Martin Ebert’s 2017 complement to the legendary Ailsa — the King Robert The Bruce Course gives Turnberry a second world-class layout, accessible to all resort guests without handicap requirement.
Top 100: UK & Ireland
Top 100 courses located in the UK and Ireland — Scotland, England, Wales, Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland.
Kyle Phillips’s Scottish Open host — Dundonald Links is the most accessible championship course in Ayrshire, open to all visitors with no handicap restriction and genuine tournament-quality conditions.
Every hole parallel to the Firth of Clyde — Western Gailes delivers the most naturally conceived and consistently demanding links experience in Ayrshire. The Riviera of Scottish Golf.
The birthplace of The Open Championship in 1860 — Old Prestwick’s Cardinal Bunker, Alps blind hole and Victorian character make this the most historically profound round in Scottish golf.
The Postage Stamp — 123 yards, Gene Sarazen’s hole-in-one aged 71 and the shortest hole in Open history. Royal Troon’s relentless back nine is one of the most demanding on the entire rota.
Bernard Darwin’s beloved home course — “the course my heart loves best.” Aberdovey at the Dyfi estuary is Wales’s most cherished links and golf writing’s most poetically celebrated venue.
The original Redan, Bass Rock and the Pit bunker — North Berwick West Links is golf’s most inventive and entertaining course. The hole that gave golf architecture its most copied template.
England’s finest links south of Lancashire — Burnham & Berrow’s Bristol Channel setting, massive dunes and Herbert Fowler’s strategic masterpiece remain one of English golf’s great undersold secrets.
The Burma Road — English golf’s most televised stage. Harry Colt’s Wentworth West Course, enhanced by Ernie Els, is the BMW PGA Championship’s demanding Surrey woodland arena.
Harry Colt’s more demanding companion to Willie Park Jr.’s Old Course — many scratch golfers rate the New Course Sunningdale’s finest 18 holes. Together they form England’s greatest heathland experience.
Harry Colt’s self-declared masterpiece — no website, 250 members, introduction only. England’s most private and most beautiful heathland course.
The finest hilltop view in Scottish golf — Gullane No. 1’s 7th tee reveals the entire Edinburgh coastline. A consistently undervalued East Lothian masterpiece.
Mackenzie Ross’s Solway Firth masterpiece — green fees from £50, views to the Lake District and the finest value-for-quality ratio in British championship golf.
The 2018 Irish Open host at the tip of Donegal — Ballyliffin Glashedy is Ireland’s most remote championship links, looking out to the Atlantic and Malin Head from one of the wildest coastlines in Europe.
Old Tom Morris’s divinely ordained links — the opening tee shot across the Atlantic beach has no equal in world golf. Machrihanish rewards those willing to make the journey to the end of Kintyre.
Portstewart’s Thistly Hill opening dunes and the Irish Open’s 2017 host — one of the most naturally dramatic links openers in the British Isles.
Kyle Phillips’s masterpiece — 11 North Sea-facing holes and a course that feels ancient despite opening in 2000. The finest new links built in Britain in a century.
Tiger and Payne Stewart’s Open preparation ground — Waterville Links at the end of the Ring of Kerry is the most remote and magnificently desolate links in Ireland.
Tom Morris’s masterpiece on the Firth of Forth — Cruden Bay’s Bram Stoker connection, dramatic dunes and utterly addictive character make it Scotland’s most underrated championship links.
Tiger’s bunkerless 2006 Open. Rory’s 2014 demolition. The cop, the flatlands and the Wirral wind — Royal Liverpool is one of England’s most historically significant and demanding Open venues.
The goats, the Dell blind par 3, the Klondyke, and the wildest Atlantic coast in Irish golf — Lahinch Old Course is the most charismatic links in the world. Full scorecard, strategy and Clare travel guide.
Tom Watson, Ben Crenshaw and Tiger Woods all made the pilgrimage. Royal Dornoch — where Donald Ross learned golf before creating Pinehurst No. 2 — is the world’s most compelling remote course. Full scorecard, strategy and Highland travel guide.
Hogan’s triumph, Van de Velde’s disaster and the Barry Burn — Carnoustie is the hardest and most dramatic of all the Open Championship venues. Full scorecard, strategy and travel guide.
The Lighthouse hole, the Duel in the Sun and Watson at 59 — Turnberry Ailsa is Scotland’s most dramatic links. Full scorecard, hole strategy and Ayrshire travel guide.
Tom Watson’s favourite course in the world. Clifftops, a cemetery fairway and the wild Atlantic — Ballybunion’s Old Course is pure, natural golf at its most magnificent.
The fairest test in England — Royal Birkdale threads through Lancashire’s sand hills with 10 Open Championships and a closing stretch that defines great golf. Full scorecard, strategy and travel guide.
Dunluce Castle, Calamity Corner and the Antrim Coast — Royal Portrush is the most spectacular venue on the Open Championship rota. Full scorecard, hole strategy and travel guide.
Jack Nicklaus’s favourite course in the world. Two concentric loops, severe revetted bunkers and the fairest test in links golf. Full scorecard, hole-by-hole strategy and East Lothian travel guide.
The cathedral of golf. Shared fairways, the Valley of Sin, the Swilcan Bridge and the Road Hole — every golfer’s ultimate pilgrimage. Full scorecard, hole-by-hole strategy and travel guide.
Location: Newcastle, County Down, Northern Ireland Partner Accommodation: Slieve Donard Resort Editor’s Note (Low-Handicap Perspective):…