.

Walking up the final hole towards the striking clubhouse and the iconic old oak tree, one gets a sense of the golfing gravitas exuded by the place. Sunningdale Golf Club occupies an important place within the sport.

- Sunningdale Old Course review and key info

10. SUNNINGDALE GOLF CLUB NEW COURSE

• Location: Sunningdale, Berkshire, England
• Opened: 1923
• Designed by: Harry Colt
• Green fee: £325-£550
• 23/24 ranking: No change

Designed by Colt and Morrison and opened in 1923, the great Harry Colt’s influence on the New Course at Sunningdale is perhaps best evidenced by the five, wonderful par 3s on the course.

Each demands a precise tee shot, often to a deceptively narrow landing area. Only one of the five measures over 200 yards. It’s testament to the fact clever design rather than length makes a short hole challenging.

There are some stunning views as you make your way round the New Course. Perhaps the best comes on the 6th tee. From an elevated position you look out over the surrounding countryside before firing down to the fairway below. It’s an inspiring spot and the course is inspiring throughout.

- Sunningdale New Course review and key info

Top 100 Courses Quick Links

• 1-10 courses
• 11-20 courses
• 21-30 courses
• 31-40 courses
• 41-50 courses
• 51-60 courses
• 61-70 courses
• 71-80 courses
• 81-90 courses
• 91-100 courses
• Full List
• The Process

Next: 11-20 Courses

Full Top 100 Courses UK&I List

• 1. Royal County Down Golf Club Championship Course, Northern Ireland - no change
• 2. St Andrews Links Old Course, Scotland - no change
• 3. Trump Turnberry Resort Ailsa Course, Scotland - up 1
• 4. Muirfield, Scotland - down 1
• 5. Royal Birkdale Golf Club, England - up 2
• 6. Royal Dornoch Golf Club Championship Course, Scotland - no change
• 7. Carnoustie Golf Links Championship Course, Scotland - down 2
• 8. Royal Portrush Golf Club Dunluce Links, Northern Ireland - no change
• 9. Sunningdale Golf Club Old Course, England - no change
• 10. Sunningdale Golf Club New Course, England - no change
• 11. Royal St George's Golf Club, England - no change
• 12. Royal Liverpool Golf Club, England - no change
• 13. Woodhall Spa Golf Club Hotchkin Course, England - up 5
• 14. Royal Lytham & St Annes Golf Club, England - down 1
• 15. Kingsbarns Golf Links, Scotland - no change
• 16. Royal Aberdeen Golf Club Balgownie Course, Scotland - no change
• 17. Royal Troon Golf Club Old Course, Scotland - no change
• 18. Trump International Golf Links Scotland - down 4
• 19. The European Club, Ireland - no change
• 20. Cabot Highlands Castle Stuart Golf Links, Scotland - up 1
• 21. Royal Porthcawl Golf Club, Wales - up 1
• 22. Waterville Golf Links, Ireland - down 2
• 23. Ballybunion Golf Club Old Course, Ireland - up 2
• 24. The Golf Course at Adare Manor, Ireland - down 1
• 25. St George's Hill Golf Club Red & Blue Course, England - down 1
• 26. Lahinch Golf Club Old Course, Ireland - no change
• 27. Burnham & Berrow Golf Club Championship Course, England - up 1
• 28. Portmarnock Golf Club Red & Blue Course, Ireland - down 1
• 29. North Berwick Golf Club, Scotland - up 1
• 30. Hankley Common Golf Club, England - up 2
• 31. Hillside Golf Club, England - no change
• 32. Old Head Golf Links, Ireland - up 1
• 33. Walton Heath Golf Club Old Course, England - down 4
• 34. Ganton Golf Club, England - no change
• 35. Swinley Forest Golf Club, England - up 4
• 36. Gleneagles Golf Resort King's Course, Scotland - up 2
• 37. Nairn Golf Club Championship Course, Scotland - down 2
• 38. Hollinwell The Home of Notts GC, England - down 1
• 39. St Enodoc Golf Club Church Course, England - down 3
• 40. Dumbarnie Links, Scotland - no change
• 41. The Berkshire Golf Club Red Course, England - up 1
• 42. Formby Golf Club, England - down 1
• 43. Prestwick Golf Club, Scotland - up 1
• 44. Rosapenna Hotel & Golf Resort Sandy Hills Course, Ireland - up 2
• 45. Royal Cinque Ports Golf Club, England - up 8
• 46. Western Gailes Golf Club, Scotland - up 1
• 47. Trump International Golf Links Doonbeg, Ireland - down 4
• 48. Tralee Golf Club, Ireland - no change
• 49. Royal St David's Golf Club, Wales - down 4
• 50. Gleneagles Golf Resort Queen's Course, Scotland - up 8
• 51. Silloth on Solway Golf Club, England - no change
• 52. The Machrie Hotel & Golf Links, Scotland - no change
• 53. Liphook Golf Club, England - up 2
• 54. Alwoodley Golf Club, England - down 4
• 55. Saunton Golf Club East Course, England - down 6
• 56. The Berkshire Golf Club Blue Course, England - no change
• 57. Walton Heath Golf Club New Course, England - down 3
• 58. West Sussex Golf Club, England - down 1
• 59. Southport & Ainsdale Golf Club, England - up 3
• 60. Worplesdon Golf Club, England - up 3
• 61. Rosapenna Hotel & Golf Resort St Patrick's Links, Ireland - new entry
• 62. County Louth Golf Club, Ireland - down 3
• 63. Royal West Norfolk Golf Club, England - down 3
• 64. Gullane Golf Club No.1 Course, Scotland - down 3
• 65. Rye Golf Club Old Course, England - no change
• 66. Cruden Bay Golf Club Championship Course, Scotland - up 3
• 67. Machrihanish Golf Club Championship Course, Scotland - down 3
• 68. Moortown Golf Club, England - down 2
• 69. West Hill Golf Club, England - up 2
• 70. Ballyliffin Golf Club Glashedy Course, Ireland - down 2
• 71. The Island Golf Club, Ireland - up 1
• 72. Hunstanton Golf Club, England - down 5
• 73. Woburn Golf Club Marquess' Course, England - no change
• 74. Prince's Golf Club Shore & Himalayas Course, England - up 2
• 75. St Andrews Links New Course, Scotland - down 5
• 76. Carne Golf Club Wild Atlantic Dunes Course, Ireland - re-entry
• 77. West Lancashire Golf Club, England - up 4
• 78. Saunton Golf Club West Course, England - down 3
• 79. Trevose Golf Club Championship Course, England - no change
• 80. Aldeburgh Golf Club Championship Course, England - down 3
• 81. Parkstone Golf Club, England - down 1
• 82. Blairgowrie Golf Club Rosemount Course, Scotland - down 8
• 83. Woking Golf Club, England - no change
• 84. Royal North Devon Golf Club, England - up 1
• 85. Woburn Golf Club Duke's Course, England - up 1
• 86. County Sligo Golf Club Colt Championship Links Course, Ireland - up 4
• 87. Aberdovey Golf Club, Wales - down 9
• 88. Ferndown Golf Club Old Course, England - down 1
• 89. Wallasey Golf Club, England - new entry
• 90. Sherwood Forest Golf Club, England - down 6
• 91. Murcar Links Golf Club, Scotland - up 3
• 92. Enniscrone Golf Club Dunes Course, Ireland - up 3
• 93. Woburn Golf Club Duchess' Course, England - down 1
• 94. The Grove, England - down 3
• 95. Mount Juliet Golf Club, Ireland - down 7
• 96. Broadstone Golf Club, England - down 3
• 97. Tandridge Golf Club, England - re-entry
• 98. Portstewart Golf Club Strand Course, Northern Ireland - down 1
• 99. Dundonald Links, Scotland - new entry
• 100. Gleneagles Golf Resort PGA Centenary Course, Scotland - new entry

Top 100 Courses Quick Links

• 1-10 courses
• 11-20 courses
• 21-30 courses
• 31-40 courses
• 41-50 courses
• 51-60 courses
• 61-70 courses
• 71-80 courses
• 81-90 courses
• 91-100 courses
• Full List
• The Process

Back To: 81-90 Courses

Next: Full List

91-100 Courses

91. MURCAR LINKS GOLF CLUB

• Location: Aberdeen, Scotland
• Founded: 1909
• Designed by: Archie Simpson, James Braid and George Smith
• Green fee: £140-£160
• 23/24 ranking: Up 3

An excellent and enduring course deserving of wider acclaim. Bordering the more famous Royal Aberdeen, and arguably just a touch more forgiving, Murcar is a fabulous and traditional links with elevated tees, gorse and wide views out to sea.

The course really enters its stride down by the shoreline from the par-five 4th. From then on, great and engaging golf continues all the way.

- Murcar Links review and key info

92. ENNISCRONE GOLF CLUB DUNES COURSE

• Location: Enniscrone, County Sligo, Ireland
• Founded: 1918
• Designed by: Eddie Hackett
• Green fee: €175
• 23/24 ranking: Up 3

Do not be fooled by the innocuous, Old Course-esque opening drive! Having signalled right for your approach to the first green, you then enter some of the finest and most attractive and dramatic dunes anywhere in the Top 100.

This Eddie Hackett design is simply one of the most entertaining and varied links in the country.

- Enniscrone Dunes review and key info

93. WOBURN GOLF CLUB DUCHESS' COURSE

• Location: Woburn, Buckinghamshire, England
• Opened: 1978
• Designed by: Charles Lawrie
• Green fee: £209
• 23/24 ranking: Down 1

Of all the courses in the Top 100, then from the tee, this is almost certainly the most demanding.

Beautiful pine trees line the fairways, at times like spectators straining to get a view making it scarily narrow at times. Accuracy is also vital on many approaches as the greens are relatively small, meaning that the Duchess’ requires a strategic, skilful approach.

- Woburn Duchess' review and key info

94. THE GROVE

• Location: Watford, Hertfordshire, England
• Opened: 2003
• Designed by: Kyle Phillips
• Green fee: £115-£225
• 23/24 ranking: Down 3

Designed by Kyle Phillips, this beautifully laid-out course flows naturally across an impressive swathe of mature parkland.

It played host to the WGC-American Express Championship won by Tiger in 2006 as well as the 2016 British Masters won by Alex Noren. The short holes are particularly appealing at The Grove. Conditioning and presentation is always excellent, even out of season.

- The Grove review and key info

95. MOUNT JULIET GOLF CLUB

• Location: Mount Juliet, County Kilkenny, Ireland
• Founded: 1991
• Designed by: Jack Nicklaus
• Green fee: €95-€170
• 23/24 ranking: Down 7

Jack Nicklaus’ Irish masterpiece, laid out over a vast 500-acre Kilkenny estate, has matured beautifully over the course of three decades.

Magnificent beech and oak line the fairways with water a regular feature and challenge. Despite this, there is also a feeling of great space at Mount Juliet. Few modern Irish parkland courses can rival Mount Juliet for setting and strength of test.

- Mount Juliet review and key info

96. BROADSTONE GOLF CLUB

• Location: Broadstone, Dorset, England
• Founded: 1898
• Designed by: Harry Colt
• Green fee: £125-£200
• 23/24 ranking: Down 3

Tom Dunn laid out the original course in 1898 before a 1914 Harry Colt redesign introduced several new holes to take fuller advantage of its expansive heathland setting.

More recently, Frank Pont’s dramatic bunkering on a number of holes has brought back more of the original Colt flavour. Once you’ve played Broadstone once you’ll be eager to return again and again.

- Broadstone review and key info

97. TANDRIDGE GOLF CLUB

• Location: Oxted, Surrey, England
• Founded: 1924
• Designed by: Harry Colt
• Green fee: £100-£120
• 23/24 ranking: Re-entry

This Harry Colt beauty deservedly climbs back into the top flight this time on account of excellent further progress under the guidance of architect Tim Lobb, and the course hitting peak condition in recent summers.

The testing down-and-up par-4 14th is perhaps the pick of several standout holes. Tandridge is a very solid test from start to finish, and the recent work has greatly enhanced both strategy and aesthetics.

- Tandridge review and key info

98. PORTSTEWART GOLF CLUB STRAND COURSE

• Location: Portstewart, County Londonderry, Northern Ireland
• Founded: 1894
• Designed by: Willie Park Jr and Des Giffin
• Green fee: £235
• 23/24 ranking: Down 1

Just five miles west of Royal Portrush, the Strand Course at Portstewart is one of the very best golf courses in Northern Ireland and features one of the most exciting and visually attractive front nines in the Top 100.

Plans are being formed to enhance the back nine, but this is nonetheless a thrilling design. John Rahm won the 2017 Irish Open here and was very complimentary about the course.

