Top Golf Courses Around the World and What Makes Them Unique
Golf is a unique sport that balances nature and architecture, where each location becomes its own story. The world’s best courses are not just places to play, but true masterpieces where landscape meets design and history. In this article we with stanleygolf.com will get acquainted with the courses that are considered hallmarks of the regions, attracting professionals and amateurs, and revealing why they have earned their place in the elite of world golf.
An Overview of the Best Courses
Today, all golf enthusiasts can pursue their hobby in these picturesque locations.
The Home of Old Course Golf in Scotland
St Andrews Old Course in Scotland has been the ‘home of golf’ since the 15th century and is considered one of the oldest playing spaces in the world. It is the birthplace of links golf, a game played on coastal dunes with a natural, changing landscape.
The seven courses are easily accessible and organised so that an athlete can change courses in one round. The Old Course’s main course is a 6721-yard, par 72, featuring the legendary final 18th hole.
It’s pointless to think about pure technique here: weather, wind, tactics and the art of hitting from the dunes are key elements that make the Old Course a true challenge for athletes, but incredibly appealing from the unique atmosphere.
Pine Valley in New Jersey
Founded in 1918 by George Crump and Harry Colt, the Pine Valley course has been repeatedly recognised as the world’s best golf course. Winding courses between sandy landscape and dense forest, graceful eco-complexes and strategic bunkers create a balance between beauty and challenge. Pine Valley sets the ideal of golf: the symbiosis of course, setting and difficulty is not contrived, but harmonious and elegant.
Offshore golf at Cypress Point in California
Located on the coast of the Monterey Peninsula, the course was designed in 1928 by Elister Mackenzie. The 16th hole is particularly notable – it sits over the ocean in one of the most scenic courses to play, where the winds and ocean form unexpected challenges for athletes. As a private club with a limited number of members, Cypress Point offers exclusivity against a spectacular ocean backdrop.
Pebble Beach Public Course
Opening in 1919, the course from Douglas Grant and Jack Neville was the first public course to top the US rankings. Starting near the ocean, the route climbs deep into the forest before returning to the coastal cliffs – one of the most scenic combinations of nature and design intent. The course balances accessibility and prestige, where every amateur can play and the pros host major tournaments like the US Open.
Muirfield in Scotland
A private club that offers one of the oldest golf courses launched by Old Tom Morris. The route is presented against the wind and offers a unique double loop (9 holes clockwise, 9 counter-clockwise), making each hole strategically different from its neighbour. Muirfield is not about beauty, but style, where the winds and foreground strategy make this course a test of character.
Royal County Down and Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland
One of the world’s leading courses, surrounded by the Mourne Mountains, challenging eco-complexes and gress. Rory McIlroy calls it his favourite course, which was one of the first outside the UK. It was also the venue for the Open 2025.
Northern Ireland courses are unique locations with unpredictable atmospheres, history and sudden challenges proven at The Open.
Whistling Straits in Wisconsin
The course was designed by Pete Dye along two miles of Lake Michigan lakeshore, reminiscent of the landscapes of Ireland. Deep pot bunkers, rugged terrain, each hole named and stylisation of each hole such as “Shipwreck”, or “Cliffhanger”. The power of the landscape make Whistling Straits a popular choice among professionals and spectators of major tournaments.
Barnbougle Dunes in Tasmania
The course and its satellites (Pacific Dunes, Lost Farm) are located along coastal dunes, with strong winds and natural character. The loose structure, dunes, and rare trees are appreciated at both professional and amateur level.
Cape Kidnappers in New Zealand
Designed by Tom Dock in 2004 on cliffs above the ocean – 400 feet above sea level, spectacular drop-offs, naturalness form a powerful visual effect. Users feel part of the epic: every hole is a challenge and every panorama a memory.
El Camaleón Mayakoba in Mexico
Golf among mangrove swamps, jungle and Caribbean coastline, created by Greg Norman with unique landscapes. The cenotes are underground caves, canals, and natural water hazards that create a unique playing environment. Golf in this style is a previously unseen comfort and connection to the ecosystem, a pleasure against the backdrop of nature.
Nullarbor Links in Australia
The longest course in the world – 850 miles and 18 holes across the Australian desert. Three days and two time zones, where each hole is a mini-agenda dozens of miles apart. It’s not just golf, it’s a journey and a challenge at the same time.
Exotic and Extreme
In addition to the classic natural locations, golfers can also find unconventional courses where all golfers can enjoy a new experience:
- Skukuza, South Africa – located inside a national park with no fences, so elephants, giraffes and other animals can watch your game;
Uummannaq, Greenland – the courses are on icy plains with frost and polar scenery for all Ice Golf Championship participants; - Prison View, USA – the course is located at Angola Prison, Louisiana, so be aware of the need for ID checks and increased supervision from the administration.
Otherwise, the world’s best courses are a combination of beauty, challenge, history and unique atmosphere. From links-style sand dunes in Scotland to ice fields in Greenland and luxury exclusives in Sardinia. Every golfer will find something different, but it’s the diversity that makes golf a global phenomenon. These courses are not just hitting grounds, but places where stories are made.
You might change your mind about travelling to the place where history began, or get out to the most expensive service, or feel the cold freshness of the Arctic. The important thing is to play and enjoy the process, making new memories.