Top golf destinations and championship courses
Top golf destinations and championship courses
Championship golf courses and top resorts for players
Championship golf exists almost anywhere there's the right landscape, but a small number of destinations have built an entire travel identity around it. These are places where course design, climate and surrounding infrastructure, including caddies, clubhouses and accommodation built specifically for golfers, combine into something more complete than a single good round.
The destinations on this list range from links courses shaped by coastal wind and centuries of tradition to desert and resort courses engineered more recently with modern design in mind. Some host major championships. Others are known mainly within the golf world itself. Weather, particularly wind and rain, can also reshape how a links course plays from one day to the next.
Season and course conditions vary enormously by region and booking tee times well ahead is standard practice at the destinations that matter most.
Lists by region
City in United States
Scottsdale (Arizona)
Desert luxury meets Western charm
TPC Scottsdale's 16th hole turns into a stadium each year during the Phoenix Open. Grandstands there hold thousands of fans around a single green. Crowds are known for loud cheers and boos after nearly every shot, unusual for professional golf. Visitors can play the same hole themselves outside tournament week.
Town in United Kingdom
St Andrews
Golf, Ruins and Coastal Magic
The Old Course at St Andrews has hosted golf since at least the 1400s. It ranks among the sport's oldest playing grounds anywhere. The Swilcan Bridge crossing its 18th fairway has become one of golf's most photographed spots. Visitors can walk the course through a public ballot system open to any golfer.
Island in United States
Hilton Head Island
Beaches, Bikes and Southern Charm
Harbour Town Golf Links on Hilton Head Island hosts the RBC Heritage each year, the week after the Masters. Its candy striped lighthouse stands behind the 18th green, one of golf's most photographed backdrops. Visitors can play the course designed by Pete Dye and Jack Nicklaus. Narrow fairways lined by trees demand accuracy over distance.
City in United States
Myrtle Beach
Sun-soaked shores and endless entertainment
Myrtle Beach packs more than a hundred golf courses into a stretch of South Carolina coastline. Golfers can book stay and play packages that combine several different courses across one trip. Visitors can choose between resort style layouts and more challenging championship designs. The area's mild winters keep courses busy nearly year round.
Region in Portugal
Algarve
Golden cliffs and azure waters
San Lorenzo golf course in the Algarve winds through a protected wetland reserve home to flamingos and wading birds. The course has repeatedly ranked among the finest in continental Europe. Visitors can spot birdlife between shots on holes bordering the Ria Formosa lagoon. More than thirty courses line the Algarve coast.
Country
Ireland
Emerald Isle of timeless charm
Ballybunion's Old Course runs along towering dunes above the Atlantic, among the finest links layouts anywhere. Golfer Tom Watson praised the course after visiting in the 1980s, boosting its reputation. Visitors can play holes where a stray shot can vanish into deep marram grass. Sheep occasionally graze near fairways at nearby coastal courses.
State/Prefecture in United States
North Carolina
Mountains, cities and coastal magic
The Omni Grove Park Inn course near Asheville opened in 1899, among the oldest golf courses in the South. Donald Ross, later famous for Pinehurst, helped redesign the layout early in his career. Visitors can play holes with views back towards the historic inn's facade. The mountain setting keeps summer rounds cooler than the lowlands.
Island in United States
Kiawah Island
Wildlife, Beaches and Luxe Retreats
The Ocean Course at Kiawah Island hosted the 1991 Ryder Cup. Its tense finish became known as the War by the Shore. Architect Pete Dye built the course along exposed dunes facing the Atlantic. Visitors can play the same layout used for multiple PGA Championships since.
State/Prefecture in United States
Wisconsin
Four seasons of Midwestern charm
Whistling Straits in Wisconsin hosted the 2021 Ryder Cup along Lake Michigan's shoreline. Architect Pete Dye shaped the site to resemble Irish links, trucking in sand where farmland once stood. Visitors can play the Straits course used for major championships or a second course inland. Sheep graze the property between tournaments, tending the rough naturally.
City in United States
Palm Beach (Florida)
Sun‑kissed shores and vibrant nightlife
The Breakers resort in Palm Beach built its golf course in 1896, among the oldest in Florida. Henry Flagler commissioned the course as part of the development that brought the railway south. Visitors can play the same fairways that have hosted golfers for over a century. The clubhouse still reflects the resort's Gilded Age origins.
City in Thailand
Hua Hin
Sunset beaches and royal heritage
Royal Hua Hin Golf Course opened in 1924, the oldest golf course in Thailand. The Thai state railway built the course alongside its rail line to attract early tourists. Visitors can ride a short train from Bangkok and reach the course on foot. Monkeys occasionally wander onto the fairways from surrounding trees.