- Portstewart Strand review and key info

99. DUNDONALD LINKS

• Location: Gailes, Ayrshire, Scotland
• Founded: 2005
• Designed by: Kyle Phillips
• Green fee: £195 (£155 resident)
• 23/24 ranking: New entry

This ever-improving links blends the best of the old and new. The Kyle Phillips design is a modern alternative to its traditional neighbours with many memorable holes.

These include the par-4 13th which hugs the railway line and where a burn awaits short of the larger-than-life, two-tiered green. With its new clubhouse and accommodation, Dundonald Links is fulfilling its original potential.

- Dundonald review and key info

100. GLENEAGLES PGA CENTENARY

• Location: Auchterarder, Perthshire, Scotland
• Founded: 1993
• Designed by: Jack Nicklaus
• Green fee: £80-£450
• 23/24 ranking: New entry

The Ryder Cup and Solheim Cup course has matured and been worked on extensively, thus meriting its place in our Top 100.

The dramatic Ochil Hills and Ben Vorlich, provide a stunning backdrop. It’s a fabulous, stadium-style layout with a moorland feel. It’s been a test for the best professionals but is also highly enjoyable for the average golfer.

- Gleneagles PGA Centenary review and key info

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81. PARKSTONE GOLF CLUB

• Location: Poole, Dorset, England
• Founded: 1909
• Designed by: Willie Park Jr
• Green fee: £70-£150
• 23/24 ranking: Down 1

One of Bournemouth’s big-hitting trio, Parkstone is one of many UK courses that has been striving to rediscover its heathland roots in recent years. Recent improvements are now fully bedded in on this fine layout that features many attractive holes.

There are several thrilling tee-shots, such as the 3rd where you play from a causeway crossing water, and each of the short holes is a real gem.

- Parkstone review and key info

82. BLAIRGOWRIE GOLF CLUB ROSEMOUNT COURSE

• Location: Blairgowrie and Rattray, Perthshire, Scotland
• Founded: 1889
• Designed by: Alister MacKenzie and James Braid
• Green fee: £80-£120
• 23/24 ranking: Down 8

A beautiful layout that weaves its way through majestic pines. James Braid is one of the most prolific architects in the Top 100, and the Rosemount is his 1930s reworking of an earlier Alister MacKenzie design.

While finding the fairways on this tree-lined classic is more about accuracy than brute force, the reward for so doing will be the chance to play from a perfect lie.

- Blairgowrie Rosemount review and key info

83. WOKING GOLF CLUB

• Location: Woking, Surrey, England
• Founded: 1893
• Designed by: Tom Dunn
• Green fee: £100-£155
• 23/24 ranking: No change

Woking has long been regarded as architecturally significant. The short par-4 start is followed by a superb par 3 recently enhanced by the removal of a large oak and bunker improvements.

There’s no let-up in quality throughout, with the vista from the elevated 6th tee perhaps the best on the course. It is both a case study in strategic course design as well as a beautiful place to play.

- Woking review and key info

84. ROYAL NORTH DEVON GOLF CLUB

• Location: Westward Ho!, Devon, England
• Founded: 1864
• Designed by: Old Tom Morris
• Green fee: £50-£130
• 23/24 ranking: Up 1

A historic, unique and characterful seaside course, it’s golf in a pure form. Set on a flat coastal plain at the edge of Westward Ho! it’s one of the country’s most natural layouts.

Covered in sea rushes and grazed upon by sheep and wild horses, it can take a couple of rounds to begin to understand the subtleties of this great links. Although RND appears to be flat there are many undulations and run-offs to deceive and perplex.

- Royal North Devon review and key info

85. WOBURN GOLF CLUB DUKE'S COURSE

• Location: Woburn, Buckinghamshire, England
• Opened: 1976
• Designed by: Charles Lawrie
• Green fee: £160-£345
• 23/24 ranking: Up 1

The Duke’s is where it all began on the Duke of Bedford’s Woburn Estate, with Charles Lawrie crafting the first of the now three courses through avenues of pine, birch and chestnut in 1976. It's a beautifully maintained, tree-lined gem of a course offering a secluded round.

Accuracy off the tee is key around the Duke's. If you don’t have it, you’ll often find yourself playing your second shot out sideways.

- Woburn Duke's review and key info

86. COUNTY SLIGO GOLF CLUB COLT CHAMPIONSHIP LINKS

• Location: Rosses Upper, County Sligo, Ireland
• Founded: 1894
• Designed by: Harry Colt and Martin Hawtree
• Green fee: €230-€250
• 23/24 ranking: Up 4

Founded in 1894, County Sligo Golf Club at Rosses Point is a superb Harry Colt design that is one of the oldest links in Ireland. 

Throughout the round, the views of the Ox Mountains and the golfing test are outstanding. When you reach the distant loop of holes around the turn, you feel as though you are in a different world.

- County Sligo Championship review and key info

87. ABERDOVEY GOLF CLUB

• Location: Aberdovey, Gwynedd, Wales
• Founded: 1892
• Designed by: James Braid
• Green fee: £50-£130
• 23/24 ranking: Down 9

This traditional and enjoyable out-and-back links is tucked between beach and railway line. In just over 130 years, some of golf’s greatest architects have contributed to the layout including Herbert Fowler, James Braid and Harry Colt.

It is beautifully situated on the northern mouth of the Dovey estuary and runs in a figure-of-eight routing. The bunkering is visually impressive although perhaps the best hole, the short 12th, is excellent without.

- Aberdovey review and key info

88. FERNDOWN GOLF CLUB OLD COURSE

• Location: Ferndown, Dorset, England
• Opened: 1913
• Designed by: Harold Hilton
• Green fee: £80-£195
• 23/24 ranking: Down 1

Ferndown is a pristine heathland course with sandy fairways and heather lurking to either side of the mown surfaces. It's always beautifully conditioned, boasting exceptional playing surfaces.

With pine trees and firs also lining many of the holes, it’s an extremely attractive layout. Host to many top level competitions, Percy Alliss was professional at Ferndown and son Peter counted the club as his spiritual home.

- Ferndown Old review and key info

89. WALLASEY GOLF CLUB

• Location: Wallasey, Wirral, England
• Founded: 1891
• Designed by: Old Tom Morris, James Braid, Donald Steel
• Green fee: £85-£235
• 23/24 ranking: New entry

Over 130 years, Wallasey’s links has had design input from Old Tom Morris, Hawtree and Taylor, James Braid and Donald Steel.

More recently, the design and presentation has stepped up several gears under course manager, John McLaughlin, and is now a thrilling journey through some of the best dunes in English golf. Wallasey is an ever-improving links blessed with a brilliant topography.

- Wallasey review and key info

90. SHERWOOD FOREST GOLF CLUB

• Location: Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, England
• Founded: 1895
• Designed by: Harry Colt and James Braid
• Green fee: £60-£145
• 23/24 ranking: Down 6

Sherwood Forest Golf Club dates from 1895 and they have been at the same site since 1912, playing over a course originally laid out by Harry Colt but remodelled by James Braid in the 1920s.

It's an attractive, natural heathland layout lined by heathers and birches, and it's also a very testing course where placement from the tee is essential. The greens are always fast and true. 

- Sherwood Forest review and key info

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71. THE ISLAND GOLF CLUB

• Location: Donabate, County Dublin, Ireland
• Founded: 1890
• Designed by: Fred W. Hawtree, Eddie Hackett and Martin Hawtree
• Green fee: €250-€270
• 23/24 ranking: Up 1

A fine links in an idyllic setting ten miles from Dublin surrounded on three sides by water. Perhaps less well-known than it deserves to be, this superb and recently improved course weaves through some of the most awe-inspiring dunes of any older links.

Its reputation continues to grow as those improvement works, which take fuller advantage of the magnificent front-nine terrain, fully bed in.

- The Island review and key info

72. HUNSTANTON GOLF CLUB

• Location: Hunstanton, Norfolk, England
• Founded: 1891 
• Designed by: James Braid
• Green fee: £90-£150
• 23/24 ranking: Down 5

Hunstanton is a classic out and back links, with the holes largely played on either side of a sand dune ridge running down the middle of the layout.

The conditioning of the course is always excellent and sand dunes are a real feature on most holes, as are the traditional pot bunkers. It's a challenging and characterful links with a selection of fine par 3s.

- Hunstanton review and key info

73. WOBURN GOLF CLUB MARQUESS' COURSE

• Location: Woburn, Buckinghamshire, England
• Opened: 2000
• Designed by: Ross McMurray, Clive Clark, Peter Alliss and Alex Hay
• Green fee: £160-£345
• 23/24 ranking: No change

The youngest and most varied of Woburn’s three Top 100 layouts, this is a grand-scale golf course, winding its way through 200 acres of glorious countryside with plenty of majestic woodland separating the holes.

Since opening in 2000, this excellent design has hosted the British Masters four times and the Women’s British Open twice. Large greens, exquisitely crafted holes and stirring approaches are the hallmark here.

- Woburn Marquess' review and key info

74. PRINCE'S GOLF CLUB SHORE/HIMALAYAS COURSE

• Location: Sandwich, Kent, England
• Founded: 1906
• Designed by: Charles Hutchings, Guy Campbell, John Morrison and Martin Ebert
• Green fee: £80-£155
• 23/24 ranking: Up 2

All three nines at Prince’s have benefited from a transformational and hugely impressive upgrade under the expert guidance of Martin Ebert.

Sand scrapes abound, and while it is very difficult to say which two loops are the best, each of the Shore and Himalayas nines has a delightful new par 3 facing out to sea. Prince's is a brilliant, sandy and very playable reimagining that is enjoyable by all.

- Prince's Shore & Himalayas review and key info

75. ST ANDREWS LINKS NEW COURSE

• Location: St Andrews, Fife, Scotland
• Opened: 1895
• Designed by: Old Tom Morris
• Green fee: £60-£130
• 23/24 ranking: Down 5

Described by the Links Trust as ‘The oldest ‘new’ course in the world’, this Old Tom Morris design dates back to 1895.

After a reasonably forgiving start, it really starts to bite from the super-tough par-4 6th. The standout hole is the excellent, long par-3 9th along the water’s edge to a partially sunken green. The New is naturally overshadowed by its older sibling but it's still the real deal.

- St Andrews New review and key info

76. CARNE GOLF CLUB WILD ATLANTIC DUNES

• Location: Belmullet, Co. Mayo, Ireland
• Founded: 1922
• Designed by: Arthur Croome & Tom Simpson, Tom Mackenzie
• Green fee: €65-€140
• 23/24 ranking: New entry

Beautifully sited on the County Mayo coastline, Carne’s original course was in the Top 100 until being leapfrogged by others from the Next 100.

Now, the newer Kilmore has fully merged with the original back nine to create the Wild Atlantic Dunes meaning that the thrills, beauty and drama are present for a full 18. They really are a sensational addition to the original back nine.

- Carne Golf Club review and key info

77. WEST LANCASHIRE GOLF CLUB

• Location: Blundellsands, Liverpool, England
• Founded: 1873
• Designed by: C.K Cotton and Fred Hawtree
• Green fee: £90-£230
• 23/24 ranking: Up 4

West Lancs lies among a concentrated north-west cluster of very fine links golf. It can certainly prove a stern test when the wind is up. The links epitomises British seaside golf with humps, hollows, raised greens and the adjacent railway. 

Coming home, 12 and 13 stand out, an excellent par 3 where you must clear two deep pot bunkers, then a wonderful dogleg par 4 from an exposed tee.

- West Lancs review and key info

78. SAUNTON GOLF CLUB WEST COURSE

• Location: Braunton, Devon, England
• Founded: 1897
• Designed by: Herbert Fowler
• Green fee: £60-£200
• 23/24 ranking: Down 3

For many golfers, the West is the more forgiving, more varied, and most importantly more fun of the two courses at Saunton.

Lost during the war, it was redesigned by Frank Pennink and reopened in 1973. The back nine is particularly full of variety as it features three of each par.

- Saunton West review and key info

79. TREVOSE GOLF CLUB CHAMPIONSHIP COURSE

• Location: Constantine Bay, Cornwall, England
• Founded: 1925
• Designed by: Harry Colt
• Green fee: £55-£135
• 23/24 ranking: No change

A strong Colt test in a wonderful spot with a relaxed holiday feel thanks to the accommodation. The pre-round anticipation is as strong at Trevose as anywhere as the clubhouse and 1st tee enjoy a tantalisingly elevated setting gazing out over the fairways you’ll soon be treading, and on to Constantine Bay and Trevose Head.

Once out there you’ll particularly enjoy the 4th green’s backdrop of, hopefully, crashing waves.

