Best golf courses: Home of Golf

Home of Golf: the table below provides brief details about the top golf courses in this country or region. Each golf club has been visited and/or researched by Where2Golf. Click on the course name below to discover more. The course ratings below range from 5 highest, to 2 lowest. They attempt to provide an indication of the golfing experience you might expect at the course (based on its design, condition and surroundings). Hover your cursor above the Rating Key for the rating definitions.
4-star: Above average course - well worth a visit.
Not Saturdays
Edinburgh
Park Jr, Willie

Visitors?

Not Saturdays

Nearest city

Edinburgh

Designer

Original layout designed by Willie Park Jr (1898). Subsequent improvements made by Dr Alister MacKenzie (1922), James Braid (1930) and Fred Hawtree (1974).

5-PLUS: In the world’s elite - has few peers; one of our top-rated 5s!
Tues & Thur
Edinburgh
Morris, Old Tom

Visitors?

Tues & Thur

Nearest city

Edinburgh

Designer

Original course on this site was laid out by Old Tom Morris (1891). Later modifications by Harry Colt and Tom Simpson (1928).

4-PLUS: Must play course - excellent standard; worthy of 4½ stars.
Visitors welcome
St Andrews
Clark, Clive

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

St Andrews

Designer

Clive Clark

4-star: Above average course - well worth a visit.
Visitors welcome
Edinburgh
Colt, Harry

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Edinburgh

Designer

Original design by Harry Colt (1920), with subsequent modifications by James Braid (1926), Philip Mackenzie Ross (1945) and more recently Donald Steel.

3-PLUS: Good course - several memorable features; worthy of 3½ stars.
Visitors welcome
St Andrews
Colt, Harry

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

St Andrews

Designer

Harry Colt

4-star: Above average course - well worth a visit.
Wkends restrictd
Kirkcaldy
Braid, James

Visitors?

Wkends restrictd

Nearest city

Kirkcaldy

Designer

Originally laid out by Old Tom Morris. Extensively redesigned by James Braid (1908).

5-star: Fabulous – courses don’t get much better than this.
Visitors welcome
St Andrews
Phillips, Kyle

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

St Andrews

Designer

Kyle Phillips & Mark Parsinen

4-star: Above average course - well worth a visit.
Visitors welcome
Dundee
Cotton, Ken

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Dundee

Designer

Original 18-hole course designed by James Braid (1932). Course significantly restructured by C.K. (Ken) Cotton (1964).

5-star: Fabulous – courses don’t get much better than this.
Visitors welcome
Dundee
Morris, Old Tom

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Dundee

Designer

Original 18-hole course laid out by Old Tom Morris (1867). Significant changes made by James Braid (1926), which brought the course up to Open Championship standard.

Golf in the town of Carnoustie has been played since at least the mid-1500s, while the first record of a Carnoustie Golf Club dates from 1839.

4-PLUS: Must play course - excellent standard; worthy of 4½ stars.
Wkends restrictd
Edinburgh
Unknown

Visitors?

Wkends restrictd

Nearest city

Edinburgh

Designer

Unknown

4-PLUS: Must play course - excellent standard; worthy of 4½ stars.
Rsrt guests only
Edinburgh
Russell, David J.

Visitors?

Rsrt guests only

Nearest city

Edinburgh

Designer

David J. Russell

4-star: Above average course - well worth a visit.
Visitors welcome
St Andrews
Thomson, Peter

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

St Andrews

Designer

Original design by Peter Thomson, with significant later alterations and a new back-nine layout by Tim Liddy in 2006.

5-star: Fabulous – courses don’t get much better than this.
Not Saturdays
Edinburgh
Various

Visitors?

Not Saturdays

Nearest city

Edinburgh

Designer

Designer of original layout unknown; later extensions and modifications by Old Tom Morris and David "Davie" Strath (1876), Tom Dunn (1880s), and Ben Sayers Jr and Major Cecil K. Hutchison (1932).