Region in Mexico
Punta Mita
Luxury paradise with perfect waves
The Pacifico course at Punta Mita includes a natural island green nicknamed the Tail of the Whale. It sits reachable only by boat or at low tide. Jack Nicklaus designed the optional hole as an extra, playable only when conditions allow. Whales are sometimes visible offshore during migration season.
Region in United Kingdom
Northern Ireland
Land of Epic Scenery and History
Royal Portrush became one of the few courses outside England or Scotland to host The Open. Local favourites Rory McIlroy and Graeme McDowell both learned the game on its fairways. Visitors can play the Dunluce Links used for championship rounds, with views towards the coast. The course sits a short drive from the Giant's Causeway.
City in United States
Phoenix
Desert sun, art and adventure
Papago Golf Course in Phoenix, a public municipal layout, has hosted qualifying rounds for the U.S. Open. Red rock buttes rise behind several holes, giving the course a desert backdrop. Visitors can book a tee time without a resort membership or reservation. The wider Phoenix area holds more than 200 golf courses across its valley.
State/Prefecture in Japan
Hokkaido
Volcanoes, powder snow and fresh seafood
Golfers in Hokkaido play courses framed by volcanic peaks like Mount Yotei near Niseko. The island's short summer season draws mainland golfers escaping the heat further south. Visitors can combine a round with nearby hot spring resorts after playing. Courses here often close under heavy snow through winter.
City in United States
Palm Springs
Desert Modernism and Mountain Views
Palm Springs packs more than a hundred golf courses into its desert valley, irrigated largely with reclaimed water. The PGA Tour has held a stop here for decades, now known as the American Express. Visitors can play courses ringed by the San Jacinto Mountains most days. Winter remains peak season for a comfortable round.
Country
Singapore
Tropical city-state of hawker food and gardens
Sentosa Golf Club's Serapong course hosts the Singapore Open on a layout built partly over reclaimed land. Several holes play alongside the sea, with views back towards the city skyline. Visitors can book tee times at the same course used by touring professionals. Monitor lizards are a common sight wandering near the fairways.
Island in Japan
Okinawa Island
Reef beaches and Ryukyu Kingdom heritage
Golf courses on Okinawa often sit along cliffs above coral reefs, with fairways framing turquoise water below. Kise Country Club has hosted events on Japan's professional tour among its ocean view holes. Visitors can play year round thanks to the island's subtropical climate. Trade winds off the Pacific add extra challenge to seaside approach shots.
Region in United Kingdom
Scotland
Mystic Highlands and Historic Castles
Gleneagles in Scotland hosted the Ryder Cup in 2014, drawing golf fans from around the world to its Perthshire estate. The resort includes three separate courses set among rolling countryside. Visitors can play the same King's Course used for professional tournaments for decades. A shooting school and spa round out the estate beyond golf.
Country
Mauritius
Tropical Bliss in the Indian Ocean
Ile aux Cerfs golf course in Mauritius sits on a small island reachable only by boat from the mainland. Bernhard Langer designed the layout, which wraps around lagoons and stretches of white sand. Visitors can catch a shuttle boat included with their tee time booking. Several holes play directly along the Indian Ocean shoreline.
City in Australia
Melbourne
The heart of culture and coffee
Melbourne's Sandbelt courses, including Royal Melbourne, are known for their deep, sculpted bunkers cut into sandy soil. The region has hosted the Australian Open and Presidents Cup on several courses. Visitors can play multiple Sandbelt layouts within a short drive of each other. Firm, fast fairways reward players who control the ball along the ground.
State/Prefecture in United States
Florida
Sunshine State, Endless Adventure
TPC Sawgrass in Florida holds the Players Championship each year on its famous island green 17th hole. The tiny green sits surrounded by water, forcing players to carry the ball across open air. Visitors can play the Stadium Course or watch from grandstands during tournament week. The PGA Tour keeps its headquarters just steps away.
City in Thailand
Chiang Mai
Ancient temples and mountain escapes
Alpine Golf Resort near Chiang Mai sits in a valley ringed by forested mountains. The setting keeps the course cooler than lowland Thailand. The course has hosted professional tournaments on Asia's golf tour. Visitors can play a round before temperatures rise later in the day.