- Trevose review and key info

80. ALDEBURGH GOLF CLUB CHAMPIONSHIP COURSE

• Location: Aldeburgh, Suffolk, England
• Founded: 1884
• Designed by: John Thompson and Willie Fernie, Willie Park Jr, JH Taylor, Hugh Alison and Harry Colt 
• Green fee: £70-£165
• 23/24 ranking: Down 3

Some years ago, Aldeburgh was synonymous with gorse! Thankfully, much has been done in recent years with more in the offing to make this very strong course more golfer-friendly.

For now, there is still a stiff par of 68 with no par 5s, and from the back there are no fewer than twelve holes in excess of 400 yards. It's a beautifully presented heathland design, packed with demanding two-shotters.

- Aldeburgh review and key info

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61. ROSAPENNA HOTEL AND GOLF RESORT ST PATRICK'S LINKS

• Location: Rosapenna, Donegal, Ireland
• Founded: 2021 
• Designed by: Tom Doak
• Green fee: €200
• 23/24 ranking: New entry

Laid out on terrain occupied by two former courses, St Patrick’s is entirely reimagined. The design by one of the modern greats – Tom Doak and his team – shows just how big imagination can be. Exceptional design and vision in a captivating setting.

This is a vast rollercoaster adventure charging through deep dune valleys and soaring over more open, tumbling terrain.

- Rosapenna St Patricks review and key info

62. COUNTY LOUTH GOLF CLUB

• Location: Baltray, County Louth, Ireland
• Founded: 1892
• Designed by: Tom Simpson
• Green fee: €100-€240
• 23/24 ranking: Down 3

The wind is almost always a factor at County Louth, or Baltray, and you need to be able to shape the ball both ways to score well.

County Louth is one of the jewels within Irish links golf, a true championship venue with a confident yet understated air about it. It’s been venue for many significant events including the Irish Open.

- County Louth review and key info

63. ROYAL WEST NORFOLK GOLF CLUB

• Location: Brancaster, Norfolk, England
• Opened: 1892
• Designed by: Holcombe Ingleby
• Green fee: £125-£195
• 23/24 ranking: Down 3

Courses like this fabulous old links give the North Norfolk coast huge appeal. 

Brancaster, which dates back to 1892, enjoys an unusual, unique setting on a spit of land between dunes and marsh, meaning that the height of the tide can have a bearing on how certain holes play. Splendidly different.

- Royal West Norfolk review and key info

64. GULLANE GOLF CLUB NO.1 COURSE

• Location: Gullane, East Lothian, Scotland
• Founded: 1882
• Designed by: Unknown
• Green fee: £105-£265
• 23/24 ranking: Down 3

The course begins on the very edge of the town of Gullane before forging uphill towards the high point at the 6th and 7th holes where the views down to Aberlady Bay and beyond are spellbinding.

The wind plays its part in any round here, particularly up on the plateau, it’s a great test of golf.

- Gullane No.1 review and key info

65. RYE GOLF CLUB OLD COURSE

• Location: Rye, East Sussex, England
• Opened: 1895
• Designed by: Harry Colt
• Green fee: Contact club
• 23/24 ranking: No change

A classic and historic links with fast-running, rumpled fairways. Founded in 1894 the original layout at Rye was designed by a 25-year-old Harry Colt. Even at that young age his talent for visualising and creating attractive and exciting holes was evident.

This is a characterful and timeless layout. A day at Rye presents the opportunity to enjoy golf as it was always intended to be played.

- Rye Old review and key info

66. CRUDEN BAY GOLF CLUB CHAMPIONSHIP COURSE

• Location: Cruden Bay, Aberdeenshire, Scotland
• Opened: 1899
• Designed by: Old Tom Morris and Archie Simpson
• Green fee: £110-£220
• 23/24 ranking: Up 3

This excellent design is way more than simply a traditional links with a strong heritage. It has a quite different feel with elevation changes and dunes that throw up the most wonderful, panoramic views.

Out in the sandhills, the real world seems happily far away. This is golfing escapism at its best.

- Cruden Bay review and key info

67. MACHRIHANISH GOLF CLUB CHAMPIONSHIP COURSE

• Location: Machrihanish, Kintyre, Scotland
• Founded: 1876
• Designed by: Old Tom Morris
• Green fee: £75-£200
• 23/24 ranking: Down 3

Make the breath-taking trek to this remote corner of Argyll and you won’t be disappointed by this Old Tom Morris classic, which really is a perfect example of fitting a golf course into the natural terrain..

The front-nine links terrain ranks among the purest you’ll encounter, with the exhilarating run from the 3rd to the turn accompanied by captivating views out to the Inner Hebrides.

- Machrihanish review and key info

68. MOORTOWN GOLF CLUB

• Location: Moortown, Leeds, Yorkshire, England
• Opened: 1909
• Designed by: Alister MacKenzie
• Green fee: £65-£150
• 23/24 ranking: Down 2

A classic urban heathland course with a rich history. Moortown Golf Club was the venue for the first Ryder Cup match to be held on British soil back in 1929.

Designed by the great Dr Alister MacKenzie in 1908, large undulating greens and deep bunkers are evidence of his contribution. With heather, birch, burns and bushes to contend with, a round here requires precision and strategy.

- Moortown review and key info

69. WEST HILL GOLF CLUB

• Location: Brookwood, Surrey, England
• Opened: 1907
• Designed by: Cuthbert Butchart
• Green fee: £90-£220
• 23/24 ranking: Up 2

A brilliant journey through the pines in Surrey’s prime heathland territory. Along with its two illustrious neighbours, West Hill is home to tip-top heathland golf.

Dating back to 1907, it is largely unchanged in terms of design though greatly and consistently improved in presentation and conditioning. There are five short holes and just two par 5s, and despite the Hill in its name, the walking is easy.

- West Hill review and key info

70. BALLYLIFFIN GOLF CLUB GLASHEDY COURSE

• Location: Ballyliffin, Donegal, Ireland
• Founded: 1995
• Designed by: Pat Ruddy and Tom Craddock
• Green fee: €220
• 23/24 ranking: Down 2

One of two brilliant courses at Ballyliffin, this was designed by the great Pat Ruddy in the mid-1990s and hosted the 2018 Irish Open.

Cleverly, it manages to combine the best of traditional links with a look and feel that is somehow modern. It’s a thrill from start to finish and features punishing bunkers and fast-running fairways.

- Ballyliffin Glashedy review and key info

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51. SILLOTH ON SOLWAY GOLF CLUB

• Location: Wigton, Cumbria
• Founded: 1892
• Designed by: David Grant and Willie Park Jr
• Green fee: £45-£90
• 23/24 ranking: No change

Resplendent along a remote coastline, Silloth on Solway is undoubtedly the best value in the Top 100.

This is a testing course about which you will rarely if ever hear a bad word. With the exception of the short 9th, it is not heavily bunkered, but all are perfectly positioned and many are very tough to escape. Silloth may be remote, but it more than rewards any effort to get here.

- Silloth on Solway review and key info

52. THE MACHRIE HOTEL AND GOLF LINKS

• Location: Isle of Islay, Scotland
• Founded: 1891
• Designed by: Willie Campbell
• Green fee: £65-£250
• 23/24 ranking: No change

Golf on whisky-rich Islay dates back to 1891, but it is DJ Russell’s recent wholesale upgrade that has really caught the golfing eye. The recent developments have rightly been attracting ever-more worldwide attention.

Magical green settings abound and with several front-nine tees right beside the beach, it is quite simply a magnificent place to play - thought-provoking too, with several strategic choices to be made.

- The Machrie review and key info

53. LIPHOOK GOLF CLUB

• Location: Liphook, Hampshire, Surrey
• Opened: 1923
• Designed by: Arthur Croome and Tom Simpson
• Green fee: £135-£160
• 23/24 ranking: Up 2

The new holes designed by Tom Mackenzie for the club’s recent centenary to improve the routing and make for a safer crossing of the busy Portsmouth road have bedded in very well.

They have enhanced what was already a very fine heathland design which is beautifully maintained and a joy to play at any time of the year. Liphook is easily home to one of England’s most impressive and enjoyable recent upgrades.

- Liphook review and key info

54. ALWOODLEY GOLF CLUB

• Location: Moortown, Leeds, Yorkshire, England
• Founded: 1907
• Designed by: Alister MacKenzie
• Green fee: £90-£175
• 23/24 ranking: Down 4

The first design project of surgeon-turned-course architect, Dr Alister MacKenzie, has remained in our top 60 since day one. 

It boasts attractive bunkering that performs the dual role of strategy and aesthetics as well as anywhere, and far-reaching vistas, with clearing work in recent years bringing a more open feel once more. Probably the finest heathland course in Yorkshire and among the finest in the country.

- Alwoodley review and key info

55. SAUNTON GOLF CLUB EAST COURSE

• Location: Braunton, Devon, England
• Founded: 1897
• Designed by: Herbert Fowler
• Green fee: £60-£200
• 23/24 ranking: Down 6

Set in the peaceful North Devon dunes, the East Course was designed by Herbert Fowler and is a wonderful place for golf. It has long attracted major events and a teenaged Sergio Garcia won the Boys’ Amateur here in 1997. There are just three short holes, but each is strong and different.

- Saunton East review and key info

56. THE BERKSHIRE GOLF CLUB BLUE COURSE

• Location: Ascot, Berkshire, England
• Founded: 1928
• Designed by: Herbert Fowler
• Green fee: £145-£300
• 23/24 ranking: No change

Herbert Fowler made brilliant use of the natural slopes with each hole fitting seamlessly into the landscape.

The course starts with a gem of a long par 3 requiring a solid connection to carry an ocean of heather and a deep valley, and finishes with a clenched fistful of testing par 4s. The Red Course’s tougher brother with a real sting in the tail.

- The Berkshire Blue review and key info

57. WALTON HEATH GOLF CLUB NEW COURSE

• Location: Walton-on-the-Hill, Surrey, England
• Opened: 1907 nine holes (1913 18 holes)
• Designed by: Herbert Fowler
• Green fee: £135-£395
• 23/24 ranking: Down 3

Herbert Fowler created the first nine of the New three years after the Old in 1907 

There’s an element of inland links about it, though the ever-present heather is as testing as anywhere. Don’t be lulled into a false sense of security by a seemingly straightforward start, for a string of testing par 4s lies in wait. It's a handsomely expansive heathland layout with one of the UK’s very longest nines off the tips.

- Walton Heath New review and key info

58. WEST SUSSEX GOLF CLUB

• Location: Pulborough, West Sussex, England
• Opened: 1931
• Designed by: Guy Campbell and Cecil Hutchison
• Green fee: £105-£150
• 23/24 ranking: Down 1

Also known as Pulborough, this is one of the most beautiful and enjoyable inland courses in the country.

It dates back to 1930 and opens with its solitary par 5, a chance to get ahead of the card. There are five fabulous short holes, and plenty of testing and varied par 4s that can both frustrate and delight.

- West Sussex review and key info

59. SOUTHPORT & AINSDALE GOLF CLUB

• Location: Southport, Merseyside, England
• Founded: 1906
• Designed by: George Lowe and James Braid
• Green fee: £99-£250
• 23/24 ranking: Up 3

Significant works have been ongoing to make improvements to the course, both from an aesthetic and playing point of view.

A James Braid course dating from 1925, his design remains largely in place. There’s an eclectic selection of holes delivering an interesting blend of links and heathland. It’s a tough but fair layout.

- Southport and Ainsdale review and key info

60. WORPLESDON GOLF CLUB

• Location: Worplesdon, Surrey, England
• Opened: 1893
• Designed by: J F Abercromby
• Green fee: £100-£225
• 23/24 ranking: Up 3

A full bunker renovation project has been completed and is now established and further improvements to course and facilities, plus a clear plan for the future see Worplesdon climb three places since the last ranking.

It’s a classic heathland layout delivering a great strategic test and a real sense of seclusion when out on the springy fairways.

- Worplesdon review and key info

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41. THE BERKSHIRE GOLF CLUB RED COURSE

• Location: Ascot, Berkshire, England
• Founded: 1928
• Designed by: Herbert Fowler
• Green fee: £145-£300
• 23/24 ranking: Up 1

The Red Course is an example of one of the very best heathland golf courses in the land and opened for play in the late 1920s. It has an unusual and intoxicating configuration consisting of six of each par.

Only at the 11th and 12th do you play the same par consecutively, and this constant variety is more than matched by the design characteristics of the individual holes themselves.

- The Berkshire Red review and key info

42. FORMBY GOLF CLUB

• Location: Formby, Merseyside, England
• Founded: 1884
• Designed by: Willie Park Jr, James Braid and Harry Colt
• Green fee: £185-£260
• 23/24 ranking: Down 1

On a coastline packed with top-drawer golf, Formby is one of the very best with the bonus that it contains elements of both links and heathland.