4-star: Above average course - well worth a visit.
Visitors welcome
Edinburgh
Steel, Donald

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Edinburgh

Designer

Donald Steel

4-star: Above average course - well worth a visit.
Visitors welcome
Edinburgh
Morris, Old Tom

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Edinburgh

Designer

Original layout at this location designed by Old Tom Morris (1894). Subsequent improvements made by Willie Park Jr, Harry Colt, Philip Mackenzie Ross and James Braid.

5-PLUS: In the world’s elite - has few peers; one of our top-rated 5s!
Visitors welcome
St Andrews
Unknown

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

St Andrews

Designer

Many have contributed to the Old Course layout. Most recently: Daw Anderson (1850s), Old Tom Morris (1860s to 1900) and Dr Alister Mackenzie (1930s).

4-star: Above average course - well worth a visit.
Visitors welcome
Dundee
Morris, Old Tom

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Dundee

Designer

Panmure's original course at this location (following their 1899 move from Monifeith Links) was laid out by Old Tom Morris. Subsequent modifications by James Braid (1922).

4-PLUS: Must play course - excellent standard; worthy of 4½ stars.
Visitors welcome
St Andrews
McLay-Kidd, David

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

St Andrews

Designer

David McLay-Kidd

3-PLUS: Good course - several memorable features; worthy of 3½ stars.
Wkends restrictd
Edinburgh
Braid, James

Visitors?

Wkends restrictd

Nearest city

Edinburgh

Designer

James Braid (1925).

4-star: Above average course - well worth a visit.
Wkends restrictd
Dundee
Braid, James

Visitors?

Wkends restrictd

Nearest city

Dundee

Designer

Current course has its origins in a layout designed by Old Tom Morris (1905). Alterations and extensions made by James Braid (1923).

4-star: Above average course - well worth a visit.
Not Saturdays
Kirkcaldy
Morris, Old Tom

Visitors?

Not Saturdays

Nearest city

Kirkcaldy

Designer

Original 6-hole course laid out by Old Tom Morris (1879). Extended to 9-holes (1910). Extended to 18-holes (1961).

3-PLUS: Good course - several memorable features; worthy of 3½ stars.
Visitors welcome
Kirkcaldy
Unknown

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Kirkcaldy

Designer

Unknown

4-PLUS: Must play course - excellent standard; worthy of 4½ stars.
Visitors welcome
St Andrews
Morris, Old Tom

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

St Andrews

Designer

Old Tom Morris

3-PLUS: Good course - several memorable features; worthy of 3½ stars.
Visitors welcome
Dundee
Alliss & Thomas

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Dundee

Designer

Peter Alliss & Dave Thomas.

4-star: Above average course - well worth a visit.
Visitors welcome
St Andrews
Morris & Braid

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

St Andrews

Designer

Old Tom Morris and later James Braid are thought to have had the biggest influences on the design of the current Elie course.

4-star: Above average course - well worth a visit.
Visitors welcome
Edinburgh
Park Jr, Willie

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Edinburgh

Designer

Willie Park Jr.

3-PLUS: Good course - several memorable features; worthy of 3½ stars.
Visitors welcome
Dundee
Unknown

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Dundee

Designer

Unknown

3-star: Good course – an enjoyable test for your game.
Visitors welcome
Edinburgh
Unknown

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Edinburgh

Designer

Unknown

4-star: Above average course - well worth a visit.
Visitors welcome
St Andrews
Torrance, Sam

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

St Andrews

Designer

Sam Torrance (with contributions from Gene Sarazen)

4-star: Above average course - well worth a visit.
Visitors welcome
Edinburgh
Braid & Sayers

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Edinburgh

Designer

James Braid and Ben Sayers

4-star: Above average course - well worth a visit.
Visitors welcome
Edinburgh
Park Jr, Willie

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Edinburgh

Designer

Willie Park Jr and Ben Sayers.

3-PLUS: Good course - several memorable features; worthy of 3½ stars.
Visitors welcome
Dundee
Unknown

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Dundee

Designer

Unknown

3-star: Good course – an enjoyable test for your game.
Visitors welcome
Perth
Stutt, Hamilton J.

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Perth

Designer

Hamilton J. Stutt designed both the Murrayshall and Lynedoch courses.