City in United Arab Emirates
Dubai
Glamour, Adventure and Desert Charm
Emirates Golf Club opened Dubai's first grass golf course in 1988, built where only desert existed before. The club's Majlis course has hosted the Dubai Desert Classic for decades. Visitors can play the same holes where top professionals have competed. Floodlit driving ranges nearby let golfers practice after the heat fades.
Country
South Africa
Where wildlife meets diverse landscapes
Leopard Creek golf course sits beside Kruger National Park, with wildlife sometimes wandering across fairways. Elephants and hippos have both been spotted from the course at times. Visitors can watch for animals at a water hazard doubling as a natural watering hole. Gary Player, a South African golf legend, helped design several top courses nationwide.
City in Thailand
Pattaya
Beaches, nightlife and endless entertainment
Hills just inland from Pattaya hold golf courses drawing players from across Asia. Siam Country Club has hosted LPGA events on its Old Course, carved through dense jungle terrain. Visitors can book same day tee times at dozens of courses within an hour's drive. Caddies are standard practice at nearly every course in the region.
Town in Japan
Karuizawa
Cool highland resort at the foot of Asama
Golf courses in Karuizawa have drawn visitors from Tokyo since the late 1800s. The town became a cool mountain retreat during that era. Courses sit among birch forests at an elevation that keeps summer temperatures mild. Visitors can combine a round with browsing the town's outlet shops.
Town in Japan
Hakone
Onsen town with Fuji views and lake cruises
Golf courses around Hakone often frame views of Mount Fuji from fairways cut into forested hillsides. Many resorts pair a round of golf with a soak in hot spring baths afterwards. Visitors can rent clubs at several courses without bringing their own equipment. Morning mist often rises off nearby lakes before burning off by midday.
Country
Georgia
Wine country, mountain villages and old Tbilisi
Chateau Mukhrani golf course opened in 2016, among the earliest international standard courses built in the Caucasus. The layout sits beside a restored 19th century chateau and vineyard outside Tbilisi. Visitors can combine a round of golf with wine tasting at the same estate. Snow capped mountains frame several holes on clear days.
Neighbourhood in Faro
Vilamoura
Elegant Coastal Resort Town
Victoria Golf Course in Vilamoura, designed by Arnold Palmer, has hosted the Portugal Masters. Its tree lined fairways cut through cork oak forest typical of the Algarve. Visitors can book tee times at more than a dozen courses near Vilamoura's marina. The region's mild winters keep courses playable nearly year round.
Resort in United States
Bandon Dunes
Coastal dunes meet luxury seaside escape
Bandon Dunes in Oregon built its resort around walking only golf, banning carts on its courses. Architects shaped each layout along wind swept dunes above the Pacific, echoing Scottish links. Visitors can play courses back to back, carrying their own clubs. A caddie programme remains popular for golfers who prefer not to carry their bag.
City in Mexico
Cabo San Lucas
Arches, Beaches, Nightlife and Adventure
Diamante's Dunes course near Cabo San Lucas plays across natural sand dunes shaped by desert winds off the Pacific. Tiger Woods designed the layout, his first solo course project. Visitors can play holes perched above the ocean at several courses in the area. Quivira, a nearby course, includes a green built into a cliffside.
City in United Arab Emirates
Abu Dhabi
Modern luxury meets rich traditions
Yas Links in Abu Dhabi sits directly on the coast, shaped by desert wind like a true seaside links. The course hosts the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship most years. Visitors can play holes running along the Arabian Gulf with views back towards Yas Island. Architect Kyle Phillips designed the layout to feel transported from Scotland.
Town in New Zealand
Queenstown
Adventure capital with alpine beauty
Snow capped peaks of the Southern Alps frame golf courses around Queenstown. Jack's Point and The Hills both wind through dramatic terrain above Lake Wakatipu. Visitors can combine a round with the region's other outdoor activities on the same trip. The Hills has hosted the New Zealand Open in past years.
Resort in United States
Pinehurst
Coastal charm meets world‑class golf paradise
Pinehurst No. 2, designed by Donald Ross, is known for turtleback greens that shed shots hit off target. The course has hosted several U.S. Opens on the same sandy soil Ross worked with. Visitors can play the historic layout or choose other courses on the grounds. The village around Pinehurst grew up to support golf.
Resort in United States
Pebble Beach
Coastal luxury with world‑class golf vistas
Pebble Beach's par three seventh hole plays directly towards the Pacific, one of golf's most photographed short holes. The course has hosted multiple U.S. Opens along cliffside fairways overlooking Carmel Bay. Visitors can play the public course themselves, though tee times require planning and cost. The annual AT&T Pro-Am pairs celebrities with touring professionals nearby.
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