Founded in 1884, this forward-thinking club is also future-proofing its original course which was redesigned by Willie Park Junior in the early 20th-century before further Braid, Colt and Donald Steel changes.

- Formby review and key info

43. PRESTWICK GOLF CLUB

• Location: Prestwick, Ayrshire, Scotland
• Founded: 1851
• Designed by: Old Tom Morris
• Green fee: £195-£345
• 23/24 ranking: Up 1

Much has changed at Prestwick since it hosted the first of its 24 Opens in 1860, but its wonderfully, rumpled terrain still provides a tangible link with the challenge those early Open competitors faced.

It is both historically significant yet still hugely relevant and great fun. That is Prestwick’s charm.

- Prestwick review and key info

44. ROSAPENNA HOTEL AND GOLF RESORT SANDY HILLS COURSE

• Location: Rosapenna, Donegal, Ireland
• Founded: 2003 
• Designed by: Pat Ruddy
• Green fee: €125-€150
• 23/24 ranking: Up 2

The Pat Ruddy designed Sandy Hills Course at Rosapenna opened in 2003 but has a feel of a layout that has existed much longer.

Carved through the dunes, it’s a supremely natural layout and a great example of sympathetic modern course design. It’s a course of nuances and subtlety with green complexes featuring some challenging slopes and falloffs.

- Rosapenna Sandy Hills review and key info

45. ROYAL CINQUE PORTS GOLF CLUB

• Location: Deal, Kent, England
• Founded: 1892
• Designed by: Harry Hunter and James Braid
• Green fee: £125-£210
• 23/24 ranking: Up 8

This two-time Open venue follows a broadly out-and-back routing with one or two deviations, including an Old Course-style loop at the far end.

The outward nine hugs the sea wall closely in places, and the course has benefitted hugely from Martin Ebert’s judicious and selective design touch in recent years.

- Royal Cinque Ports review and key info

46. WESTERN GAILES GOLF CLUB

• Location: Irvine, Ayrshire, Scotland
• Founded: 1897
• Designed by: Fred Morris and Fred Hawtree
• Green fee: £125-£280
• 23/24 ranking: Up 1

Set on a sliver of linksland, Western Gailes is the epitome of a true Scottish links. This venerable old layout's Firth of Clyde setting brings splendid views across to Arran as the course heads first north, then south for nine shoreside holes and finally north again.

There are mischievously placed natural-style bunkers plus several inconveniently located burns to negotiate along the way.

- Western Gailes review and key info

47. TRUMP INTERNATIONAL GOLF LINKS DOONBEG

• Location: Doonbeg, County Clare, Ireland
• Founded: 2002
• Designed by: Greg Norman
• Green fee: €75-€375
• 23/24 ranking: Down 4

Set amidst the incredible dunes overlooking Doughmore Bay in County Clare, Greg Norman’s brilliant layout at Doonbeg has been further enhanced by Martin Hawtree since the Trump Organisation took over in 2014.

It’s a spectacular setting for golf and this fabulous layout makes the very most of the stunning surroundings. It’s a modern classic.

- Trump Doonbeg review and key info

48. TRALEE GOLF CLUB

• Location: Barrow West, County Kerry, Ireland
• Founded: 1984
• Designed by: Arnold Palmer
• Green fee: €180-€275
• 23/24 ranking: No change

Sea, sand and mountains form the gorgeous backdrop to Arnold Palmer’s magical creation.

The striking 2nd doglegs sharply around the cliffs, and the par-3 3rd hugs the rocky shoreline precariously but things really ramp up coming home, with the spectacular 12th and 13th followed by a stirring three-hole shoreside run from 15.

- Tralee review and key info

49. ROYAL ST DAVID'S GOLF CLUB

• Location: Harlech, Gwynedd, Wales
• Founded: 1894
• Designed by: Harold Finch-Hatton and William Henry More
• Green fee: £60-£145
• 23/24 ranking: Down 4

This tough, old-school links has hosted many important championships and sits overlooked by the brooding Harlech Castle.

It is separated from the beach by towering dunes which may provide some protection from the wind, but don’t bank on it!  A strong but very fair links defined by some stretching par 4s - easily one of the very best golf courses in Wales.

- Royal St David's review and key info

50. GLENEAGLES GOLF RESORT QUEEN'S COURSE

• Location: Auchterarder, Perthshire, Scotland
• Founded: 1917
• Designed by: James Braid
• Green fee: £80-£450
• 23/24 ranking: Up 8

It may be a relatively short track by modern standards, but the Queen’s delivers a complete test of golf to put it up there with some of the very best golf courses in Scotland.

It’s long been a favourite at Gleneagles and recent works have greatly enhanced what was already a tremendous course in terms of both aesthetics and playability. Set on the high ground of the Gleneagles Estate, the views are phenomenal.

- Gleneagles Queen's review and key info

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31. HILLSIDE GOLF CLUB

• Location: Southport, Merseyside, England
• Founded: 1911
• Designed by: Fred Hawtree
• Green fee: £140-£250
• 23/24 ranking: No change

Venue for the 2019 British Masters hosted by Tommy Fleetwood, Hillside is a links with a twist as mature pine trees frame a number of the holes.

Also featuring are the impressive sand dunes that line the fairways. The front nine is strong at Hillside, but the course really comes to life on the back nine as the holes move up and through the sand dunes.

Elevated tees on the run in provide stunning views to the Lake District in the north and Snowdonia in the south, but these views shouldn’t distract from the sheer quality of the holes you are traversing.

- Hillside review and key info

32. OLD HEAD GOLF LINKS

• Location: Kinsale, County Cork, Ireland
• Founded: 1997
• Designed by: Ron Kirby
• Green fee: €225-€395
• 23/24 ranking: Up 1

Laid out over a vertiginous headland in County Cork, Old Head enjoys a setting that’s hard to beat.

Many holes are simply breath-taking, but the 12th and 13th , near the headland’s slender neck, sum up the experience. The 12th tee is cut into the towering cliffs and you play up to a hidden fairway, then along to a precariously narrow target. The relatively new par 3 13th is then a short but dramatic cliff-hugger.

Old Head has constantly strived to take as much of the action as possible to the cliff edge to up the drama, with that new 13th a prime example.

- Old Head review and key info

33. WALTON HEATH GOLF CLUB OLD COURSE

• Location: Walton-on-the-Hill, Surrey, England
• Opened: 1904
• Designed by: Herbert Fowler
• Green fee: £135-£395
• 23/24 ranking: Down 4

One of the great English heathland golf courses, the Old Course at Walton Heath was opened in 1904 with a match between the great triumvirate: Taylor, Vardon and Braid.

The Scot was already the club’s professional and he continued to hold the position right up to his death in 1950. This is a club with a great history.

Designed by Herbert Fowler, it’s a sandy and firm track protected by heather, an eclectic selection of trees and the notorious, swirling winds. The greens are famously excellent and feature subtle borrows. A delicate touch is essential.

- Walton Heath Old course review and key info

34. GANTON GOLF CLUB

• Location: Vale of Pickering, Yorkshire, England
• Opened: 1897
• Designed by: Tom Chisholm and Robert Bird
• Green fee: £90-£200
• 23/24 ranking: No change

Ganton has a tremendous pedigree. In 1891 Tom Chisholm of St Andrews laid out a course at Ganton that would go on to host significant events, including the Ryder Cup of 1949. Several greats have lent their expertise to alterations over the years, including Harry Vardon, James Braid, Harry Colt and Dr Alister MacKenzie.

It’s an unusual course; an inland track with links-like playing characteristics. The great amateur Sir Michael Bonallack said of Ganton, “The journey from tee to green on every hole is one of the most enjoyable golfing examinations that a player is ever likely to experience."

- Ganton review and key info

35. SWINLEY FOREST GOLF CLUB

• Location: Ascot, Berkshire, England
• Opened: 1909
• Designed by: Harry Colt
• Green fee: Contact club
• 23/24 ranking: Up 4

As traditional, uncommercial and private as anywhere in the Golf Monthly Top 100, Swinley Forest is a club unlike any other.

As for its very delightful Harry Colt course, then if you were asked to close your eyes and imagine in your mind a perfect, beautiful, traditional, heathland golf course as it would have been a century ago, this would be exactly it.

This is one of Colt’s greatest legacies; one that has totally stood the test of time barring the odd new back tee here or minor tweak there. Charm and character in equal measure.

- Swinley Forest review and key info

36. GLENEAGLES KING'S COURSE

• Location: Auchterarder, Perthshire, Scotland
• Founded: 1919
• Designed by: James Braid
• Green fee: £80-£450
• 23/24 ranking: Up 3

James Braid’s long-revered Perthshire masterpiece enjoys one of the most majestic settings for golf in the UK&I.

It opened in 1919 and carves through the pine trees, rising and falling over springy moorland turf. It may not be the longest, but with blind shots, humps, hollows and sloping greens, it definitely rewards precise and considered play.

There are raised greens to contend with, too, most prominently on the well-protected, mid-length par-3 5th, capable of repelling any slight miscues. In recent years, a number of long-lost Braid features have been reintroduced to maximise the course’s rich heritage.

- Gleneagles King's review and key info

37. NAIRN GOLF CLUB CHAMPIONSHIP COURSE

• Location: Nairn, Highland, Scotland
• Founded: 1887
• Designed by: Archie Simpson and Old Tom Morris
• Green fee: £50-£298
• 23/24 ranking: Down 2

Nairn delivers typical Scottish links golf. It’s an out-and-back layout with the sea visible on every hole.

Recent improvements by Tom Mackenzie have greatly enhanced the offering. The front nine forges out along the Moray Firth, an exacting start when into the wind. The course then turns at the 8th and heads slightly inland for the back nine. It delivers some interesting holes and an unexpected change in elevation up to the 13th green. 

During the summer months the fairways are fast-running and covered in humps and hollows. The greens are famously true and can become perplexingly pacey.

- Nairn Golf Club review and key info

38. HOLLINWELL THE HOME OF NOTTS GC

• Location: Kirkby in Ashfield, Nottinghamshire, England
• Opened: 1901 (club founded 1887)
• Designed by: Willie Park Jr
• Green fee: £85-£225
• 23/24 ranking: Down 1

The entrance drive to this golfing oasis creates a huge sense of anticipation for what is to come - a stunning heathland layout that is considered to be one of the best golf courses in England.

This brilliant design is in part wooded and benefits from rocky outcrops, the occasional encounter with water, bracken and fern. Rarely do consecutive holes run in the same direction, and gentle slopes reward with lovely views and strategic challenge.

- Hollinwell review and key info

39. ST ENODOC GOLF CLUB CHURCH COURSE

• Location: Rock, Cornwall, England
• Opened: 1890
• Designed by: James Braid
• Green fee: £135-£145
• 23/24 ranking: Down 3

This distinctive Church layout is on Cornwall’s chiselled northern coast 50 miles from Land’s End and is easily one of the best links courses in England and also one of the most memorable.

Poet Laureate John Betjeman is buried at the far end of the course in the churchyard beside the 10th green, and the vast Himalaya bunker on the right of the superb par-4 6th is one of the most photographed in golf.

- St Enodoc review and key info

40. DUMBARNIE LINKS

• Location: Leven, Fife, Scotland
• Opened: 2020 
• Designed by: Clive Clark
• Green fee: £207-£286
• 23/24 ranking: No change

Elevated tees at Dumbarnie provide great views across the layout, sweeping fairways lead to impressive, sloping green complexes while surrounding dunes have been sculpted to give a rugged feel.

This course presents a challenging but fair strategic test. On almost every tee, there’s a choice to be made and there are options for negotiating each hole.

- Dumbarnie review and key info

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21. ROYAL PORTHCAWL GOLF CLUB

• Location: Porthcawl, Glamorgan, Wales
• Founded: 1891
• Designed by: Charles Gibson and Ramsay Hunter
• Green fee: £145-£195
• 23/24 ranking: Up 1

There’s a special feeling as you drive out of town towards Rest Bay and catch your first glimpse of the Porthcawl clubhouse.

The terrain slopes gently up and away from the shore, so one of the very best things is the sea views from every hole. The start is pretty tough as you hug the beach over a challenging opening trio. You then turn back for the long par-3 4th, with its brand new tee complex, where a vast undulating green adds to the test. There are so many good holes, with the short but extensively bunkered 7th living proof that even the shortest of par 3s can more than hold its own.