3-star: Good course – an enjoyable test for your game.
Visitors welcome
St Andrews
Steel, Donald

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

St Andrews

Designer

Donald Steel

Private: A course for members and their invited guests only.
Private club
Edinburgh
Doak, Tom

Visitors?

Private club

Nearest city

Edinburgh

Designer

Tom Doak

3-star: Good course – an enjoyable test for your game.
Visitors welcome
Perth
Morris, Old Tom

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Perth

Designer

Old Tom Morris

4-star: Above average course - well worth a visit.
Visitors welcome
St Andrews
Devlin, Bruce

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

St Andrews

Designer

Bruce Devlin (with contributions from Gene Sarazen).

4-star: Above average course - well worth a visit.
Visitors welcome
Edinburgh
Morris, Old Tom

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Edinburgh

Designer

Old Tom Morris

3-PLUS: Good course - several memorable features; worthy of 3½ stars.
Visitors welcome
Perth
Morris, Old Tom

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Perth

Designer

Old Tom Morris

3-star: Good course – an enjoyable test for your game.
Visitors welcome
Edinburgh
Unknown

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Edinburgh

Designer

Unknown

4-star: Above average course - well worth a visit.
Visitors welcome
St Andrews
Angus & Steel

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

St Andrews

Designer

John Angus Jr designed the original 12-hole layout (1897). The course was extended from 12 to 18 holes (1905), and significantly redesigned by Donald Steel (1989).

3-PLUS: Good course - several memorable features; worthy of 3½ stars.
Visitors welcome
Edinburgh
Braid, James

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Edinburgh

Designer

James Braid

4-star: Above average course - well worth a visit.
Rsrt guests only
Edinburgh
Russell, David J.

Visitors?

Rsrt guests only

Nearest city

Edinburgh

Designer

David J. Russell

4-star: Above average course - well worth a visit.
Visitors welcome
St Andrews
Morris, Old Tom

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

St Andrews

Designer

Balcomie Links - Old Tom Morris (1895). Craighead Links - Gil Hanse (1998).

4-star: Above average course - well worth a visit.
Not Saturdays
Edinburgh
Morris, Old Tom

Visitors?

Not Saturdays

Nearest city

Edinburgh

Designer

Old Tom Morris

Private: A course for members and their invited guests only.
Private club
St Andrews
Unknown

Visitors?

Private club

Nearest city

St Andrews

Designer

Many have contributed to the Old Course layout. Most recently: Daw Anderson (1850s), Old Tom Morris (1860s to 1900) and Dr Alister Mackenzie (1930s).

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Tournaments

124th US Open: the No.2 Course at Pinehurst once again plays host to this most illustrious championship (June 13-16). Wyndham Clark defends his title, having won at Los Angeles CC in 2023.

79th Women’s US Open: the second women’s major championship of the season gets underway at Lancaster CC in Pennsylvania. It’s the second time the championship has been held here.
(May 30-June 2).

Who's Who

Nelly Korda: won the Mizuho Americas Open (May 16-19) at Liberty National GC, continuing her extraordinary form in LPGA events. This was her sixth win in seven starts in 2024.

Xander Schauffele: recorded his first major championship win, and second record-equalling low score of 62 in a major. Only he, Branden Grace, Rickie Fowler and Shane Lowry have achieved this feat in a men’s major championship.

Marco Simone Golf & Country Club

Marco Simone Golf & Country Club: With a clubhouse that might befit a Roman Emperor, and a golf course to match, you can be sure of a memorable outing at Rome's most talked about golf facility.

Jim Fazio's original layout was much changed to create a modern Ryder Cup course ... now one of the Eternal City's (and Italy's) most revered.

Prince's Golf Club, Kent (UK)

Here at Prince’s Golf Club you'll find 27 excellent holes of links golf. Just over the fence and sharing similar terrain is Royal St George’s; but Prince’s is far from overshadowed by its venerable neighbour. The three nine-hole loops at Prince's, laid out over gently undulating terrain, are sure to bring a smile of satisfaction to all lovers of links golf.

Stay&Play at Prince's: excellent onsite Lodge accommodation available

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