Outstanding club2026

The best golf courses in United Kingdom (2026)

Find the top golf courses in the United Kingdom, with rankings based on verified golfer reviews. Golf was invented here and the ground it was invented on is still the best in the world for it. Nowhere else combines this many links coastlines and heathland belts in one place.Read more
Based on 791 verified reviews

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The highest-rated clubs based on the combined score of course quality, facilities, and hospitality. Read more
141
Club image Bigbury Golf Club

Bigbury Golf Club

8.08
Devon18 holes
Great clubhouse
142
Club image Cavendish Golf Club

Cavendish Golf Club

8.08
Derbyshire18 holes
Great value for moneyHillside course
143
Club image Bruntsfield Links Golfing Society

Bruntsfield Links Golfing Society

8.07
Edinburgh18 holes
Great hospitalityPark course
144
-108
Club image Eyemouth Golf Club

Eyemouth Golf Club

8.06
Scottish Borders18 holes
Great hospitalityLinks course
145
Club image The Addington Golf Club

The Addington Golf Club

8.05
Surrey18 holes
Great hospitalityInland course
146
Club image De Vere Slaley Hall Golf Club

De Vere Slaley Hall Golf Club

8.04
Northumberland36 holes
Great maintenancePark course
147
-96
Club image Golspie Golf Club

Golspie Golf Club

8.03
Highland18 holes
#gloriousgolspie #jamesbraid #bythesea #hiddengemHeathland course
148
Club image Monifieth Golf Links

Monifieth Golf Links

8.03
Angus, Scotland36 holes
Great value for moneyLinks course
149
Club image Royal North Devon Golf Club

Royal North Devon Golf Club

8.03
Devon18 holes
Great hospitalityLinks course
150
Club image Rowallan Castle Golf Club

Rowallan Castle Golf Club

8.02
East Ayrshire18 holes
Park course
151
Club image Yelverton Golf Club

Yelverton Golf Club

8.02
Devon18 holes
Heathland course
152
-98
Club image Pitlochry Golf Club

Pitlochry Golf Club

8.01
Perth and Kinross18 holes
Great hospitalityHeathland course
153
Club image Morlais Castle Golf Club

Morlais Castle Golf Club

7.99
Wales18 holes
Great value for money
154
Club image Aberystwyth Golf Club

Aberystwyth Golf Club

7.98
Wales18 holes
Park course
155
Club image Bamburgh Castle Golf Club

Bamburgh Castle Golf Club

7.97
Northumberland18 holes
Links course
156
Club image Powfoot Golf Club

Powfoot Golf Club

7.96
Dumfries and Galloway18 holes
Great maintenanceLinks course
157
-94
Club image Tain Golf Club

Tain Golf Club

7.96
Highland18 holes
Best greens in the North!Great maintenanceLinks course
158
Club image Ashburnham Golf Club

Ashburnham Golf Club

7.96
Wales18 holes
Park course
159
Club image East Devon Golf Club

East Devon Golf Club

7.96
Devon18 holes
Great surroundingsHeathland course
160
Club image Winterfield Golf Club

Winterfield Golf Club

7.94
East Lothian18 holes
Great surroundingsLinks course

Everything about the top golf courses in United Kingdom

The best golf courses in the United Kingdom represent the game's deepest and most varied catalogue, and no other country comes close to matching the combination of historic links, heathland classics and championship venues that sit within a compact set of islands. Any serious golfer asking where to begin will find the answer pulls in several directions at once, which is precisely the point. Royal County Down in Newcastle is the course that anchors this conversation globally. It appears at the top of world rankings with a consistency that reflects genuine consensus rather than national sentiment. Architects and playing visitors who have worked through the world's great courses name it first more often than any other layout. It sets the benchmark against which the rest of British golf is measured. Royal Dornoch gives this list historical and architectural depth that no other northern links provides. Its connection to Donald Ross, Tom Watson's well-documented admiration and its consistent top-ten global positioning make it the second reference point that golfers who know British golf well will expect to find. It also signals that the best courses in the UK extend well beyond the Open Championship rota. The Old Course at St Andrews is the most visited and most symbolically significant course in the game. It may not rank first in every architectural assessment, but it is the course that every golfer wants on their record. For any golfer planning a UK trip, it is non-negotiable. Muirfield, Sunningdale Old Course and Royal Birkdale handle the serious inland and Open venue credentials. Muirfield brings Ryder Cup and Open history with a design precision that appeals to golfers who understand what great bunkering actually means. Sunningdale is the inland reference point, the course that defines English heathland golf in a single address. Royal Birkdale provides the Lancashire links presence and the weight of nine Open Championships on English soil. Royal Portrush, Carnoustie and Turnberry's Ailsa Course round out a first tier that no other country can assemble at the same depth. The United Kingdom does not have a handful of great courses. It has a catalogue, and a visit of any serious length will only scratch the surface of what is available.

How we rank the best 18-hole golf clubs in United Kingdom

This ranking of the best 18-hole golf clubs in United Kingdom is based on the overall score from verified golfer reviews and represents the total experience at a club. The ranking is calculated by aggregating scores across all categories, including course design, maintenance, hospitality, facilities, surroundings, and value for money. To be included in this list, a club must have a sufficient number of reviews to ensure a reliable and representative average.

How we rank the best golf courses in United Kingdom (Course Only)

This ranking isolates the quality of the playing surface from the rest of the club's amenities in United Kingdom. While our "Golf Club" rankings include factors like the clubhouse and hospitality, this "Course Only" list focuses exclusively on the architectural layout, hole variety, and turf conditions. It identifies the best-rated golf courses in United Kingdom for players who prioritize the technical challenge and design of the course above all else.

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