- Royal Porthcawl Golf Club review and key info

22. WATERVILLE GOLF LINKS

• Location: Waterville, County Kerry, Ireland
• Founded: 1973
• Designed by: Eddie Hackett and Claude Harmon
• Green fee: €300 (off-season rates on application)
• 23/24 ranking: Down 2

Although golf was played here a long time ago, it petered out until the land was taken under new ownership in the 1960s. The links opened for play in 1973 and is therefore celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2023.

It is almost completely surrounded by water and also has wonderful views of the nearby mountains. Tom Fazio has been involved in more recent years making a number of improvements. The opening two holes lead you down to the shore before the next two hug the edge of the dunes and beach.

Great closing stretches are perfect to leave you wanting more, and Waterville delivers as you head back to the shoreline at the 15th for a thrilling finish.

- Waterville Golf Links review and key info

23. BALLYBUNION GOLF CLUB OLD COURSE

• Location: Ballybunion, County Kerry, Ireland
• Founded: 1893
• Designed by: Robert Trent Jones Sr
• Green fee: €300
• 23/24 ranking: Up 2

Ballybunion justifiably enjoys a worldwide reputation for its imperious setting on Ireland’s wild, west coast.

The club dates back to 1893, and following a very enjoyable limbering up over the opening six holes, the Old Course shifts into overdrive as you reach the rugged cliffs at the 7th. From then on, you work your way though spectacular dunes where it is all too easy to be distracted by the visual feast that awaits.

Golfing legend Tom Watson has been singing its praises for more than 40 years and even served as the club’s captain in 2000. Named after the great man, the 11th is a superb par 4 that slaloms its way along the shoreline.

- Ballybunion Old course review and key info

24. THE GOLF COURSE AT ADARE MANOR

• Location: Adare, County Limerick, Ireland
• Founded: 1995 (re-designed 2016)
• Designed by: Robert Trent Jones Sr (Tom Fazio re-design)
• Green fee: €300-€380 plus caddie fee
• 23/24 ranking: Down 2

In 2015, 20 years after the course first opened, leading American designer Tom Fazio was engaged to fully reinvigorate the original Robert Trent Jones Senior design. As this was already pretty good, he kept the same routing while effectively rebuilding every tee, bunker, green and water feature. Every blade of grass was replaced while installing the latest and best equipment.

Today’s course has commonly been described as the most Augusta National-like experience you can get anywhere in Europe, and the staging here of the 2027 Ryder Cup is already eagerly anticipated. At the 15th, 16th and 18th you have as spectacular and memorable a par 4, short hole and sensational par 5 as you will find just about anywhere.

- Adare Manor review and key info

25. ST GEORGE'S HILL GOLF CLUB RED & BLUE COURSE

• Location: Weybridge, Surrey, England
• Opened: 1911
• Designed by: Harry Colt
• Green fee: £240
• 23/24 ranking: Down 1

Step back a century to the very best historical golf course architecture, and St George’s Hill near Weybridge in Surrey is right up there with Swinley Forest and the two courses at Sunningdale.

Everything here is premier league, from the undulating pine-clad holes to the very distinctive and instantly recognisable clubhouse. What sets Harry Colt’s design apart are its gentle but still significant elevation changes. These add greatly to the visual appeal at the same time as asking questions on club selection.

If you had to point to a signature hole, it would be tough as there are so many, but the par-3 8th is an absolute pearl. Scenic, majestic, testing, this exquisite one-shotter plays over a valley of heather and sand.

- St George's Hill review and key info

26. LAHINCH GOLF CLUB OLD COURSE

• Location: Lahinch, County Clare, Ireland
• Founded: 1892
• Designed by: Alister MacKenzie
• Green fee: €225-€275
• 23/24 ranking: No change

Golf at Lahnich on the County Clare coast began in 1892 when two officials of Limerick Golf Club laid out 18 holes with the assistance of officers from the “Black Watch” regiment.

Old Tom Morris made improvements in 1894 but it was Dr Alister MacKenzie who, in 1927, created the course largely still in play today. Martin Hawtree has completed sympathetic renovations more recently. There’s a great mix of holes, some asking for raw power, others for a more subtle approach. The natural contours of the land and the ever-present wind make for a superb natural test.

- Lahinch Old course review and key info

27. BURNHAM & BERROW GOLF CLUB CHAMPIONSHIP COURSE

• Location: Burnham-on-Sea, Somerset, England
• Founded: 1891
• Designed by: Charles Gibson
• Green fee: £130-£190
• 23/24 ranking: Up 1

The routing of the Championship Course on the Somerset coast is very much that of a traditional single starting point links, with the opening hole taking you westwards from the clubhouse out towards the Bristol Channel and into the dunes.

Dating back more than 130 years, its development has been influenced by architectural greats such as Fowler, MacKenzie and Colt, the result being 18 individual and memorable holes including the recently redesigned par-4 12th. The four par 3s are exceptionally strong and memorable, and the closing hole is a colossal two-shotter to a well bunkered green by the clubhouse.

- Burnham and Berrow review and key info

28. PORTMARNOCK GOLF CLUB RED AND BLUE COURSE

• Location: Portmarnock, County Dublin, Ireland
• Founded: 1894
• Designed by: William Pickeman
• Green fee: €165-€450
• 23/24 ranking: Down 1

Set on a relatively flat and wonderfully sandy peninsula to the north of Dublin, the land at Portmarnock looks like it was always destined for golf. And while it may not have the towering dunes that occur elsewhere in the country, this is a serious championship test that is extremely highly regarded and has long been ranked as one of the country’s very finest golfing examinations.

It hosted the 2019 Amateur Championship which coincided with upgrades to some of the championship tees and bunkers, the creation of new areas of mounding and a new irrigation system.

- Portmarnock Golf Club review and key info

29. NORTH BERWICK GOLF CLUB

• Location: North Berwick, East Lothian, Scotland
• Founded: 1832
• Designed by: David Strath, Old Tom Morris, Ben Sayers and C.K Hutchison
• Green fee: £110-£200
• 23/24 ranking: Up 1

The West Links is a largely a traditional out and back links with the sea in play on six holes. It’s quirky with walls running through fairways, raised greens, sunken greens, unusual greens like the two-part 16th and just brilliant greens like that on the much-copied 15th “Redan.”

But it’s not overly quirky and the varied holes deliver a complete test of your game. The course demands creativity and an open mind about where you should aim from the tee and on approach, but it’s a fair test and supremely fun to play.

- North Berwick Golf Club review and key info

30. HANKLEY COMMON GOLF CLUB

• Location: Farnham, Surrey, England
• Opened: 1897
• Designed by: Harry Colt and James Braid
• Green fee: £145-£160
• 23/24 ranking: Up 2

The layout at Hankley Common was designed by James Braid and Harry Colt and it has long been cherished as one of the most beautiful golf courses in the country.

Both course and surrounding area are classed as a “Site of Special Scientific Interest,” and are home to many interesting species of flora and fauna. The club takes pains to ensure the course is maintained superbly but sympathetically with free-draining soil and excellent playing surfaces. Hankley Common is a club that is constantly looking to improve upon what is already a high-quality offering.

- Hankley Common review and key info

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11. ROYAL ST GEORGE'S GOLF CLUB

• Location: Sandwich, Kent, England
• Founded: 1887
• Designed by: Laidlaw Purves
• Green fee: £125-£275
• 23/24 ranking: No change

Host to The Open Championship for a 15th time in 2021, an event won my Collin Morikawa, Royal St George’s was founded in 1887 and was the first English course to welcome the great old championship, which it did in 1894.

A great feature at St George’s is the fact the holes point in multiple directions, so the background is always changing, so too the wind direction. Picking an aiming point from the tee is crucial. The course offers a full test of golf, asking for power, creativity and discipline.

The green complexes are famously appealing, beautifully presented but also highly challenging. Many of the greens were made larger for the 2021 Open and many feature subtle breaks and tricky run-offs.

- Royal St George's review and key info

12. ROYAL LIVERPOOL GOLF CLUB

• Location: Hoylake, Wirral, England
• Founded: 1869
• Designed by: Robert Chambers, George Morris and Harry Colt
• Green fee: £215-£265
• 23/24 ranking: No change

Built in 1869, on what was then the racecourse of the Liverpool Hunt Club, Hoylake is the second oldest of the English seaside courses, after Westward Ho! The club has played host to The Open Championship on 12 occasions with recent winners Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods demonstrating the quality of golf demanded by this excellent course.

For 2023, significant course enhancements have been undertaken with advice from renowned course architect Martin Ebert. Hoylake is a club with a proud history, but they are also always looking to the future.

The redeveloped 15th, which will play as the 17th in The Open Championship, is the perfect example of that. It’s a fabulous little par-3 with an elevated green set in the sand dunes.

- Royal Liverpool Golf Club review and key info

13. WOODHALL SPA GOLF CLUB HOTCHKIN COURSE

• Location: Woodhall Spa, Lincolnshire, England
• Opened: 1905
• Designed by: Harry Vardon
• Green fee: £90-£205
• 23/24 ranking: Up 5

Only the two Sunningdales eclipse Woodhall Spa’s Hotchkin layout among the inland courses in our rankings, with Harry Vardon, J.H. Taylor, Harry Colt, and Stafford Vere Hotchkin all contributing on the design side. More recently, Tom Doak’s highly acclaimed renovation, completed in spring 2019, has elevated the course’s status yet further. Doak was guided by a vision to restore more of the Hotchkin’s original heathland character, with many long-lost bunkers also reinstated.

Indeed, reinstatements account for much of the increase in bunker count from 110 to 143. Many holes now play over relatively open heathland once more, while others, especially on the back nine, venture in among the trees a little more – and plenty of trees remain!

- Woodhall Spa Hotchkin review and key info

14. ROYAL LYTHAM & ST ANNES GOLF CLUB

• Location: Lytham St Annes, Lancashire, England
• Founded: 1886
• Designed by: George Lowe and Harry Colt 
• Green fee: £180-£315
• 23/24 ranking: Down 1

Although surrounded by urbanisation, and some distance from the sea, the course at Royal Lytham & St Annes is a true links, famous for its punishing pot bunkers and rolling terrain.

Originally designed by the club’s first professional George Lowe, the course has changed little since Harry Colt was employed to oversee alterations to the layout in 1919. The routing has stood the test of time and consistently been proved to deliver one of the finest tests of golf in the British Isles. It's a thinking-golfer’s links – one where trouble lurks from start to finish, as Adam Scott discovered in 2012 when he faltered down the stretch, finishing with four consecutive bogeys, to lose The Open to Ernie Els.

- Royal Lytham & St Annes review and key info

15. KINGSBARNS GOLF LINKS

• Location: Kingsbarns, Fife, Scotland
• Opened: 2000
• Designed by: Kyle Phillips
• Green fee: £374 (£225 for replay within 7 days)
• 23/24 ranking: No change

A creation of Mark Parsinen and Kyle Phillips, Kingsbarns was opened in 2000 and swiftly earned a reputation as a modern classic.

Perhaps no other contemporary links has managed to blend the old with the new so effectively. The course features several highly memorable holes. A standout is the par-5 12th, hugging the rocky coastline as it curves left to fit the shape of the bay.

When the pin is to the left side of the sprawling green, your approach must be fired over the beach to reach the flag. In an age when par-5s tend to offer respite, this is a true three-shotter where par is an excellent score. Then there’s the par-3 15th where the tee shot must carry rocks and sea to reach the green.

- Kingsbarns Golf Links review and key info

16. ROYAL ABERDEEN GOLF CLUB BALGOWNIE COURSE

• Location: Aberdeen, Scotland
• Founded: 1780
• Designed by: Robert and Archie Simpson
• Green fee: £95-£215
• 23/24 ranking: No change

Archie and Robert Simpson from Carnoustie designed the first layout at Balgownie, before James Braid advised on alterations to the greens and bunkering in 1925. Hawtree and Company have more recently added their touches. It’s a classic out-and-back links with a front nine offering a stretch of holes to rival any in the country.

From tees set in the dunes, play forges out up the Aberdeenshire coastline via an eclectic selection of holes asking for either power, precision or both. After the extremely tough, 9th the course turns back and strong holes, many that have been recently improved, take you back to a clubhouse full of character and history.

- Royal Aberdeen review and key info

17. ROYAL TROON GOLF CLUB OLD COURSE 

• Location: Troon, Ayrshire, Scotland
• Founded: 1878
• Designed by: George Strath, Willie Fernie and James Braid
• Green fee: £315
• 23/24 ranking: No change

Huge skies stretch above as you forge out from the clubhouse at Royal Troon, over the front nine towards the loop and famous “Postage Stamp” 8th hole.

The course could be considered in three distinct sections – the first six head out along the coast. Then holes 7 to 12 ask more technical questions, moving through the dunes. The challenge ramps up as you head for home with the last six generally played into the wind.

Host to the thrilling 2016 Open Championship in which Henrik Stenson outduelled Phil Mickelson, then to the memorable AIG Women’s Open in 2020, won by Sophia Popov. Royal Troon will play host to The Open Championship once again in 2024.

- Royal Troon Old review and key info

18. TRUMP INTERNATIONAL GOLF LINKS SCOTLAND

• Location: Balmedie, Aberdeenshire, Scotland
• Opened: 2012
• Designed by: Martin Hawtree
• Green fee: £195-£365
• 23/24 ranking: Down 4

Course designer Martin Hawtree spoke of how fortunate he was to work with the terrain at Trump International and how keen he was to use the lie of the land to the greatest possible effect. He has managed it fantastically well. From the par-3 3rd where the beach is revealed just yards behind the putting surface to the stunning 14th where the elevated tee looks down upon a sweeping fairway forging through the dunes, this is a stirring and hugely memorable layout.

Set in beautiful, natural dune land north of Aberdeen, Trump International Golf Links, Scotland, has earned a reputation as one of the very best modern coastal courses in the country.

- Trump International Scotland review and key info

19. THE EUROPEAN CLUB

• Location: Brittas Bay, County Wicklow, Ireland
• Founded: 1987
• Designed by: Pat Ruddy
• Green fee: €140-€275
• 23/24 ranking: No change

Back in 1987, Irish golf writer and course architect, Pat Ruddy undertook a helicopter reconnaissance mission to find the perfect spot for a new links course.

The fruits of that mission turned out to be Brittas Bay in County Wicklow, and six years later, dream became reality when his European Club opened for play, serving up glorious sea views and wow-factor golf.

The widening of fairways in recent years has made it more playable for all, but the creator’s quirky touches remain, including distinctive sleepered bunkering, two cracking extra par 3s you should play if at all possible, and a green on the 12th that is full wedge distance from front to back at 127 yards.

- The European Club review and key info

20. CABOT HIGHLANDS (CASTLE STUART GOLF LINKS)

• Location: Inverness, Scotland
• Opened: 2009
• Designed by: Gil Hanse and Mark Parsinen
• Green fee: £210-£405
• 23/24 ranking: Up 1

Now part of the impressive Cabot portfolio, Castle Stuart Golf Links is one of the most spectacular modern links courses to have been created anywhere this century. The work of entrepreneurial golf designer Mark Parsinen and renowned course architect Gil Hanse, the layout played host to three consecutive Scottish Opens between 2011 and 2013 and then again in 2016.

Set over an incredible stretch of coastline, the links at Castle Stuart is incredibly natural and the holes make fabulous use of the terrain. Hanse and Parsinen utilised what nature provided and tweaked it subtly to produce a course that is ostensibly simple yet far more complex when closely examined. It’s striking and beautifully maintained.

- Cabot Highlands Castle Stuart review and key info

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Dumbarnie Links Key Information

Dumbarnie Links is one of the very best modern links in our Top 100 golf courses UK&I rankings.

The UK’s portfolio of premier-league courses grew by one in 2020 when Dumbarnie Links, on The Balcarres Estate midway between Elie and Leven on the south coast of Fife, opened its doors for play in May just two weeks later than planned once the first lockdown was lifted.

It has understandably created more than a frisson of excitement among golf lovers.

The brainchild of former Ryder Cup player, Clive Clark, Dumbarnie serves up a truly exceptional golfing experience, playing from an elevated clubhouse right down to the shore at times via a series of remarkable holes, many of which stand out visually.

Among them is a trio playing downhill towards the Firth of Forth - the appetite-whetting 1st, the simply gorgeous short par-3 8th and the attractively bunkered 9th.

At times it is the vistas beyond the course that are breath-taking; at others it is the holes themselves and the tantalising glimpses of holes yet to come that give it that wow factor.

Think Kingsbarns and Castle Stuart, for it certainly has shades of both those modern Scottish classics about it in places.

Factoring in the layout’s exposure to the often significant breezes off the Firth, fairways are often sensibly generous (just as at Castle Stuart), and although many greens are sizable, they are often accommodatingly contoured to feed the ball back in.

This is a course that can certainly defend itself but is not out to get you unfairly. I enjoyed my round there thoroughly.

Add in a wonderfully generous helping of risk-reward - the 3rd, 5th, 11th, 15th and 17th all present different strategic choices depending on power, skill level and wind direction - and it all adds up to a visually stunning and beautifully laid-out links that is destined to become a surefire addition to any trophy course collector’s wish-list.

Dumbarnie has wasted no time hitting the tour schedules, either. It played host to the 2021 Women's Scottish Open, an event co-sanctioned by the LPGA and LET and won by Ryann O'Toole of the USA.

The offering at Dumbarnie has been further enhanced by the addition of an excellent and architecturally sympathetic clubhouse.

What's new for 2025/26? What our panellists said…

A seaside adventure through those fantastic manmade dunes. No weak holes, other than perhaps the 17^th, where I felt the wall needed to be further up the hole nearer the green. I think it will improve even more as it matures in years to come.

A very warm welcome from the moment you arrive at the clubhouse and pro shop. A course that is destined to become a classic makes this a must play experience. I feel this course is just going to move up the rankings and join the very top echelon of UK&I links courses. Superb design, great facilities and setting, what’s not to like!

The condition of the course was sublime, particularly the tees, fairways, fringes, bunkers. I took some pics as I really couldn’t believe how immaculate it was. Stunning visual appeal and loads of sea views and beautiful vistas from pretty much every hole.

Dumbarnie Links Location

Dumbarnie Links Golf Course Scorecard

Best Courses Near To Dumbarnie Links

Best places to stay nearby Dumbarnie Links

Rusacks St Andrews - Book now at Booking.com
Recently refurbished, the Rusacks is one of the iconic golfing hotels, set halfway up the 18th of the famous Old Course in St Andrews. It may be a short drive across to Dumbarnie, but St Andrews is a great base from which to explore Fife's golfing treats.

The Inn at Kingsbarns - Book now at Booking.com(opens in new tab)
Super cosy accommodation in this excellent little pub in the village of Kingsbarns. It's very convenient for Dumbarnie (and for Kingsbarns of course), but also not far to drive back into St Andrews or around the East Neuk of Fife towards Elie, Crail, Lundin and Leven. It's dog friendly.

Dumbarnie Links Golf Course Gallery

Dumbarnie Links Golf Course HISTORICAL TOP 100 RANKING UK&I

• 2025/26 - 37
• 2023/24 - 40
• 2021/22 - 40 (New Entry)

Frequently Asked Questions

St Enodoc Golf Club Key Information

The Cornish coastline in England’s extreme south-west is home to St Enodoc Golf Club and is famed for its rolling and unspoiled beauty. It is also the setting for one of James Braid’s most interesting and memorable designs. Comfortably in the top half of the Top 100 Golf Courses UK & Ireland, the Church course is packed with memorable features and everchanging panoramas, and is one of the best golf courses in England. It is also one of my personal favourites.

The club is situated on the estuary of the River Camel, a beautiful, wide inlet that separates the popular towns of Padstow and Rock. Former Poet Laureate Sir John Betjemen ended his Seaside Golf poem with, “Lark song and sea sounds in the air, and splendour, splendour everywhere.” The full text is on the club’s website, and Sir John himself is buried at the far end of the course in the pretty churchyard beside the 10th green. He was right, and the course tops the list of the best golf courses in Cornwall.

Not only is the gently undulating setting extremely pretty, but I think Braid’s design has enormous variety meaning that there is something new and different to look at all the way. It opens with a par 5 which heads towards the coast over a rumpled fairway leading you to your first view of the sea. You then turn inland at the first of two very tough par 4s, before some relief at the drive and pitch 4th and the attractive par-3 5th. One of the course’s most memorable and photographed features is the vast Himalaya bunker on the 6th. To be fair, it really shouldn’t come into play, but the hole becomes apparently tougher just by its presence. Your approach should sail over it to the punchbowl green waiting beyond. However, if you do end up in it, then the very best of luck in trying to escape!

There is more fun at the next three before you reach the toughest test, the fearsomely demanding 10th. This long par 4 plays from an elevated tee through a valley with trouble hugging the left all the way. Even a perfect drive can leave a long approach, and the green sits round to the left below the church. The next four holes work you back round to the lovely par-3 15th which heralds the start of a stirring finish. The long 16th follows the South West coastal path along the Camel estuary and is magnificent, and you finish this fabulous course with a tough par-3 and then a very strong par 4 which means there is no relaxing until safely back in the clubhouse. To my mind, this is one of the most attractive and indeed one of the best links golf courses in England.

What's new for 2025/26? What our panellists said...

It’s a wonderful experience and one I would encourage anyone to sample. It’s grand, but on a traditional feel. Authentically brilliant, with a quintessential English feel.

St Enodoc is a wonderful course to visit and play. Breathe in the views while taking on a design full of changes and variety. A strong finish brings you back to the charming, bright clubhouse and a friendly welcome. Thoroughly enjoyable.

I don’t know why I don’t like St, Enodoc more than I do. I find the course quite quirky with some holes I just don’t like. This is a great pity because the general attitude of the club, the stunning site and the facilities on offer are all first rate.

Project under way at the fourth to re-establish a marshland area and this will be work-in-progress for the foreseeable future. Premium service for a premium price, which others could learn from. Fully deserves its top spot in the region - who wouldn’t want to play here again and again?!

St Enodoc Golf Club Location

St Enodoc Golf Club Church Course Scorecard

Best Courses Near To St Enodoc Golf Club

Best Places To Stay Near To St Enodoc

Trevose Golf & Country Club - Book now via Booking.com

Around the bay is Trevose, the perfect base for a golfing break with its own Top 100 course and way more. With a variety of accommodation options and a welcoming holiday atmosphere, this is a complete golf destination.

St Enodoc Hotel - Book now via Booking.com

Just down the road and with its own outdoor pool, the St Enodoc Hotel in Rock is close to all of the town's amenities, particularly the restaurants. The hotel has a terrace and views of the river, and has its own Brasserie.

St Enodoc Church Course Gallery

Historical Top 100 Rankings UK&I

• 2025/26 - 41
• 2023/24 - 39
• 2021/22 - 36
• 2019/20 - 40
• 2017/18 - 36
• 2015/16 - 36
• 2013/14 - 41
• 2011/12 - 45
• 2009/10 - 48

Frequently Asked Questions

Hollinwell Key Information

Few would dispute that the delightful and challenging heathland test at Hollinwell Golf Course, set in a wonderfully secluded natural valley, heads the list of the best golf courses in the Midlands. It has long been a mainstay in the Top 100 Golf Courses UK & Ireland.

The club - formerly known as Notts but now officially Hollinwell - dates back to 1887 and its design boasts the input of Willie Park Junior, JH Taylor, more significantly Tom Williamson, and most recently, Martin Ebert. The long entrance drive in from the main road and down between the 3rd and 18th holes builds an ever-increasing sense of anticipation as you make your way to the clubhouse. A genuine seclusion is one of the club’s key attractions. More so is the particularly strong routing with some significant but very manageable changes in elevation. One of the prime examples of this is at the long and very beautiful, par-3 13th where the elevated tee offers a wonderful perspective. This hole alone would set Hollinwell out as one of the best heathland courses in the UK. I have played it several times and enjoy it more on every visit.

Ebert sand scrapes are in evidence by the first short hole, the 5th, and some early photos have revealed a number of such areas around the course in its early years. As mentioned, Tom Williamson is really the designer whose influence has shaped one of the best golf courses in England. He was employed back in 1912 to make the course slightly less challenging physically. In places, the back nine will still get the heart racing. Stand-out holes include the excellent and very demanding long par-4 2nd which works its way slightly uphill and right to left to a green set at the foot of a pine-clad hill. The 8th offers a chance to stop by the tee and drink from the holy well, while the 10th and 11th work their way along and then up to the furthest point on the course.

The 18th is a classic and testing par-4 back towards the clubhouse via a well-bunkered fairway with an area of marsh short and left. To my mind, this is an excellent finish to what is firmly one of my favourite courses.

What's new for 2025/26? What our panellists said...

Golf on an epic scale with holes seemingly played in every different direction across, through and around almost every conceivable natural hazard or land formation.

I arrived with lofty expectations and ultimately left feeling somewhat underwhelmed. The relatively poor conditioning reinforced how important this aspect is and I would love to play the course again when it is at its peak. But still the best test and design I have played all year, signature holes all over the course.

Hollinwell is a joy to behold and a very fair test of golf which makes you want to return and enjoy it over again.

A proper test of golf, but one which you could happily take on week after week. Not stupidly difficult like some modern courses, but always with a sting in the tale for a poor shot. An absolute pleasure to play.

Hollinwell Location

Hollinwell Scorecard

Best Courses Near Hollinwell

Best Places To Stay Near Hollinwell

Mour Hotel - Book now via Booking.com

This 4-star award-winning hotel is located in the Sherwood Business Park and boasts stylish rooms with large flat-screen TVs, modern dining and free parking. The spacious rooms all feature black and white tiled bathrooms with heated mirrors and walk-in power showers.

The Bowman, Hucknall - Book now via Booking.com

The Bowman by Greene King Inns provides a restaurant and bar and each room has a desk, a flat-screen TV, a private bathroom. A Full English/Irish breakfast is available.

Hollinwell Gallery

Historical Top 100 Rankings UK&I

• 2025/26 - 47
• 2023/24 - 38
• 2021/22 - 37
• 2019/20 - 36
• 2017/18 - 40
• 2015/16 - 48
• 2013/14 - 48
• 2011/12 - 56
• 2009/10 - 62

Frequently Asked Questions

Nairn Golf Club Championship Course Key Information

The renowned links to the west end of the seaside resort of Nairn has remained in the top 40 of our Top 100 Golf Courses UK & Ireland rankings from the outset. It began life in 1887 when the club’s founder Robert Finlay, later Viscount Finlay, employed Andrew Simpson of Aberdeen to design a course. The layout was enhanced by Old Tom Morris and again by James Braid.

The latter was the first to break 70 around Nairn, a feat he accomplished in 1901. Further alterations have taken place over the years including interventions from Ben Sayers and later C.K Cotton. Most recently, Tom Mackenzie of Mackenzie and Ebert has advised on improvements. The course hosted the 1999 Walker Cup and the 2012 Curtis Cup. The Amateur Championship visited for a second time in June 2021.

Gorse lined, criss-crossed by burns and pock-marked by pot bunkers, Nairn delivers typical Scottish links golf. It’s an out-and-back layout with the sea visible on every hole. It's a thinker’s course with testing greens and run-off areas demanding careful placement.

I have always enjoyed my visits to Nairn and, in particular, the challenge of not straying too close to the shores of the Firth over the opening stretch, not always easy for a left-to-right player when the wind is off the land.

Many links have their own little foibles and nuances and the spell on the back nine where the course deviates inland and uphill has always stuck in my mind. As you turn at the top to play back down to the more classic out-and-back holes, the views of the Firth are mesmerising.

And do take time to stop at the excellent Bothy - a halfway hut, where the Tomatin miniature very much hit the mark on my last visit on a bitterly cold January day.

Tom Mackenzie of Mackenzie and Ebert has overseen a wholesale remodelling of the links, which started in winter 2018 and was completed in March 2020. All 18 holes have been altered, some more than others, with new bunkering, new tees and three new greens.

Some 39 former revetted fairway bunkers were given a rough-edged makeover, with many greenside bunkers also remodelled.

Eleven new tees were added and three other tee complexes relocated; the 1st, 7th and 14th were given new greens; and a number of open sand areas were introduced.

Mackenzie’s changes have been a great success and Nairn remains one of Scotland's pedigree links courses.

What's new for 2025/26? What our panellists said…

I love this hugely challenging course as it gives you a fighting chance if you think and execute smartly. The fabulous set of par 3s, playing to every point of the compass, is great fun and heavily bunkered, with clubs from driver to mid-irons required. Breathe in the salt from the sea and the residual fumes from the former smokehouse - now the halfway hut - to enjoy the full Nairn experience.

Many of the holes themselves are simple and straightforward as you stand on the tee box. You know what to avoid and where to play to, yet they force you to make a decision and commit. Bunkers dictate the strategy, and the greens can often appear flatter than they are. Nairn oozes old-school charm and elegance. It’s not going to blow you away on a grand scale like a Cruden Bay or Trump International does, but there appeared to me to be subtleties to this course that would take a lifetime to master. Classy is the word that keeps springing to mind and it applies to the course, the club and the welcome at Nairn.

Nairn Golf Club Championship Course Location

Nairn Golf Club Championship Course Scorecard

Best Courses Near to Nairn Golf Club Championship Course

Best Places To Stay near Nairn Golf Club Championship Course

Golf View Hotel and Spa - Book now at Booking.com
Overlooking the Moray Firth, with pretty gardens leading down to the seashore, the Golf View Hotel & Spa offers spacious rooms, elegant design and fine dining. It's a short stroll to the golf club.

Muthu Newton Hotel - Book now at Booking.com
Bordering the golf course and dating back to 1872, Muthu Newton Hotel was once regularly frequented by Charlie Chaplin. It's a comfortable and elegant hotel with good sized rooms and an excellent restaurant.

Nairn Golf Club Championship Course Gallery

Nairn Golf Club Championship Course Historical Top 100 Ranking UK&I

• 2025/26 - 38
• 2023/24 - 37
• 2021/22 - 35
• 2019/20 - 38
• 2017/18 - 33
• 2015/16 - 34
• 2013/14 - 30
• 2011/12 - 30
• 2009/10 - 25

Frequently Asked Questions

Gleneagles Golf Resort King's Course Key Information

James Braid’s long-revered Perthshire masterpiece, a mainstay of the top 40 in our Top 100 Golf Courses UK & Ireland rankings, enjoys quite simply one of the most beautiful settings for golf in the UK&I. Carved through the pine trees, the King’s course rises and falls over springy moorland turf.

It may not be the longest (though longer than the sister Queen's course), but with blind shots, humps, hollows and sloping greens, this is a course that will only reward precise and considered play. Gleneagles is also one of just eight golf clubs or resorts to have more than one course that features in the Golf Monthly Top 100 Courses UK and Ireland.

The King’s opened for play in 1919 and has frequently been used for big events, among them several stagings of the Scottish Open. In 1921, a group of American professionals, including Walter Hagen, took on a team from Britain around the King’s course, a contest that would prove the testing ground and forerunner to a little event you may have heard of called the Ryder Cup six years later.

My first experience of Gleneagles in the 1980s was simply to drive up the entrance road en route further north and gaze in awe at the famous 1st hole my friends and I had seen so many times, courtesy of the popular Pro-Celebrity Golf series hosted by Peter Alliss.

The thought of one day ever being able to play here was but a pipedream for it was way beyond my means, so I feel privileged to have now played it a number of times courtesy of the job I never dreamed I would end up doing all those years ago.

For me, the King's course has a majesty and splendour that few, if any, courses can rival, with the routing and individual holes complemented exquisitely by the sheer grandeur of the backdrops all around. It is a magical place.

That modest-length par 4 opener rises steeply at the far end to a shelf green protected by a deep central bunker and several others to immediately gain elevation and further enhance the views.

The 3rd is then played totally blind over a steep crest, and whatever you may feel about such challenges, you’ll still experience a real sense of excited anticipation as you come over the brow to find out if you picked the right club and your approach is as good as you thought it was.

Of course, no-one would design such a hole these days, but this is Braid’s playground, and over recent years the resort has re-introduced a number of other long-lost Braid features to take fuller advantage of the King’s course’s heritage. The King's rightly continues to rate very highly in any list of the best inland golf courses in Scotland.

The majesty of the glorious Perthshire countryside makes any round here an unforgettable experience over an historic and highly enjoyable course held in near-universal high esteem.

What's new for 2025/26? What our panellists said…

This is the second longest of the courses at Gleneagles and it can be rewarding if you know the lines. If you haven’t played the course before, it’s essential to read the course guide for the ideal shot. Lots of blind holes in the first half could leave you feeling disheartened. but as you move through the back nine, your faith in the game will be restored as you are met with some more playable par 3s and 4s. There are some lovely views of the rolling hills and this was particularly noticeable on the raised tee shots peppered throughout the course and at the start of the back nine. One thing that definitely puts this course on the map is the great facilities, both on the practice area and in the clubhouse.

Visitors to Scotland understandably focus on its links courses and the country perhaps doesn’t have inland courses to match England's but Gleneagles King’s is a must-play to see some of Braid’s finest work. It is a big, brawny test of golf with some really stout, challenging par 4s. Braid routed the course magnificently through the Perthshire landscape using the land wonderfully. The King’s has to be one of the most stunningly scenic courses anywhere in the world. Gorgeous views of the Perthshire countryside in such a peaceful, idyllic setting make for such a special round of golf. In the summer, with the whin bushes flowering alongside the purple of the abundant heather, the King’s is an explosion of colour.

Gleneagles King's Course Location

Book online via the resort's website

Best Courses Near Gleneagles

Best Places To Stay Near Gleneagles

Gleneagles - Book now at Booking.com
The world-famous five-star resort is set in 850 glorious acres and embraces the best of old-world French chateau-style class and 21st century standards. The beautiful grounds were inspired by Capability Brown, while dining options range from the Strathearn, The Birnam and Andrew Fairlie’s restaurant, to the informality of Auchterarder 70 in the clubhouse (Gleneagles' first telephone number!). It is simply a superb place to stay.

Cairn Lodge - Book now at Booking.com
Located in Auchterarder, the closest town to Gleneagles, Cairn Lodge is a charming Victorian hunting lodge with free WiFi and free parking. It offers luxurious accommodation and a restaurant specialising in seasonal dishes. Spacious and elegant, with a flat-screen TV, each room benefits from a modern en-suite bathroom.

Gleneagles King's Gallery

GLENEAGLES KING'S COURSE HISTORICAL TOP 100 RANKING UK&I

• 2025/26 - 36
• 2023/24 - 36
• 2021/22 - 38
• 2019/20 - 37
• 2017/18 - 37
• 2015/16 - 40
• 2013/14 - 36
• 2011/12 - 27
• 2009/10 - 20

Frequently Asked Questions

Swinley Forest Golf Club Key Information

Arguably as uncommercial and self-reliant as any club in the Top 100 Golf Courses UK&I, Swinley Forest Golf Club is very much one of a kind. I have always enjoyed this charming and timeless course which was designed by the legendary Harry Colt, and is one of the very best inland courses in the UK.

Swinley Forest has no need for a captain and you won’t be able to look up your handicap for the round on the England Golf app - this is very much its own club. And as private as it is, its course is much more in the public eye and appears in various world lists. Happily, it is also one that lives up to the highest expectations.

If I was asked to close my eyes and think of what an archetypal, beautiful, traditional, pine-clad golf course looks like… this would be it. This is one of Harry Colt’s greatest and most enduring legacies. One where, aside from the addition of a new back tee here and the odd tweak there, it was so perfectly designed in the first place and sits in such a wonderful location, that little has changed or needed to.

From the moment you arrive, the whole atmosphere at Swinley Forest makes you genuinely feel as though you are stepping back in time. Everywhere, subtlety and understatement is key. Out on the course, then rather than individual standout holes, there is a consistency and great strength in depth. If I was asked to single out just one highlight, it would probably be the par-3 4th, but there is plenty to be admired and enjoyed at each of the other seventeen.

This is one of the best golf courses in England, and the view from the clubhouse sets the scene perfectly. The 1st runs away on your left and the closing hole comes up towards you on the right. Each plays down through the valley and over the stream, although it really shouldn’t come into play. The final green is perfectly situated and calls for a well struck shot to clear the welcoming party of two bunkers just short. With just two par 5s and five varied short holes, it plays every inch of its relatively modest yardage and is one of the best heathland courses in the UK. It is also a course where your score really shouldn't matter… a good thing for me... and one where what does matter, is that it will keep a smile on your face from start to finish.

What's new for 2025/26? What our panellists said...

Stunning land coupled with stunning design is going to yield an all-world golf course - and Swinley Forest is precisely that.

Swinley tempts you to take it on, dares you to carry a bunker, invites you to nip off some heather. All with one clever outcome in mind, to add shots to your score. A wonderful test!

Swinley Forest Golf Club Location

Swinley Forest Scorecard

Best Courses Near To Swinley Forest

Best Places To Stay Near Swinley Forest

Macdonald Berystede Hotel - Book now via Booking.com

Styled like a French chateau, this historical manor has a relaxing spa with swimming pool and gym, and boasts an AA Rosette-rated restaurant. It is set in peaceful gardens and woodland and has an indoor pool with views across the gardens. It also offers an outdoor hydrotherapy pool, thermal suites and beauty treatments.

The Talbot Inn, Woking - Book now via Booking.com

The Talbot Inn serves real ales and locally sourced, seasonal produce in its bar and restaurant. Dating from the 18th century, this 4-star hotel has modern, spacious rooms with plasma-screen TV, en suite bathroom and large rain shower.

Swinley Forest Gallery

Historical Top 100 Rankings UK&I

• 2025/26 - 33
• 2023/24 - 35
• 2021/22 - 39
• 2019/20 - 39
• 2017/18 - 38
• 2015/16 - 38
• 2013/14 - 34
• 2011/12 - 40
• 2009/10 - 36

Frequently Asked Questions

Ganton Golf Club Key Information

Ganton is not only one of Yorkshire’s finest courses but also a long-term resident in the upper echelons of our Top 100 Golf Courses UK & Ireland rankings.

It oozes old-school class, dating back to 1891 when Tom Chisholm of St Andrews first laid out a course that would go on to host significant events, including the Ryder Cup of 1949, in which the USA ran out 7-5 winners, and the Walker Cup of 2003.

It remains the only inland course to host the Amateur Championship, with golf’s unpaid elite visiting in 1964, 1977 and 1991.

In part, this may be due to the land being blessed with many links characteristics, since many aeons ago it was right by the North Sea.

It may also be down to nearly every bygone golfing great lending a design hand over the years, including Harry Vardon (club professional from 1896 to 1903), James Braid, JH Taylor, Harry Colt, Dr Alister MacKenzie and Tom Simpson.

I have played Ganton several times over the years, most recently last year when I was delighted to see that considerable work had taken place after feeling its conditioning had slipped a little on my previous visit about four years earlier.

Everything was back to tip-top condition, with the refurbishment of the bunkers particularly noticeable, along with the huge sand scrapes that had appeared in a couple of places.

Some might rail against the idea of an inland links, but I think Ganton probably comes closer to justifying that tag than any other inland course I have played.

Sir Michael Bonallack, Britain's greatest amateur, said of Ganton, “The journey from tee to green on every hole is one of the most enjoyable golfing examinations that a player is ever likely to experience."

There are too many great holes to list, but the 6th, with a hint of Gleneagles, stands out, as does the very pretty par-3 10th, where the green is heavily bunkered and contoured, but also slightly concave, meaning that only the worst of miscues will suffer, while minor ones may gather back in.

The club is forward-thinking and keen to keep improving. In recent years, it has been doing extensive work to take the layout back to how it was in years gone by. It has turned to historical photos to carry out the restoration and worked on revetted bunkering, gorse clearance and the creation of sandy waste areas. Martin Ebert has advised on gorse clearance and course pathways, also altering the bunker revetting to make them more natural-looking in places.

What's new for 2025/26? What our panellists said…

When I played Ganton in September 2021 I was so impressed with the course that I said at the time, “Ganton has to be the best inland links in the country bar none.” Perhaps there was some misplaced enthusiasm in my new role as a panellist but I do think in the three-year gap to my next visit it has just got even better. The layout offers such variety, and the holes are so challenging that a par feels like a real achievement. The club has added some new sand scrapes to the 8^th and 18^th holes, cleared the penal gorse, realigned some fairways, opened up the views, refurbished its cavernous bunkers and the end result is just a joy. I think I should soften my comments but echo what the club website says: “Ganton is one of the finest inland links courses in the British Isles”.

Ganton is a classic layout that has stood the test of time and still provides a significant challenge to all standard of golfers. It has a proud history of hosting prestigious events and will continue to do so as the quality of its test remains – especially if the wind blows. Protection is provided by punitive rough and many bunkers, which are real hazards. The recent introduction of 'pandies' or sand scrapes has enhanced the aesthetic of the course and makes it look and feel like an inland links course.

Ganton Golf Club Location

Ganton Golf Club scorecard

Best Courses Near to Ganton Golf Club

Best Places To Stay Near Ganton Golf Club

Vardon House, the Dormy House at Ganton - Book now
With 5 en-suite bedrooms (3 x Twin Rooms and 2 x Single Rooms) Vardon House can accommodate up to 8 golfers. All the rooms have televisions, hairdryers and tea/coffee making facilities.

The Wrea Head Hall Country House Hotel and Restaurant - Book now at Booking.com
An elegant country house is set in acres of private grounds on the edge of the North York Moors National Park, boasting breath-taking views across the Yorkshire countryside. Rooms are all individually styled and the 1881 restaurant offers fine dining.

The Plough, Scalby - Book now at Booking.com
A short drive from Ganton, The Plough on the High Street in Scalby is a brilliant inn with brilliant pub food and great accommodation. There are eight en-suite rooms and there are self catering properties available too. If you like staying in village pubs - this one is tough to beat.

Ganton Golf Club Course Gallery

Ganton Golf Club Historical Top 100 Ranking UK&I

• 2025/26 - 32
• 2023/24 - 34
• 2021/22 - 34
• 2019/20 – 28
• 2017/18 - 25
• 2015/16 - 19
• 2013/14 - 20
• 2011/12 - 23
• 2009/10 - 27

Frequently Asked Questions

Walton Heath Golf Club Key Information

The Old Course at Walton Heath is one of the most famous heathland tracks in our Top 100 golf courses UK&I rankings. It was opened in 1904 with a match between the great triumvirate: JH Taylor, Harry Vardon and James Braid. The Scot was already the club’s professional and he continued to hold the position right up to his death in 1950.

Walton Heath is one of the best golf courses in Surrey and it has an illustrious history and Braid is by no means the only famous figure to have an association with the club. Prior to the First World War no fewer than 24 MPs were members, including Winston Churchill and David Lloyd George. Legendary cricketer W.G Grace was also a member, it used to be said he compiled as many hundred’s around the Heath as he did at Lords.

Over the years, the club has been the location for numerous competitions both amateur and professional. The Old Course was used for five European Opens and 23 World Matchplay Championships, but perhaps the most spectacular contest hosted at Walton Heath was the Ryder Cup of 1981 when a majestic US side steamrollered GB&I 18.5 - 9.5.

Since 2005 Walton Heath has been used as a venue for the European qualifier for the US Open and, in 2018, it played host to the British Masters won by Eddie Pepperell, where a composite course including two holes from the New Course was used.

Out on the Herbert Fowler designed Old Course, mature pines and silver birches line sandy fairways that become extremely fast running through the summer months. With the protection of heather, gorse and the ever-changeable wind, excellent ball striking is required throughout the round if you’re to score well. The greens are large and many appear flat. But I am always fooled by some subtle borrows that confuse and perplex.

From the very back tees, I think the course is dauntingly long but the daily tees offer a more reasonable prospect for the average golfer.

What's new for 2025/26? What our panellists said…

Much improved since 2022, with the course having been prepared for the AIG Women’s Open. It’s classic heathland and you get impressive, expansive views across the course at several places.

Playing more like St Andrews than Sunningdale, Walton Heath Old is a championship ‘links’ course inside the M25! Greeens, fairways and heather/rough have been improved. The interior décor has been improved in the main bar area and there is a new astro turf chipping area.

Walton Heath Golf Club location

Walton Heath Golf Club Old Course scorecard

Best Courses Near to Walton Heath Golf Club Old Course

For all the best courses near to Walton Heath, check out our best courses in Surrey.

Best Places To Stay near Walton Heath Golf Club

Holiday Inn Express Epsom Downs - Book now at Booking.com
In the grounds of Epsom Downs Racecourse, Holiday Inn Express London Epsom is a convenient and comfortable option - just a couple of miles from Walton Heath.

The Running Horses Inn - Book now at Booking.com
On the outskirts of Dorking just a few miles from Walton Heath, the Running Horses wasonce a coach house servicing the main route from London to the South and has been a traditional English hostelry for some 400 years. It's characterful and cosy.

Walton Heath Golf Club Old Course Gallery

Walton Heath Golf Club Historical Top 100 Ranking UK&I

• 2025/26 - 35
• 2023/24 - 33
• 2021/22 - 29
• 2019/20 – 27
• 2017/18 - 29
• 2015/16 - 27
• 2013/14 - 27
• 2011/12 - 28
• 2009/10 - 34

Frequently Asked Questions

Old Head Golf Links Key Information

This spectacular track, laid out on a towering headland jutting into the Atlantic near Kinsale in County Cork, boasts elements of links and cliff-top golf… and arguably (although probably not that arguably!) the most dramatic setting of any course in our Top 100 Golf Courses UK & Ireland rankings.

Many of the holes are stunning, but the 12th and 13^th, near the headland’s slender neck and perilously close to sheer vertical drops, perhaps best sum up the Old Head experience. You pass these when you first drive on to the property, and I have to confess I had never seen anything quite like it before when I played my maiden game here some time ago.

The 12th tee is cut into the towering cliffs and the drive must be played uphill towards a hidden fairway. I was told that golfers have apparently had to be escorted away from this tee with vertigo-induced symptoms on occasion! The ribbon-like approach then leads to a precarious green perched some 150 feet above the Atlantic.

The par-3 13th is then a short but dramatic cliff-hugger that relocated to the other side of the entrance road right by the edge a few years ago. Missing left is not a good idea here and if you do, it's best to leave that precious Pro V1 exactly where it is rather than attempt to retrieve it.

Despite Old Head’s dramatic setting and big reputation, the owners have never shied away from course changes in the eternal quest to further improve the layout, which ranks as one of the best golf courses in Ireland.

Chief designer, Ron Kirby, has referred to a constant drive to take as much of the course as close to the cliff edges as possible to eke out every last ounce of visual drama from the available land.

Some of the more recent changes have been to the 8th and 10th holes. Neither par 5 lies right on the very edge, but extending both holes has also added elevation that enhances the visuals and outlook from their greens.

A similar strategy a few years ago saw the 6th extended and its green relocated closer to the remains of one of the headland’s early lighthouses. The beauty of this move is that it now affords the golfer a 360-degree view over the Atlantic, with the hole’s new name of ‘All Points’ entirely fitting.

You could run out of superlatives and adjectives describing Old Head's setting, but jaw-dropping pretty much sums it up!

What's new for 2025/26? What our panellists said…

The drive into the property is awe-inspiring; it is framed with high hydrangeas and other flora. For a first-time visitor, this sets the tone, perhaps unlike any other course in these islands. The views available from the clifftop holes starting at the 2^nd (after the 1st warms you up a tad) are simply unlike any that you will have had the opportunity to savour before. This is clifftop golf at its very best. With its unsurpassed location and design, on a good day it can be an almost mystical experience.

Driving on to the peninsula and seeing the course, the cliffs and the sea for the first time is difficult to comprehend. The clubhouse and facilities are first rate, and once the tame opener is out of the way, you experience some of the most thrilling golf holes available in the British Isles. The course makes the most of its clifftop vantage points and while it may not be an architectural dream, the setting makes the experience unforgettable.

Old Head Golf Links location

Request a golf reservation at Old Head

Old Head Golf Links scorecard

Best Courses Near Old Head

Best Places To Stay Near Old Head

Old Head Golf Links - Book now at Old Head Golf Links
Old Head boasts its own accommodation and The Suites at Old Head Golf Links complement the magnificent beauty and setting of the site, with each one offering incredible views across the golf course from your own private terrace to the Old Head lighthouse and Atlantic ocean beyond.

The White Lady Hotel, Kinsale - Book now at Booking.com
The White Lady is a boutique hotel located in Kinsale 20 minutes from Old Head and 200 yards from the River Bandon. It offers elegant rooms with free WiFi, an award-winning restaurant and a night club. Rooms are decorated in warm colours and have large bay windows. They include TVs, hair dryers and free toiletries.

Old Head Gallery

OLD HEAD GOLF LINKS HISTORICAL TOP 100 RANKING UK&I

• 2025/26 - 34
• 2023/24 - 32
• 2021/22 - 33
• 2019/20 - 31
• 2017/18 - 35
• 2015/16 - 39
• 2013/14 - 33
• 2011/12 - 31
• 2009/10 - 22

Frequently Asked Questions

The Berkshire Red Course Key Information

High in the Top 100 Golf Courses UK & Ireland, the Red Course is the senior of two wonderful Herbert Fowler designs here. Each is a real heathland beauty with the holes separated by majestic pine on a quite lovely site. Together, in a strong area for golf, they are two of the very best golf courses in Berkshire. I have been playing both for many years and it is one of my very favourite places in golf.

The Blue is almost certainly the tougher to score well on, while the Red tends to be the more talked about. The primary reason for this is that it has a brilliant and exciting configuration made up of six of each par. It is only at the 12th that you play the same par as the previous hole - in this case, back-to-back 4s.

This ever-changing variety is happily matched by the design characteristics of the individual holes themselves.

Each of the par 5s is probably just about reachable by the longer hitters, while even those who don’t hit so far from the tee can get pretty close in two. This raises high hopes of the odd birdie or two, and perhaps even an elusive eagle.

I think the hardest holes on which to score are the six quite fabulous and extremely varied par 3s. Each of them is a beauty with the first two on the back nine right up there in the premier league.